Marine Park First School

Inspection of Marine Park First School Park Road, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear NE26 1LT

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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 15 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. 10 and 11 May 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

At Marine Park First School, pupils and staff live out their motto of ‘Hand in hand we learn together’ very well. There is a calm, purposeful learning atmosphere throughout the school. Leaders have made a strong start with curriculum planning. They recognise that they are on a journey to continue to develop the quality of education. Leaders have high expectations for pupils academically and socially.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff feel safe and happy at school. Pupils have memorised, and have a deep understanding of, the school creed. The creed clearly sets out high expectations for behaviour and pupils respond well. Pupils have a good understanding of bullying. On the rare occasion when inappropriate incidents occur, staff deal with them well. Leaders ensure pupils attend well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like being part of a family group. They love being allocated to their group by the ‘sorting hat’ in a special assembly led by the headteacher. Pupils enjoy taking part in family group lessons and earning credits for their group to win rewards.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide a wide range of rich experiences for the pupils. Pupils benefit from many educational visits, clubs and residentials. One of the school-run lunchtime clubs is a well-attended choir. The tuneful, rhythmic, two-part singing is of an extremely high standard. Pupils benefit from strong links with the local community, such as with care homes and churches.

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better?

Leaders have created a well-planned curriculum. Planning sets out the knowledge and skills they would like pupils to learn and remember over time, as seen in reading, mathematics, history, religious education (RE), science, computing and music. Leaders have identified the crucial concepts they would like pupils to learn in each subject. Leaders have implemented school-wide assessment systems to assess pupils’ progress. However, assessment systems are in the very early stages of development in RE. Subject leaders are well trained. They have strong knowledge which they use to support other staff effectively. Pupils value the feedback they receive in lessons. They are achieving well. However, sometimes pupils’ work needs to be more demanding in mathematics, as pupils are all given the same tasks. Some pupils told inspectors that they would like to be challenged more in mathematics. Most pupils could talk in detail about their current and previous learning, for

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better?

Leaders ensure that reading has a high priority in the school. For example, World Book Day is celebrated across a whole week – not just a day! All staff have been trained in early reading. The school uses its chosen phonics scheme very well. Books are closely matched to pupils’ phonics abilities. This enables pupils to become confident readers. Staff ensure that pupils who are falling behind are quickly identified. Pupils receive effective additional support. This helps them to catch up. 10 and 11 May 2022

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Pupils enjoy reading both at school and at home. They value receiving rewards for doing so. Pupils relish the daily story times and weekly library sessions.

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The overwhelming majority of pupils behave extremely well during lessons and throughout the school day. Pupils enjoy earning rewards, such as credits and certificates for their good behaviour. Pupils also respond well to the sanctions used by staff. Leaders have recently introduced a restorative approach in Year 3. The approach is working well and is understood by pupils. Staff also use a nurture approach to ensure that the most vulnerable pupils are supported. Some pupils access the nurture garden at lunchtime and/or meet with the school counsellor once a week.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported appropriately. During lessons, pupils with SEND access work that is matched to their needs well. Pupils also receive a wide range of effective interventions. As a result, they are making pleasing progress.

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The early years leader has introduced ambitious planning to deliver the new framework. She has clearly defined the knowledge and skills she would like the children to learn across the full early years curriculum. Children access a range of meaningful learning activities. For example, during science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) week, children enjoyed creating ships and testing them to see if they would float or sink. Staff interact well with the children. They help to extend children’s learning by modelling subject-specific vocabulary such as ‘cargo’. The indoor provision is particularly well organised and resourced. However, leaders recognise that the outdoor learning area needs further development to ensure that when children choose to learn outdoors they have the same opportunities as when they choose to learn indoors.

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There is strong provision for pupils’ personal and social education. Pupils have an excellent understanding of the fundamental British values, such as respect. Their understanding of equality is exemplary. They told the inspectors that everyone is equal no matter their age, sex, sexual orientation, religion or skin colour. Pupils are extremely knowledgeable about staying safe. They understand online safety, road safety and water safety well. Pupils enjoy taking responsibility in school. Their roles of responsibility include school councillors, anti-bullying children representatives, Year 4 ambassadors and Year 4 Reception buddies. Pupils fulfil these roles to a very high standard.

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Leaders and governors have high ambitions for the school. They engage effectively with staff, pupils and parents and carers through questionnaires. Governors understand their roles. They focus on their subject link area thoroughly and with expertise. Staff feel well supported by leaders with their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 10 and 11 May 2022

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Leaders have a thorough overview of safeguarding in the school. They promote an effective culture. Leaders have ensured that all staff are well trained. As a result, staff know how to raise concerns. Pupils who need help are identified and supported effectively. The necessary checks have been carried out to ensure that adults in school are safe to work with children.

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Leaders ensure that pupils and families are taught how to keep safe online. At the request of leaders, the local authority has produced a series of safeguarding videos which support parents.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The work that some pupils are given is not demanding enough in mathematics. As a result, some pupils are not making as much progress as they could. Leaders need to ensure that the work planned for pupils provides an appropriate level of challenge.  Assessment of RE is in development. As a result, teachers do not have a clear understanding of what pupils know and remember in this subject. Leaders need to ensure that they develop and embed the effective use of assessment in RE.  The outdoor provision in early years offers a limited range of resources and activities for the children. This is not in line with the early years leader’s ambitious curriculum planning. As a result, children are not accessing meaningful learning in all seven areas of learning outdoors. Children are not making as much progress as they could. Leaders need to develop the outdoor provision so that resources and activities promote learning across the full early years curriculum.

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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. 10 and 11 May 2022

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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

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School details

Inspection number 10199401 Type of school First

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School details

Date of previous inspection 28 March 2007, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up post in September 2011.  Leaders run a breakfast and after-school club.  One pupil attends a registered alternative provider.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector held several meetings with the headteacher during the inspection.  The inspectors met with the early years leader, the SENCo and leaders responsible for pupils’ personal development. 10 and 11 May 2022

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 An inspector met with four governors and spoke with an adviser from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, RE and science. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. An inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors looked at planning for music and computing. Inspectors also looked at samples of pupils’ English work.  Members of the team spoke to pupils formally and informally about their learning and experiences at school.  Safeguarding documentation and records for behaviour and attendance were checked.  Inspectors spoke with some parents at the beginning and end of the school day.  Inspectors reviewed the 119 responses received through the Ofsted online

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questionnaire, Parent View, which included 94 free-text responses. Inspectors considered the 49 responses received through Ofsted’s staff questionnaire and 135 responses received through the Ofsted’s pupil survey.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour throughout the school day, including during lesson visits and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils about their views on behaviour and the wider experiences they receive at school.

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Inspection team

Kate Williamson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Belita Scott Her Majesty’s Inspector 10 and 11 May 2022

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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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