Marish Primary School

Inspection of Marish Primary School Swabey Road, Langley, Slough, Berkshire SL3 8NZ

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 10 and 11 May 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this nurturing and inclusive school. They love coming to school and they feel safe. Leaders keep the development of the whole child at the centre of their work. There are high levels of care and pastoral support in place for all pupils. Leaders’ ambition is for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to be the best that they can be and to achieve well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave exceptionally well. They are calm and highly focused in lessons. When taking part in discussions, pupils listen and respond to each other very well. They are polite and well mannered towards each other and towards adults. Pupils are taught to show high levels of consideration towards their peers and towards other people. Bullying is not tolerated. On the very rare occasions that bullying happens, adults deal with it quickly.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy making a difference to their school and local community. Junior leaders and school council members enjoy being reading buddies to younger pupils. They raised money to buy gifts for staff at a local hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pupils also designed a sensory garden for a local hospice, and enjoy taking part in local community concerts.

p.2

better?

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. All pupils, including those with SEND, generally achieve well. In some subjects, for example in English and mathematics, pupils’ achievement is strong. In these subjects, knowledge builds in a clear sequence from the start of Nursery to Year 6. This is because more experienced subject leaders have identified the key knowledge and skills that pupils need to remember right from the start of Nursery. Teachers know exactly what to teach and they plan activities to deepen pupils’ understanding.

p.2

better?

However, some subjects are not as well developed, for example history and geography. In these subjects, leaders have identified skills that pupils need to develop, but not the key knowledge that pupils need to learn. Also, the sequence of learning does not enable pupils to connect ideas and remember what they have learned as effectively. Subject leadership in these subjects is at an earlier stage of development. However, senior leaders know what they need to do to improve subject leadership and refine the curriculum so that pupils achieve highly in all subjects.

p.2

better?

Leaders prioritise reading. They are ambitious for all pupils to read fluently and with comprehension. Children are taught phonics from the start of Reception using a rigorous programme. In the early stages of learning to read, pupils read books containing the phonic sounds they know. Regular interventions help pupils to catch up quickly when they fall behind. Teachers read high-quality texts to pupils to ensure that pupils develop a rich vocabulary and clear understanding of language. 10 and 11 May 2022

p.2

3

Leaders are ambitious for pupils with SEND to achieve their very best. They have a robust system in place to identify and meet the needs of pupils who need additional help. Teachers are supported well to plan bespoke activities to support pupils with more complex needs. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

p.3

3

Leaders’ work to support pupils’ personal development is a strength. Pupils learn about resilience in ‘R’ time. They say that this helps them to become confident and to make new friends. Pupils are taught to respect difference. They show high levels of tolerance towards others and have comprehensive knowledge of a wide range of religions. Pupils enjoy a wide variety of extra-curricular clubs, including those for Makaton, multisport, basketball, steel drums, board games and sensory art. Staff in early years ensure that all children, including the very youngest two-year-olds, receive high-quality support for their social and emotional needs. Children in Nursery and Reception benefit from a calm, well-resourced and engaging environment.

p.3

3

Leaders and trustees have a clear, shared vision for the school. Leaders want all pupils to ‘work to be outstanding’ in all that they do. All staff have access to high- quality training to develop their expertise. Staff feel valued and believed in. They are overwhelmingly positive about the school, saying that care, compassion and understanding are at the heart of leaders’ work. Staff say that leaders are approachable and mindful of their well-being and workload. Leaders ensure that staff have the time to focus on the aspects of their work that have the most impact on pupils’ learning. As one member of staff stated, ‘I love this school. We are here for the children. Every day is a joy.’

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders have established a strong culture of vigilance. There are clear processes to identify pupils who are at risk of harm. Record-keeping is thorough and well organised. Leaders ensure that concerns are identified promptly. Comprehensive training ensures that staff’s safeguarding knowledge is up to date. Leaders are persistent in ensuring that families and children get the help they need quickly, and they challenge other agencies that do not seem to be acting in the best interests of children.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe. They have an age-appropriate knowledge of how to keep themselves safe when online and when out and about in the community.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, leaders have not identified the key content that teachers need to teach. The essential knowledge that pupils need to learn is not clear. Series of lessons in these subjects do not enable pupils to make links between concepts securely enough, so that they build knowledge systematically. 10 and 11 May 2022

p.3

4

Leaders need to continue to refine the curriculum, so that pupils can achieve highly across the whole curriculum.  Subject leadership in some foundation subjects is at an early stage of development. Some subject leaders need to deepen their subject and pedagogical content knowledge, so that they can support staff to implement the curriculum more effectively. Leaders and trustees should ensure that subject leadership across the whole curriculum improves.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

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 .

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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 May 2022

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10227487 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Chair of trust Helen Okoro and Vivienne Turner (Co- chairs) Headteacher Gillian Denham (Executive Headteacher)

p.5

School details

Website www.marish.marishacademytrust.co.uk

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 4 July 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Marish Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.  It is part of Marish Academy Trust.  There is a large nursery that includes eight places for two-year-olds.  There is a large resource base that caters for pupils with complex SEND.  The school currently uses no alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with senior leaders and trust leaders, including the co-chairs of trustees. 10 and 11 May 2022

p.5

6

 Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, English, geography, music and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising safeguarding records, interviewing staff and through discussions with pupils.  The inspection team considered the views of parents and carers expressed through Ofsted Parent View. They gathered the views of pupils and staff through surveys, interviews and discussions conducted throughout the inspection.  Inspectors reviewed a range of the school’s documentation, including self- evaluation reports, minutes of governing body meetings and behaviour incident logs.

p.6

Inspection team

Sue Keeling, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Alan Johnson Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 May 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7