Marlcliffe Community Primary School

Marlcliffe Community Primary School Marlcliffe Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S6 4AJ

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Overall effectiveness

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

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Progress in reading, writing and mathematics in Key Stage 2 has slowed in recent years. As a result standards when pupils leave the school are not as high as they should be.  Teaching at Key Stage 2 is not consistently good over time. As a result progress across Key Stage 2 requires improvement.  Teachers’ expectations of pupils in Key Stage 2 have not been high enough over time to ensure all pupils do as well as they can.  Not enough pupils of high ability, in particular, are reaching the standards of which they are capable.

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The school has the following strengths

 Children achieve well in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 to reach above average standards by the end of Year 2.  Pupils are friendly and well mannered. They form good relationships with each other and behave well in lessons and around the school. Pupils say that they feel safe in school.  Attendance is above average. A high proportion of parents would recommend the school to other parents.  The headteacher, deputy headteacher and governing body are highly ambitious for the school and for pupils to succeed. They are now implementing robust plans to achieve these ambitions and are working hard and with success to improve teaching and achievement.  Recent improvements in the way that information about the school’s performance is gathered and used is ensuring that gaps between the performance of the different groups of pupils are beginning to close.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 21 lessons and parts of lessons taught by 19 teachers. Three lessons were observed jointly, two with the headteacher and one with the deputy headteacher.  They reviewed work in pupils’ books, listened to groups of pupils read and observed pupils at playtime and at lunchtime.  Inspectors met with staff, pupils, parents, members of the governing body and held a telephone discussion with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and considered a number of documents, including the school’s own evaluation of its performance, its improvement plan, safeguarding documentation and minutes from governors’ meetings.  The inspectors took into account 46 staff questionnaires and the 62 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) as well as considering information from previous school surveys carried out with parents.

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Inspection team

Jonathan Woodyatt, Lead inspector Additional Inspector John Evans Additional Inspector Karen Foster Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is much larger than the average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil-premium funding (the pupil premium is additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after by the local authority) is average.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is much lower than in most primary schools. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special education needs is average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which is the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Since the last inspection there have been changes to the leadership with the appointment of a new headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher and Chair of the Governing Body.

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Information about this school

 Over the last few years there have been changes in the teaching staff at the school, particularly with teachers leaving or joining or changing classes in Key Stage 2.  The school runs the ‘Dragon’s Den’ breakfast club and an after-school club.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching at Key Stage 2 so that it is at least good in order to increase pupils’ rates of progress and raise standards in reading, writing and mathematics by ensuring that:  work and tasks always meet pupils’ needs and hence enable them to make more rapid progress and reach higher standards by the time they leave the school  marking enables all pupils to be clear about what they need to improve in their work and how to do so  teachers frequently check on the learning taking place in lessons and quickly tackle any misunderstanding pupils have  teachers rigorously use the information gathered from the school’s tracking system and from lesson observations to ensure that gaps in progress are quickly identified and actions put in place to close them  the levels pupils achieve are always recorded by teaching assistants in order to ensure improvements are being made.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because pupils in Key Stage 2 do not make good enough progress from their starting points in Year 3. As a result standards at the end of Year 6 are not as high as they should be overall and particularly for pupils of higher ability.  There is inconsistency between the standards that pupils achieve between Key Stage 1 and 2. Results in 2011 and 2012 show that by the end of Key Stage 2 standards have fallen sharply compared to those in Key Stage 1 in the same years. Currently, standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are broadly average but are beginning to rise as a result of actions taken by school leadership.  Not enough pupils in Key Stage 2 reach the levels that they are capable of in reading, writing and mathematics, including pupils who are capable of reaching the higher levels. Although standards are improving in Key Stage 2, they have not improved fast enough because of weaker

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

teaching in previous years, combined with staffing instability, which has held back pupils’ progress.  Point scores in national tests showed that pupils who are eligible for the extra funding through the pupil premium reached lower standards in 2012 than those not eligible for these funds and other pupils nationally. Pupils with special educational needs also did less well in these tests. However, school leaders have identified this issue and are taking action successfully to resolve it. Most recent school data shows that both groups of pupils are making better progress in reading, writing and mathematics and are reaching standards that are similar to others as a result of additional support from teaching assistants.  Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with levels that are below those found nationally. They are taught well and enter Key Stage 1 with skills expected for their age. Standards by the end of Key Stage 1 are above average in reading, writing and mathematics and

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

have been over time.  Checks on pupils’ phonic skills (the skills of matching letters and sounds to help them read unfamiliar words) carried out in Year 1, show that pupils exceed the levels expected for their age.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement as it is not yet consistently good across all key stages.  Staff changes in recent years have reduced the consistency in teaching and teachers’ expectations for pupils have not been high enough at Key Stage 2. This has led to progress slowing and a drop in standards. This has been recognised by school leaders who have changed the way classes are organised in Years 5 and 6 so that teaching is now improving in Key Stage 2.  In Key Stage 2 the assessments of progress carried out by teachers in the past have not been accurate and pupils have not been provided with work and tasks that have been matched sufficiently to their levels in order for them to make good progress over time.  Teachers do not always make it clear to pupils how to improve their work. In lessons, teachers do not always find out how well pupils have understood learning, and therefore miss opportunities to address any errors or misunderstandings. Marking, although undertaken

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

regularly, sometimes lacks guidance on how pupils can make their work better next time.  In the most effective lessons, teachers have high expectations for what pupils can achieve. They frequently ask questions that check pupils’ understanding and set suitably challenging tasks to maintain their interest and concentration. These were common features of the best teaching seen in Reception, Key Stage 1 and occasionally in Key Stage 2.  Training and opportunities to work with other local schools recently has supported teachers to improve their knowledge of the standards that pupils are working at. This has meant that the school can identify work that is suitable for more pupils to reach the higher levels in national tests. Recent checks in school show that this is beginning to happen.  Teaching assistants often make an effective contribution to guiding the learning of different groups of pupils, such as those with special educational needs. They are involved in activities in

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

and out of the classrooms, such as providing support with learning phonics.  Pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium have one-to-one support or take part in small groups with teaching assistants, which is having a positive impact on their learning and progress. The additional funding is also used to extend opportunities for participation in activities and to go on school visits. This demonstrates the school’s commitment to providing equality of opportunity for all its pupils.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well in lessons, around the school and during break time and at lunch times. During breaks pupils were observed playing together happily in the playground and sharing the equipment provided by the school. Some older pupils wore luminous jackets that helped them to be seen easily in order that pupils could come and talk to them.  Pupils are keen to learn and respond well to their teachers’ instructions. Occasionally, when learning activities are not matched to their needs, their attention slips. When this happens, teachers and teaching assistants quickly ensure pupils get back to their work.  The school sets clear expectations for good behaviour and rewards pupils who behave well. Pupils understand these rules and, as a result, they are motivated to improve their own behaviour.  In conversations with inspectors pupils said that there is little bullying or racist behaviour and that, if it occurs, it is dealt with quickly and effectively by teachers and other adults. The school’s

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

records confirm this and show that pupils’ behaviour over time is good.  Pupils have a good awareness of different forms of risk, and know what to do and who to tell if they feel unsafe. For example, pupils can talk about the different risks associated with using the internet and social media, demonstrating that e-safety awareness is good.  Attendance is above average because pupils enjoy coming to school.  The school has employed a worker who has successfully worked with pupils and their families to improve attendance levels.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s leadership is having a strong impact on improvement. The headteacher has reviewed the quality of teaching in lessons, reorganised staffing and class structures, and improved the accuracy and use of information that shows how well pupils are doing. As a consequence there is clear evidence that the quality of teaching is improving and that standards have begun to rise in Key Stage 2.  Recent training has made an improvement in teachers’ skills in being able to recognise when pupils have reached the higher standards in their work. School data shows that there are more pupils than last year working at the higher levels in mathematics and writing due to teachers matching the work more closely.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher play a very important role in ensuring that the school is aiming to be the best it can be for the pupils. They are very clear about the need to continue to raise standards and have identified appropriate actions in their plans so as to secure further

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The leadership and management are good

improvements. They are closely involved in the local family of schools and have developed this partnership as a way to improve the quality of teaching and assessment by sharing good practice.  Leaders, managers and teachers are now gathering a wide range of information to help them understand how well pupils are doing including gathering evidence from lesson observations. They review the progress that pupils are making at least every term in order to adjust the learning activities to ensure all pupils are making more progress. However, sometimes the information recorded in the tracking records by teaching assistants, following small group or one-to-one activities, is not always consistent and does not always show how much progress pupils have made.  The curriculum offers pupils opportunities to develop their social, moral, spiritual and cultural experiences through a range of activities, trips and talks by visitors. Recently pupils listened to

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The leadership and management are good

volunteers talk about what it was like to be homeless. ‘Golden’ assemblies involve parents and are a very valuable way to celebrate pupils’ achievements.  Safeguarding arrangements comply with regulations, and make sure that pupils remain safe both in school and whilst on activities. The headteacher has made sure that all staff recruited or attending the school site are closely checked.  Most parents are satisfied with the way the school cares for their children. A very small minority who completed the online survey are not satisfied with the way the school is led and managed and the lack of response to their concerns. Inspectors found leadership to be effective in making improvements.  The local authority has only a minimal involvement in the school and recognises the headteacher as a ‘strong’ leader.  The governance of the school:  Information about pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching is provided to the governing

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The leadership and management are good

body by the headteacher. Recent minutes of governing body meetings and a discussion with the governors show that they have a good understanding of pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching across the school. The governors are clear about the school’s own evaluation of its performance and the Chair of the Governing Body recently took part in a self-review day run by the school. By using appropriate targets the governors ensure that the headteacher is fully focussed on making improvements and that her pay is linked to performance. In the same way the headteacher sets targets for teachers and links their pay to performance, which is now beginning to improve. The school’s finances are well managed and governors check the effectiveness of all spending, 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 107000 Local authority Sheffield Inspection number 413101

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School details

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 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 496 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Don Whittle Headteacher Alison Mann Date of previous school inspection 26 November 2008 Telephone number 0114 2344329 Fax number 0114 2344329 Email address enquiries@marlcliffe.sheffield.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

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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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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