Marshland Primary Academy

Inspection of Marshland Primary Academy Marshland Road, Moorends, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN8 4SB

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 September 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The executive headteacher of this school is Sarah Hall. This school is part of Venn Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Dr Simon Witham, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Terry Johnson. The executive headteacher is responsible for this school and one other. 26 and 27 September 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Marshland Primary Academy is a welcoming school. Relationships between adults and pupils are respectful. Adults know pupils well and stop to talk to them when they meet them around the school. The school environment is well organised and attractive. Classroom displays provide pupils with useful information that they use to help them learn. Supported by the academy trust, the school has worked hard to bring about improvements.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils move around the school sensibly. They are polite and courteous to visitors. Pupils listen carefully to teachers. They are encouraged to be independent from an early age. Pupils are not worried about bullying. They are aware that bullying can happen, but this is rare. They are confident that staff would help them if they had any problems.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school, alongside members of the academy trust, has worked hard to improve the curriculum. Pupils take part in educational visits to help them learn about different subjects. For example, pupils in Year 5 visit the National Space Museum to support their learning in science. Pupils enjoy the ‘Marshland Moments’. They strive to experience fifty different things during their time in school, such as performing on a stage or exhibiting their artwork.

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better?

Reading is a priority across the school. Children begin to learn to read as soon as they start Reception. The school has introduced a new approach to the teaching of reading. Leaders have provided training to help staff teach reading well. Those children who need extra help with learning to read receive effective support. Staff check which sounds pupils have learned. However, at times, teachers do not use this information to ensure that books are carefully matched to the sounds that pupils know. This means a small number of pupils struggle to read their books.

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better?

The school has reviewed and improved the curriculum. Leaders have thought carefully about what they want pupils to know and remember in each subject. In the early years, adults encourage children to develop their language skills in all areas of the curriculum. Pupils build on what they know and can do as they move from Nursery to Year 6. They join in classroom discussions with enthusiasm. Teachers think carefully about the structure of their lessons. They support pupils to remember what they have been taught previously and to link this to new learning. Teachers adapt lessons for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This means that pupils with SEND can learn the same curriculum as their classmates.

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better?

The school has reviewed the mathematics curriculum. Pupils build on what they know and can do each year. Pupils spend time each day practising things they have already learned. Starting in Reception, pupils are encouraged to use mathematical language. Pupils with SEND receive effective support from adults in lessons. Pupils 26 and 27 September 2023

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have frequent opportunities to develop their understanding of number. However, the school does not provide some pupils with enough opportunity to develop their problem-solving skills.

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Teachers check what pupils have learned in all subjects. They monitor what pupils know and understand, and they identify any gaps in pupils’ learning. There are clear systems in place to identify pupils who may need extra help. Pupils with SEND receive effective support. Leaders provide staff with further advice where needed. Staff work well with external professionals to provide pupils with the help they need.

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Pupils have opportunities to join a variety of leadership groups that help to improve the school. For example, the Marshland Mini Playground Assistants help to set up and clear away activities in the playground. Pupils are respectful of people with different backgrounds or beliefs. They understand that it is important to follow school rules. Pupils enjoy earning rewards to ‘spend’ at the school shop. Assemblies encourage pupils to learn about different types of music. For example, pupils have enjoyed learning about David Bowie and his influence on music over time.

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The school has established a strong team culture. One member of staff described the school as having ‘one amazing team’. Leaders take care to consider the workload of staff. Staff appreciate the support they receive from leaders and the academy trust. Governors have a detailed understanding of the strengths of the school and what needs to be done to make further improvements. They provide leaders with effective challenge and support. The school makes efforts to include parents in their child’s education. For example, a ‘stay-and-play’ group in the Nursery encourages parents to visit school each week.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some teachers do not use assessment information accurately to ensure that books are closely matched to the sounds that pupils know. As a result, some pupils struggle to read the books they are given. This slows the progress they make in their reading. Teachers should ensure that pupils at the early stages of learning to read are provided with books that closely match their phonics knowledge.  The school’s approach to the teaching of mathematics limits the opportunities some pupils have to solve problems. This means that a small number of pupils do not develop their problem-solving skills well enough. Leaders should review the way that mathematics lessons are structured so that all pupils are able to develop their knowledge of problem-solving in mathematics. 26 and 27 September 2023

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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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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 26 and 27 September 2023

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School details

Website www.marshlandprimaryacademy.org.uk

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School details

Date(s) of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This school is part of the Venn Academy Trust.  Marshland Primary Academy converted to become an academy in April 2019. When its predecessor school, Marshland Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to require improvement overall.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 26 and 27 September 2023

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 Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, senior leaders, groups of staff, groups of pupils, representatives of the multi-academy trust and members of the local governing body.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, looked at samples of pupils’ work and spoke to pupils about their learning.  The inspectors listened to some pupils reading to an adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.

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 The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, as well as the responses to the staff and pupil surveys.  The inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including minutes of governing body meetings.

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Inspection team

Jaimie Holbrook, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Helen Stout Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 September 2023

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