Marshside Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Marshside Primary School is a welcoming school where pupils are kind and considerate towards one another. Pupils, including children in the early years, enjoy school.

They said that they feel happy and safe in this close-knit community.

The school has high expectations of what all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can and should learn. Staff place great importance on those pupils in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision) becoming as independent as possible so that they can succeed.

Pupils throughout the school achieve well.

Pupils easily meet the high exp...ectations that the school sets for their behaviour. Pupils are polite and well mannered.

They are attentive in lessons, and they concentrate without disruption. Pupils are confident that staff will swiftly resolve any concerns they may have.

Pupils delight in learning about their local environment.

For example, they view wildlife from the school observation deck on the edge of a coastal bird sanctuary. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about their work with local community groups to develop their understanding of the wildlife and landscape on their doorstep. They embrace opportunities to take part in local sports competitions and community events.

For example, they recently raised money for the local foodbank.

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

The school has ensured that there is a broad and balanced curriculum offer from the Reception Year to Year 6. The school places great emphasis on ensuring that staff are knowledgeable and confident to teach a broad range of subjects.

Overall, pupils learn increasingly well across a wide range of subjects.

In recent years, the school has made a number of changes to strengthen the curriculum. For example, the school has identified the important knowledge that it wants pupils to learn so that they can build a deep body of subject knowledge over time.

Added to this, the school has implemented assessment strategies that are used skilfully by staff to inform future learning. Together, these improvements have had a positive impact on how well pupils achieve across the curriculum.

In a few subjects, as a result of shortcomings in the previous curriculum, some older pupils have residual gaps in their knowledge that remain unaddressed.

This means that, on occasion, these pupils are not as well prepared for the next stages of their education as they could be.

The school has cultivated a love of reading. For example, it has successfully engaged parents and carers in enjoying books with their children.

Pupils value being elected as reading ambassadors for each year group. They told inspectors that staff consider their wishes with regards to which books they would like to read and listen to. Pupils also said that they appreciate the opportunities to read on their 'book bus' school library.

Pupils begin to learn phonics as soon as they start in the Reception class. Staff are suitably trained to deliver the phonics programme with expertise. This helps most pupils to learn to read well.

Pupils practise their reading with books that match the sounds that they have learned. Skilled staff identify any children who are struggling with phonics and provide effective, additional support to help these pupils to catch up quickly. As a result, most pupils learn to read confidently by the end of Year 2.

The school has effective systems in place to identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Staff work collaboratively with parents and carers, the local authority, and other external agencies to secure appropriate support for pupils. A strength of this school is the highly effective way in which all staff are skilled at adapting the curriculum while supporting pupils with SEND to become independent.

This ensures that pupils with SEND, including those in the specially resourced provision, progress well through the curriculum.Pupils, including children in the early years and pupils in the specially resourced provision, behave well. They quickly learn what behaviours are expected of them, and they respond positively.

Pupils are friendly and well mannered. They are perceptive to other pupils' needs and support each other well. However, from time to time, a few pupils do not behave in such a positive manner during social times.

There is a risk that this could jeopardise the current friendly, collaborative culture that inspectors saw.

The school has successfully taken action to improve the attendance and punctuality of pupils. It has implemented a range of school-wide initiatives to promote regular attendance.

This has helped the majority of pupils to understand the importance of attending school daily and being punctual.

The school has developed a successful offer to enhance pupils' wider personal development. Pupils are proud to be members of the school council and the eco-committee.

They carry out their roles diligently. Pupils also benefit from a wide range of trips and clubs, such as running and story writing. These varied experiences help pupils to develop a strong sense of responsibility and independence.

Members of the local governing body fulfil their statutory duties effectively. They have a clear understanding of the school's strengths and priorities for further development. Governors are fully committed to ensuring that pupils experience a high-quality education.

The school has been innovative in how it has engaged parents so that they feel welcome and listened to. Pupils benefit from their parents and the school working closely together. For example, family coffee mornings on the 'book bus' enable parents to share and encourage their children's love of reading.

Governors and leaders are fully cognisant of staff's workload and well-being when making decisions about the school. As a result, staff feel valued and appreciated.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, some older pupils have not fully benefited from the strengthened curriculums that are now in place. This means that some of these pupils have gaps in their knowledge. The school should ensure that staff are well equipped to identify and address these gaps so that pupils are ready for the next stage of their education.

• A few pupils do not behave with high levels of respect for their peers during social times. This could impact negatively on the quality of social time for other pupils. The school should strengthen the support for these pupils to learn how to manage their feelings and emotions to ensure that they behave as staff expect.