Marine Park Primary School

Marine Park Primary School Hatfield Square, Woodbine Estate, South Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE33 2RD

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. ■ Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that are well below what is typical for their age and make good progress overall. ■ Pupils make good progress overall in Key Stage 1 although the standards that they reach at the end of Year 2 are still below what you would expect for their age. ■ Pupils continue to make good and sometimes outstanding progress and, by the time pupils reach the end of Key Stage 2, reach standards that are broadly average. ■ Pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium and those who speak English as an additional language make accelerated progress due to high quality intervention and support. ■ Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good and sometimes better progress due to the support they receive. ■ Teaching is good overall and some is outstanding due to the school’s commitment to improving teaching. ■ Pupils behave well and have a good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

understanding of how to keep safe. ■ The strong and determined leadership by the headteacher, well supported by the governing body, has improved the school since the last inspection. ■ The school has accurately evaluated its strengths and areas for development. As a result, with support from a skilful and supportive team of teachers, it is continuing to improve.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

■ In the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 standards in mathematics are below age-related expectations. ■ Teaching is not yet consistently outstanding across the school.

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Information about this inspection

■ Inspectors observed 25 lessons or parts of lessons, of which two were joint observations with the headteacher. In addition, inspectors also observed a number of groups of pupils working with teaching assistants and listened to some pupils read. ■ Inspectors talked to a range of pupils, incuding the school council, regarding the school. ■ They met with the Chair of the Governing Body as well as teaching staff, including senior and middle leaders.The lead inspector also met with a representative of the local authority. ■ Inspectors took account of three responses from the on-line questionaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection. They also took account of the school’s own questionaires to parents and had an informal discussion with parents, including receiving three written communications from parents. ■ They observed the overall work of the school and looked at a number of documents including the school’s data about pupils’ current progress.They also looked at documents relating to

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Information about this inspection

safeguarding, behaviour and attendance. ■ They looked at a range of evidence about the school’s wider achievements including its website and displays.

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Inspection team

David Shearsmith , Lead inspector Additional Inspector Derek Seightholme Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

■ The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. ■ A well above average proportion of pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium. ■ The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is well above average. A well above average number of pupils are supported at school action. A well above average number of pupils are supported at school action plus and have a statement of special educational needs. ■ The school has a well above average number of pupils who speak English as an additional language. ■ The school has the Healthy School, Sports Active Mark and International awards. ■ The school meets government floor standards, which sets the minimum standards for schools. ■ The school has a breakfast club run by the governing body.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

■ Improve standards in mathematics in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 by:  improving the provision for mathematics in the Nursery and Reception years so children have more opportunities to learn about mathematics for themselves  providing more opportunities for more formal recording of calculations  ensuring pupils have more access to mathematical vocabulary in lessons  ensuring that work meets pupils’ needs better, particularly the more able. ■ Improve all teaching so that it is consistently outstanding by:  using existing outstanding teaching as a model to improve teaching  using monitoring and evaluation more effectively to focus on pupils’ progress in lessons and their work in books  making sure that pupils know what they are learning in each lesson and how they can successfully accelerate their progress in lessons  ensuring pupils know how to assess their own work so they can accelerate their own progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

■ Pupils achieve well, particularly from their very low starting points, because they are challenged well in groups which are based on their ability in the basic skills. This has been particularly effective in raising standards at Key Stage 2 and standards are also beginning to rise in the other key stages. ■ Children thrive in the Early Years Foundation Stage. They enter with skills that are well below what is typical for their age and make good progress overall, although they still have weaknesses in their basic skills of literacy and mathematics. ■ Pupils make good progress in Key Stage 1 to reach standards that are below average but continuing to improve. The school has been particularly successful in developing pupils’ literacy skills across both key stages. Standards in mathematics are relatively weaker at Key Stage 1, as teachers have been less successful in developing pupils’ mathematical skills. Pupils do not have a

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The achievement of pupils is good

good understanding of mathematical vocabulary or record calculations formally. ■ Pupils continue to make good and sometimes outstanding progress so that by the time they reach the end of Key Stage 2 standards are broadly average for the majority of pupils. ■ The school is effective at teaching reading and pupils achieve well. From a low starting point, pupils make good progress to reach standards in reading that are below average by the end of Key Stage 1. Progress continues to improve so that by the end of Key Stage 2 standards are broadly average. ■ Pupils who speak English as an additional language are particularly well catered for. They make good and sometimes better progress, particularly as they move through the school. The school is effective in developing their language skills. Pupils make good progress overall due to well- targeted interventions and good quality teaching and support in lessons.

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The achievement of pupils is good

■ Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. Teaching assistants are effective in developing pupils’ literacy skills so that they make good progress. ■ Pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium make good and sometimes better progress particularly at Key Stage 2. Teachers are skilful at meeting their needs in most lessons.

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The quality of teaching is good

■ Teaching is good overall with an increasing proportion that is outstanding, particularly in Key Stage 2. Senior leaders have not yet put this expertise to good use to promote more consistently outstanding teaching across the school, although they have already recognised the need to do this in their plans for development. ■ Teachers are very effective when questioning pupils about their learning and this is often instrumental in developing pupils’ understanding and accelerating their progress. This was seen in an outstanding literacy lesson in Year 5 when pupils were developing their skills in descriptive writing. The teacher had excellent ways of engaging pupils and helping them to remember grammatical features through phrases such as ‘Captain Connective’ and ‘Incredible Openers’. ■ Pupils have good attitudes to learning as teachers provide a rich curriculum that takes pupils out of school to ensure they have a better understanding of the world around them. These visits and

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The quality of teaching is good

teachers’ well-planned activities have ensured that pupils’ literacy skills have significantly improved across the school. ■ Teachers mark pupils’ work well and give them good points for improvement. This has been particularly successful in promoting pupils’ writing skills in Key Stage 2. Pupils respond well to the marking and make better progress. ■ The teaching of sounds that letters make (phonics) is excellent and has had a very positive impact on pupils’ skills in reading. Pupils use these skills well and really enjoy reading. The school is keen to promote reading and has a lending library so pupils can take books home regularly. ■ In the Early Years Foundation Stage teaching is good overall. Focussed activities are effective, particularly in literacy. In an outstanding lesson the Reception teacher provided excellent support in terms of developing children’s vocabulary for a story. There are, however, insufficient

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The quality of teaching is good

opportunities for children to investigate mathematical ideas for themselves. ■ The teaching of mathematics at Key Stage 1 does not always meet pupils’ needs as activities are not always sufficiently challenging, particularly for the more able. ■ Where teachers share with pupils what they are learning in lessons and how to be successful, progress is accelerated. In classes where pupils are encouraged to assess their own work, much better progress is made. These strategies are not consistently applied across the school to ensure pupils make outstanding progress. ■ Teaching assistants make a strong contribution to all lessons. They are also skilful when supporting pupils through intervention programmes and, as a result, have been successful in helping to ensure pupils reach their full potential.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

■ Pupils behave well in and out of lessons in this harmonious, diverse school community. ■ Teachers are adept at engaging pupils in lessons and, as a result, pupils are motivated and on task. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good because of this and they listen attentively and always work hard and try to do their best. ■ Pupils work and play well together and there are very few incidents that require adult intervention at play times, as the school has made its playgrounds very pupil friendly. They look after their school well, particularly the ‘fruit spiral’ in the playground which is a quiet place to sit with your friends. ■ Pupils say they really enjoy coming to school because of the interesting activities that the school provides and that they feel well looked after, safe and secure. ■ Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep safe, particularly with regard to not talking to strangers. They also understand the risks when using the internet and mobile phones.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

■ Bullying is very rare as pupils relate well to each other. Pupils say they are confident that when they have a disagreement, adults will help them to sort it out amicably. ■ Pupils are particularly polite and well mannered to all adults in the school, including visitors. Pupils also behave well around the school and when they go out of school on visits. ■ The school has a very strong commitment to ensuring pupils are well cared for and the school’s curriculum supports pupils’ personal development well. Pupils attend a popular breakfast club that gives them a good start to their day in school. ■ Attendance has improved since the last inspection and is now broadly average. This is due to the school’s rigorous approaches to ensuring pupils attend well. The school has a very strong commitment to ensuring every pupil achieves well and improvements in pupils’ attendance have had a positive impact on improving their basic skills.

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The leadership and management are good

■ The strong, determined leadership of the headteacher has been instrumental in driving improvements across the school since the last inspection. She is well supported by a skilful team of teachers and support staff. ■ The school has improved since the last inspection as the school has focussed on the right priorities for improvement through rigorous, accurate self-evaluation. Results have significantly improved at Key Stage 2 and are improving rapidly elsewhere. ■ The school monitors and evaluates the quality of teaching regularly. An insufficient focus, however, on evaluating pupils’ progress in lessons and work in books, has meant outstanding teaching has not yet been secured. ■ The curriculum generally meets pupils’ needs well. It provides a range of visits and visitors that ensure pupils have a better understanding of the wider world. It enriches their vocabulary and has developed their literacy skills well.

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The leadership and management are good

■ Teaching has been improving over time and more lessons are now outstanding due to teachers’ commitment to improvement. Leaders at all levels provide good support through effective systems to improve the performance of teachers and regular professional development. ■ The school provides good support to pupils whose circumstances may make them more likely to be vulnerable. Safeguarding meets requirements. ■ The school works with a range of partners to support pupils in their learning. The local authority provides good support to the school and has assisted in evaluating the performance of the school. ■ The school is very effective at engaging with parents. They are provided with a range of opportunities to support their child’s learning. The school’s community garden is a good example of where parents can come to the school. They can work with their children, grow a range of vegetables and help with cooking.

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The leadership and management are good

■ The governance of the school:  The governing body provide strong support to the school through regular meetings with the Chair of the Governing Body.  Members of the governing body ensure that the school improves through accurate self- evaluation and clear points for improvement.  Governors ensure the effective use of resources and finance, particularly the pupil premium.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 108675 Local authority South Tyneside Inspection number 400997 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3  11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 189 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Anglin Headteacher Alison Burden Date of previous school inspection 11 January 2010 Telephone number 0191 4554513 Fax number 0191 4544751 Email address aburden@marinepark.s-tyneside.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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