Marshlands Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Marshlands Primary School are happy. They thrive in this inclusive and nurturing environment. Pupils are proud to belong to the school.

They understand and embody the school's values of resilience, respect and positivity. This is shown by the way that pupils treat each other.

Leaders have created a caring and supportive environment where everyone is respected.

Relationships between staff and pupils are excellent. As one pupil said, 'Teachers help to shape our dreams.'

Pupils understand the school's behaviour and rewards system.

Teachers use it well. Pupils engage and focus on their learning. This includes in the early years, where... children listen attentively and follow routines.

Bullying is rare. Parents and pupils say that adults deal swiftly with unkind behaviour. This helps to deter bullying from happening.

Leaders give pupils a wide range of experiences to help them develop both academically and personally. Leaders plan for each experience through the 'Making Marshland Memories' offer. Pupils attend wider curricular activities such as netball, mini medics, sewing and languages clubs.

They are proud of their outdoor learning resources and help the environment by planting saplings.

Pupils can develop their leadership skills through a range of opportunities. For example, they can apply to become a pupil parliament member or a library squad member.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have high ambitions across the curriculum. These are particularly evident in the teaching of early reading. Leaders prioritise reading.

They have a determination for every pupil to read and enjoy reading. They have chosen a phonics programme that meets the needs of all their pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers provide pupils with repeated practise of sounds to help them remember what they are being taught.

Extra reading sessions support pupils who need help to catch up quickly. As a result, pupils are starting to learn to read with fluency and confidence. Leaders promote a love of reading.

They challenge pupils to read regularly and from a range of authors. Pupils talk eagerly about their favourite books and the excitement of receiving a book from the reading vending machine.

Leaders have designed a coherent curriculum.

Subject leaders have set out the key knowledge and skills that pupils should learn. Leaders have identified vocabulary that pupils need to know to help them understand and explain their thinking. Teachers provide pupils with many opportunities to develop their knowledge.

They design careful sequences of learning. For example, in design and technology, pupils develop knowledge of construction, threading, sewing and cross stitching. They select tools appropriate for the task.

Pupils gain a deeper understanding of concepts over time and test the work they produce. They enjoy opportunities to discuss and explore ideas. Pupils work hard and sustain their concentration throughout lessons.

The high quality of the curriculum is not reflected in the outcomes of pupils in Year 6 in 2022. The progress of pupils at key stage 2 in 2022 was significantly below the national average in writing and mathematics. These pupils experienced particular disruption in their learning as a result of COVID-19.

At times, teachers do not have the subject knowledge to choose the most appropriate activities to enable pupils to learn the curriculum. This means that activities chosen by teachers prevent pupils from reaching ambitious end points.

Leaders have ensured that the early years gives children a good start.

The curriculum children follow is carefully considered. Teachers check to ensure that children build their knowledge and skills over time. Development of children's language and communication is given high priority.

Maths provision is well planned. Staff make sure that children in the early years learn numbers and numerical patterns quickly. As a result, they recognise and recall number facts.

Adults in the early years have created an environment that supports the children's needs. The indoor and outdoor areas promote curiosity and independent learning.

Leaders have effective mechanisms in place to identify pupils with SEND.

Leaders know these pupils well. In some cases, teachers help these pupils to access the curriculum by making necessary adjustments. However, some adaptations do not always provide the specific help that some pupils with SEND need to access the curriculum alongside their peers.

This can slow progress and the development of independence for some learners.

Governors know and understand the school. They fulfil their statutory responsibilities.

Leaders work well with staff. They consider staff's well-being and workload. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about steps leaders take to support their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Leaders build links with families and know the individual circumstances of pupils very well.

As a result, pupils get the help they need. Staff work closely with safeguarding partners and other agencies to support pupils. Staff are kept up to date about safeguarding issues and understand the risks that pupils face.

Leaders protect pupils by raising awareness of safeguarding risks.Leaders ensure that the curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to learn how to stay safe, including when online. Pupils know who to go to if they have a concern.

They know that staff take their concerns seriously.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Adaptations for pupils with SEND in some lessons are not always appropriate. As a result, some pupils with SEND are not sufficiently well supported in their learning.

Leaders should ensure that all teachers are provided with clear information about how to meet the needs of pupils with SEND so that they are able to access the curriculum. ? In some classes, the curriculum is not always consistently implemented. Some activity choices do not support pupils' learning.

This results in time being wasted on activities that do not have a purpose. This is because some staff do not have the knowledge they need to deliver all subjects effectively. Leaders need to ensure that the staff have the training they need to implement the curriculum effectively so that all pupils can learn new knowledge quickly.

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