Marriotts School

Inspection of Marriotts School Brittain Way, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG2 8UT

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 November 2021

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 10 and 11 November 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

True to the school’s motto, pupils at Marriotts School aim high, work hard and are kind. Pupils respond well to leaders’ high expectations. There is a strong commitment to academic success and development of pupils’ character. Pupils are well cared for. They have positive and respectful relationships with teachers and each other. Pupils behave consistently well. They learn in a calm and well-ordered environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils study a broad curriculum. They achieve well in a range of subjects. Year 11 pupils and sixth-form students gain the knowledge they need to fulfil their potential. They progress successfully to further study, employment, or training.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school offers many rich opportunities for pupils to develop their personal interests and responsibilities. Pupils play and compete in a wide range of sports and performing arts. They contribute well to the life of the school and have well- established opportunities to travel abroad. Students in the sixth form support younger pupils and help them become more confident.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They value difference in society. Pupils feel safe. They trust teachers to deal with any bullying effectively on the rare occasions it happens.

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better?

Leaders have designed a balanced curriculum which is well established. They continue to develop and strengthen what is taught, especially in the sixth form. More students, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are now going to university.

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better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They identify those important aspects of each subject that pupils need to learn. Teachers carefully plan learning to ensure that it builds on what pupils already know. Pupils know what they are learning and the reasons why they are learning it. Pupils have many opportunities to practise and revisit their learning, which helps them to remember and improve over time. Teachers are keen to reduce the adult support pupils receive so that they may begin to use more complex knowledge by themselves. Teachers regularly check on pupils’ learning. When they spot mistakes, teachers then help pupils to improve their work. They give pupils clear explanations. They show pupils what to do and how to do it.

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better?

Leaders emphasise the importance of reading across subjects. Pupils are encouraged to read often and from a range of global authors. Leaders identify that they need to provide more support for those pupils who have fallen behind with their reading. They are currently exploring an appropriate programme to help pupils learn to read fluently. 10 and 11 November 2021

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Teachers adapt their planning to ensure that pupils with SEND access the full curriculum. However, the needs for some pupils with SEND are not always identified precisely enough. This means that at times teachers do not adapt learning activities to help those pupils learn and remember new knowledge.

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Leaders promote pupils’ personal development well. Important themes such as healthy relationships and online safety are revisited and developed as pupils get older. In the sixth form, students explore more mature aspects of sexual health and the law. Pupils learn about other religions and their place in British society. The school has been innovative in valuing and supporting pupils with protected characteristics. Sixth-form students have been instrumental in establishing committees to raise awareness of difference. They support pupils and give them a place to talk and discuss. Pupils say this has helped improve their self-esteem.

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Leaders have developed a coherent programme of careers advice and support. Leaders ensure that Year 11 pupils and sixth-form students receive impartial information about the options available at the end of their studies. This enables them to make the right choices about future careers and further study.

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Teachers share and support leaders’ clear vision for the school and its pupils. Parents are very supportive of leaders’ aims. Leaders know what they need to do to improve the school further. Teachers find their workload reasonable and manageable. They appreciate the support given in developing their curriculum planning.

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Governors understand the context and character of the school. They care about the school. They say ‘it gets under [their] skin’. Governors are not always aware of the reasons behind some decisions taken by leadership. They do not explore precisely enough whether some actions to improve the quality of provision are making the difference leaders intend.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are well trained to recognise safeguarding concerns. They swiftly identify pupils who need help or who may be at risk of abuse or harm. Staff pass on concerns promptly. Leaders investigate concerns and ensure pupils receive the support they need. When necessary, leaders will refer concerns to external safeguarding partners.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that pupils learn about and can recognise a wide range of dangers and potential risks, both physically and online. Pupils know who to talk to if they have a concern.

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Safeguarding

Leaders’ checks to make sure staff are suitable to work in the school are thorough. 10 and 11 November 2021

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Those responsible for governance do not always fully understand the reasons behind decisions taken by leaders. As a result of this, they do not fully explore whether systems in the school ensure the best outcomes for all pupils. Governors should hold leaders more firmly to account.  There is not enough support for the few pupils who may have fallen behind with their reading. As a result of this, those pupils may not be able to access the curriculum as well as they should. Leaders need to introduce appropriate strategies, from Year 7, to ensure pupils catch up with their reading.  Identification of the needs of some pupils with SEND is not precise enough. Teachers do not always therefore know the best way to support some pupils with SEND who are not in receipt of an education, health and care plan. Leaders need to provide teachers with more detailed and appropriate strategies to help those pupils achieve as well as possible.

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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. 10 and 11 November 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10200261 Type of school Secondary

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,438

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sixth form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Date of previous inspection

19 October 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than average.  Most pupils are White British. Nearly a fifth of pupils are ethnic minority backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is above average. The proportion of pupils with an education, care and health plan is average.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding is above average.  The school does make use of alternative provision for a small number of pupils.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 10 and 11 November 2021

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, support staff and early career teachers, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into modern languages, English, mathematics, science, history and physical education. This included discussions with subject leaders, visit to lessons, meetings with staff and pupils, and scrutiny of pupils’ work.  Inspectors scrutinised the single central record and met with the leader for safeguarding.  Inspectors considered 270 responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey, 110 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey, 130 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, together with 76 free-text responses from parents.

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Inspection team

Adam Cooke, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lesley Daniel Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 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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