Marwood Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant School, Great Ayton

Inspection of Marwood Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant School, Great Ayton Low Green, Great Ayton, Middlesbrough, TS9 6NN

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Inspection dates: 9 and 10 November 2021

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected 14 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection. 9 and 10 November 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is the hub of the community. One parent said: ‘What the school lacks in space, it more than makes up in heart.’ Pupils have exposure to a wealth of opportunities and experiences within their locality, especially linked to physical education (PE). Pupils have a strong sense of wanting to do good, both globally and locally . With the help of leaders, pupils collected donations to make care packages for refugees who were new to the community. They have also raised money for the Water Aid charity and delivered harvest hampers to residents.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils in Year 2 have pledged to reduce the use of plastic in school and at home. The school has embedded their Christian values of love, friendship and forgiveness within the curriculum. Pupils can recite these values and can talk about how to enact them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils know the school rules and respond appropriately. Most pupils are polite and courteous and speak to visitors with respect. Parents, pupils and staff strongly agree that bullying rarely happens. The last recorded incident was in 2019. There are no racist, homophobic, sexualised behaviour or behaviour concerns recorded. Pupils say they feel safe at the school all the time. Teachers support pupils to resolve any conflicts that arise

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better?

Leaders have a ‘Marwood approach’ to teaching phonics and early reading. The school’s programme is a combination of two schemes. This has been successful, as in the past Year 1 phonic screening check results were high. Targeted support is given to pupils who are struggling to apply their phonics knowledge. Teachers are using several different schemes for these interventions. Leaders have been supported by the English hub to match decodable books to the sounds pupils know. When hearing pupils read, adults always focus on phonics. However, the variety of decodable schemes used means pupils have different experiences. For example, some pupils practised reading digraphs as a warm-up, but others did not. Leaders need to commit to one phonics programme to ensure consistency for all.

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better?

The plans for the wider curriculum are sequenced and build on what pupils have learned before. Curriculum leaders have a clear vision for their subject. For example, the PE leader has linked the units of work to the local sports facilities. This instils a lifelong love of exercise in the pupils, as they attend these clubs outside the school day. The teaching team designed the science curriculum. As a result, they know how to build on the knowledge and skills the children have accessed in the year before. Lesson visits showed children using accurate scientific language. This is because teachers have good subject knowledge. There is a clearly planned curriculum in early years. Staff use a good range of vocabulary to extend children’s learning. Amendments are made to the school’s curriculum to ensure pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can 9 and 10 November 2021

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access learning. For example, in Year 2, pupils with SEND had pictorial support and access to a list of key words when writing in history.

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The teaching of mathematics in the early years is clear and focused. The teacher knows exactly what she wants the children to learn. This results in early years children using accurate mathematical vocabulary. Leaders have adopted a scheme to deliver mathematics in key stage 1. Teachers’ plans show that they are providing different mathematical activities to meet the various needs of pupils in their class. These tasks are often practical, outdoor activities and led by the teaching assistant. While teaching assistants verbally inform teachers of how well pupils have done, there was limited evidence in books of challenge for all pupils.

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The curriculum for personal development is exceptional. Pupils have opportunities to develop their leadership skills by being play and worship leaders. Pupils have ‘brain breaks’ to support their mental health and well-being. Leaders have invested in books and resources that celebrate differences in family, culture and disability. Leaders plan an effective transition package for Year 2 pupils as they move to their new primary school. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is linked to all subjects. Pupils get opportunities to reflect on their own beliefs in class reflection areas and the outdoor sacred space. Leaders use the curriculum to promote equality. For example, within science they invite female scientists and male nurses in to challenge stereotypes.

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The local authority and diocesan advisers have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. Governors are regular visitors to the school. They are wholly supportive of the leadership and teaching team. One governor has taken responsibility for championing staff well-being. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about their workload and work-life balance.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

During the inspection, leaders rectified some administrative omissions to the record they keep of checks carried out on staff who work at the school.

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Safeguarding

All staff, volunteers and governors have annual safeguarding training. Staff know the families well and are vigilant to any unusual changes in pupils’ behaviour. Leaders uses the ‘Framework for Decision Making’ to support them in deciding when to involve external agencies. Pupils know to speak to a trusted adult if they are worried about anything.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders are currently using several phonics schemes to teach phonics and to deliver interventions. This means pupils across the school do not receive a consistent approach. Leaders should ensure that there is fidelity to one scheme, 9 and 10 November 2021

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whether it is a Marwood approach or adopting a new systematic synthetic programme.

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 In mathematics books, ambition for all was not always evident. Teachers are planning tasks to meet the different needs in their class. However, they are not recording the outcomes of these, especially when the tasks are practical or led by a teaching assistant. Leaders should ensure that pupils in key stage 1 record in their mathematics books. Leaders can then monitor the level of ambition for all.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 9 and 10 November 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199425 Type of school Infant

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Reverend Paul Peverell

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School details

Headteacher Dorothy Walton and Emma Anderson (Co-Headteachers) Website www.marwoodschool.org

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School details

Date of previous inspection 17 May 2007, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average infant school.  The school has a religious character. The last section 48 inspection of the school was on 28 September 2017.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, curriculum leaders and pupils. Meetings were also held with representatives of the local governing body, the local authority and the diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and PE. For each deep dive, inspectors met with curriculum leaders, 9 and 10 November 2021

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spoke to pupils and teachers, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work. Inspectors heard pupils read.  Inspectors examined safeguarding records, attendance figures, and policies.  The views of parents were considered from 34 responses to Ofsted’s parent survey.  The views of staff were considered from meeting with staff and from the eight responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.  The views of pupils were considered from meetings with them and from the 27 responses to Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Alison Stephenson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Cathy Lee Ofsted Inspector 9 and 10 November 2021

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regulates and inspects to 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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