Marsden Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Marsden Community Primary School Percy Street, Nelson, Lancashire BB9 0BE

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Outcome

Marsden Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils arrive at school happy and eager to learn each day. They understand fully the importance of trying their best. Pupils are keen to get things right and learn even more. From the early years, staff quickly build strong relationships with pupils, parents and carers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils do their utmost to live up to these expectations and work hard in their lessons. Pupils behave well during lessons and at social times.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils said that bullying is rare and when it has happened in the past, that staff have sorted any problems out quickly. Leaders’ systems ensure that any issues are dealt with sensitively and effectively. This helps pupils to feel safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are aware of the benefits of a diverse culture. For example, they were adamant that they would welcome and respect everyone in their school. They learn about different religions and talk confidently about the differences between the beliefs of people. Pupils take quiet pride in their work on community projects, including local litter picks and volunteering at the food bank.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum, which meets the needs of pupils, including those with SEND. Teachers, including staff in the early years, are clear about what knowledge that they should deliver. Their strong subject knowledge means that they present new learning clearly for pupils. Teachers encourage pupils to use a range of strategies to recall earlier learning. For example, pupils described how they ‘play hide and seek in their brains’ to retrieve prior knowledge.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Teachers regularly check that pupils have understood what they have been learning. Added to this, staff frequently revisit learning from previous lessons to help pupils to 13 and 14 March 2023

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make links between new learning and what they know already. Teachers skilfully identify and address any misconceptions that pupils may have. If pupils do fall behind, staff support them to catch up quickly.

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Leaders have effective systems in place to identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND at the earliest possible stage. Teachers are equipped well to use a range of suitable strategies to support these pupils to access the curriculum. Experienced and knowledgeable staff support pupils with SEND to achieve well.

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Leaders have ensured that reading is a high priority for all staff. Older pupils are confident talking about their favourite books and authors. They are keen to explain the importance of reading widely. Younger pupils begin learning to read from the Nursery Year.

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Leaders offer parents many opportunities to come into school to understand how to support their children with reading. Well-trained staff deliver the highly structured phonics programme effectively. This consistent approach to the teaching of reading helps pupils to learn the sounds that they need to read confidently and fluently. Leaders check that pupils read books that are matched closely to pupils’ phonics ability. As a result, most pupils can read accurately by the time they begin key stage 2.

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Pupils show respect for staff and listen carefully to instructions. Poor behaviour rarely disrupts learning. Mostly, pupils only need a gentle reminder from a member of staff to focus on their learning.

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Leaders have worked hard to ensure that pupils attend school regularly. Pupils understand the importance of strong attendance and how this will impact positively on their learning and their later life chances. However, some pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should. This hinders how well these pupils learn the curriculum.

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Pupils treat each other with respect. They have a well-developed understanding of diversity and they explained that they do not tolerate discrimination. They were proud to tell the inspector that this does not happen at their school. Pupils understand the importance of helping others. They take on leadership roles with pride. Pupils know that a democratic process underpins the appointments of their peers to the learning council. The learning council are keen to ensure that pupils have a voice.

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Leaders have prioritised a coherent programme of high-quality professional development for staff. Staff are proud to be a member of the school’s community. They know that leaders will support them well. Governors know the school well and are able to hold leaders to account.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have ensured that staff undertake training regularly to help them to identify any signs that a pupils might be at risk. Staff know the procedures to follow if they have any 13 and 14 March 2023

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concerns about a pupil’s welfare. Leaders and staff know pupils’ families well. They are quick to respond to any safeguarding concerns. Leaders use outside agencies effectively to support vulnerable pupils and their families when needed.

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Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online. They know what to do if they find themselves in situations which make them feel uncomfortable. Pupils learn about healthy relationships and what makes a good friend.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should. This has a negative impact on their progress through the curriculum. Leaders should continue to improve these pupils’ attendance and build successfully on the work they have already undertaken in this area.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2013.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 13 and 14 March 2023

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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. 13 and 14 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10256219 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 January 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Marsden Community Primary School is part of a collaboration with Lomeshaye Junior School. The executive headteacher works across both schools. Both schools have the same chair of governors.  Leaders do not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection that the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken this into account in her evaluation of the school.  During this inspection, the inspector met with the executive headteacher and a wide range of other staff.  The inspector met with members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector spoke with pupils about their work and their wider school life. 13 and 14 March 2023

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 The inspector scrutinised a range of documentation relating to safeguarding. She examined leaders’ approach to safer recruitment. The inspector also spoke to staff about their safeguarding knowledge and checked how well they understood their safeguarding responsibilities.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour during playtimes and while in lessons.  The inspector spoke with parents to gather views about the school. She considered the views of parents submitted through Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.  The inspector carried out deep dives into early reading, mathematics and history. She spoke with the staff who lead these subjects, visited lessons and spoke with teachers. She also spoke with pupils about their learning and viewed examples of their work. The inspector considered how leaders organise other subjects across the curriculum.  The inspector observed pupils in key stages 1 and 2 read to a trusted adult.

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 The inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.

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Inspection team

Sarah Barraclough, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 13 and 14 March 2023

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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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