Marsh Green Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

The quality of teaching across the school is consistently good, with some examples of outstanding teaching. Children join the school with levels of skill and knowledge that are low compared to other children of the same age. As a result of well-matched activities, pupils make good progress and achieve well across the school.

Governors, senior leaders and managers and staff are ambitious for the school. They know the school's strengths and areas of improvement very well. The school has successfully closed the gap in attainment between pupils supported by the pupil premium and other pupils at the school.

Systems to check the quali...ty of teaching and pupils' progress are rigorous. These mean that all teachers know what they do well and how to improve. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make good progress because of targeted extra guidance and support to develop their early literacy skills.

Pupils arrive punctually in school and quickly settle in lessons. Attendance is consistently above average. Pupils behave extremely well in lessons and around the school.

They feel safe at school. Parents are very positive about what the school has to offer and increasing numbers are actively involved in supporting their children's learning. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Teaching in mathematics does not consistently ensure that the most able pupils make rapid progress across Key Stage 2.

Sometimes teachers' comments in marking and feedback are not closely linked to pupils' learning. Pupils' responses to teachers' marking and feedback are often very brief. So pupils do not make the necessary improvements and continue to make the same mistakes.

Information about this school

This is larger than the average-sized primary school. It is expanding from one to two forms of entry. There are currently two classes in Reception, Year 2 and Year 5.

There will be two classes admitted in Reception every year from now on. The Early Years Foundation Stage also has a nursery, which offers 52 part-time places, 26 in the morning and 26 in the afternoon. The school population comprises pupils from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds.

The two largest groups are from African and any other White ethnic backgrounds. A higher than average number of pupils enter the school at times other than at the start of the academic year, especially in the Early Years Foundation Stage, as the school is expanding. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is much higher than average, with more pupils beginning the Early Years Foundation Stage in the early stages of English language acquisition.

The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is slightly above average to that found in most schools. This is additional government funding provided to give extra support to those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and to children who are looked after. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is lower than average.

The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is slightly above average. In 2013, the school did not meet the government's current floor standards for Year 6, which set the minimum expectations for the pupils' attainment and progress in English and mathematics. However, the pupils who are not new to the school met the government's current floor standards for Year 6.