Marston Moreteyne VC School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school puts the pupils at the heart of everything that it does. Pupils are kind and respectful to each other and adults.

They feel safe in school. The majority behave well. They have trusted adults that they can go to if they need to.

Pupils understand how to be responsible citizens in their school environment, including picking up litter and not being wasteful.

Pupils engage well in lessons. They are keen to learn, and they appreciate that their teachers make learning fun and interesting.

As a result, most pupils progress well through the curriculum.

Pupils have a range of responsibilities available to them, including sport ambassadors,... school councillors and eco-councillors. Pupils in these roles work with others from across both sites, learning to cooperate and value each other's opinions.

They have a say in improving the school. This includes the introduction of buddy benches in the playgrounds and how to make the school eco-friendly. Pupils have access to sporting events, local trips, including a visit to different places of worship, and a variety of clubs, including chicken club and dancing.

These activities broaden pupils' experiences.

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

The school constructed an ambitious curriculum. In most subjects, the knowledge and vocabulary that pupils should learn is clearly set out.

This starts in the early years. Knowledge is ordered so that pupils build on previous learning. Teachers plan activities that help pupils remember, use and extend what they have learned before.

They check that pupils have a secure understanding of the knowledge and vocabulary they need to learn more complex ideas. Staff carefully choose activities that motivate pupils and enable them to develop independence with their learning. This begins in the early years, where children learn independently and alongside others.

Overall, pupils leave prepared well for learning in middle school.

In a few lessons in some subjects, teaching is not as highly effective. In these subjects, teachers do not check on pupils' understanding as carefully.

Pupils have fewer opportunities to practise using their knowledge. They are less secure in their understanding of the building blocks needed to understand more complex knowledge in these subjects.

Children start to learn to read from Reception.

The school's carefully chosen phonics scheme ensures that pupils build on their knowledge of sounds. Staff teach phonics effectively. Pupils learn to read and spell new words.

The school supports parents to reinforce pupils' learning at home. Staff check pupils' reading knowledge regularly. They ensure struggling readers get the support they need.

Pupils become fluent and confident readers as they continue through the school.

Pupils enjoy reading. They can choose from a wide range of texts from the class and school libraries.

Teachers read high-quality texts to their pupils. These link to pupils' learning about different subjects or cultures. This helps pupils to extend and deepen their understanding.

The school ensures that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs identified accurately and that these are met. Staff have the expertise to adapt the curriculum successfully. This means that most pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their classmates.

Some pupils follow a more personalised curriculum to meet their needs. The school works effectively with external agencies to ensure that pupils with SEND have the best support they can. As a result, pupils with SEND make progress through the curriculum.

The school is calm and orderly. Pupils know the expectations that staff have of them. They follow the clear routines, which start in the early years.

Attendance is improving. However, a small group of pupils are absent frequently. The school is working closely with these pupils and their families to improve their attendance.

Pupils learn to respect and value diversity. The school ensures that pupils know how to keep themselves physically fit and how to look after their well-being. Pupils value the calm spaces available to them throughout the school.

They know how and when they can access these. This ensures that pupils can be independent while gaining the appropriate support.

The school prioritises staff well-being.

Staff appreciate this. Staff receive clearly planned training focused on the school's improvement priorities. Governors are clear about their roles in developing the school.

However, there are differences in how the curriculum and some policies and procedures are implemented across the two school sites. This means some pupils have a different experience to most others in the school.

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 few lessons in some subjects, there is not always the same level of high-quality teaching and checking of pupils' knowledge that is evident in the rest of the curriculum. This means that pupils are not able to remember some important knowledge they need to learn and understand more complex ideas. The school should ensure that all subjects in the curriculum are taught highly effectively.

• There are inconsistencies in how effectively some policies and procedures are implemented between the two school sites. As a result, some pupils do not have the same experiences as most pupils in the school. The school should ensure that policies and procedures are understood and implemented consistently by all staff so that leaders' and governors' vision for the school and its pupils is realised fully.