Marine Park Primary School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Marine Park Primary School Hatfield Square, Woodbine Estate, South Shields, Tyne and Wear NE33 2RD

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of outstanding as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Marine Park Primary School is a multicultural, inclusive and welcoming school. Pupils are proud to attend. The school provides pupils with real-life experiences to help them learn about the world and how they can contribute to it. For example, school council votes take place in the school’s polling station. This gives pupils a realistic experience of exercising democracy. Pupils speak positively about leadership opportunities in school and believe that these are open to everyone.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have developed a curriculum that is ambitious and prepares pupils for their next stage. Most pupils achieve well in this school. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are well supported. The school has many pupils that join mid-year. There are effective systems in place to ensure that these pupils are quickly involved in the life of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum helps pupils identify risks and harmful behaviours. For example, the school teaches pupils how to use the internet safely.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour in lessons is excellent. Pupils work well together. Pupils take great pride in their work and enjoy taking part in a range of extra-curricular opportunities provided by the school.

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

Reading is prioritised in this school. The teaching of phonics begins early in Reception. The phonics curriculum ensures that most children learn to read quickly. The books that children read match the sounds they know. This helps them to develop fluency in their reading. Teachers do identify those pupils that need additional practice and extra support. However, for some pupils, this does not happen quickly enough. As a result, some pupils 4 and 5 October 2023

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who need help with reading do not get the support they need when they need it.

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The school provides several ways for pupils to develop a love of reading. The reading garden and lunchtime reading club are very popular with pupils. The school has developed ways to engage parents in reading with their children. For example, parents and children are invited to share books and a drink together at the ‘hot chocolate’ club.

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The school has developed a curriculum that is ambitious for pupils. In mathematics lessons, pupils have daily opportunities to revisit prior learning and vocabulary. This builds pupils’ confidence. The school encourages pupils to talk about their mathematical reasoning and ‘prove’ their answer is correct with peers. Pupils are familiar with this expectation and do this well. In other subjects, the school has recently introduced ways to help pupils remember their learning in the long term.

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Pupils with SEND are well supported by highly trained staff. The school engages with external specialists to identify pupils’ needs and provide the support that they need. The school provides speech and language therapy for those who need it.

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The school has clear expectations of behaviour in the classroom. Pupils behave well in lessons and have a positive attitude to learning. They work well in pairs and groups right from the early years. However, some pupils feel that behaviour is not as positive during playtimes.

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The personal development of pupils is a real strength of the school. Pupils develop a secure understanding of other religions and cultures. There are several leadership opportunities throughout school. The ‘mini police’ group develops pupils’ links with the wider community. The school provides several lunchtime clubs for those pupils who cannot attend clubs after school. As a result, all pupils have the opportunity to develop their talents and interests. Leaders prioritise raising pupil’s aspirations. Pupils talk about why their learning is important for future career choices.

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Leaders and governors know the school community well. Governors understand their statutory duties and hold leaders to account effectively. Staff are proud to work in this school. They appreciate recent changes made by leaders to reduce their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes the assessment of pupils’ phonics knowledge is not frequent or detailed enough. As a result, some pupils who need help in reading are not identified quickly enough and so do not get the support they need. The school should ensure that gaps in pupils’ reading knowledge are addressed effectively and quickly. 4 and 5 October 2023

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in March 2017.

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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.

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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). 4 and 5 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Alison Burden (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 8 and 9 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Marine Park Primary School is part of the Blue Skies Federation.  The school provides a breakfast club.  The school uses one registered alternative provision.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke to senior leaders, including members of the governing body, and the local authority school improvement partner.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to staff, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 4 and 5 October 2023

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 The inspector listened to a range of pupils from different year groups read.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector 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 inspector also spoke to leaders, teachers, governors and pupils about safeguarding.  The inspector analysed the responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey and staff survey. They reviewed answers from the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Georgina Chinaka, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 4 and 5 October 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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