Marnel Junior School

Inspection of Marnel Junior School Shetland Road, Popley Way, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG24 9PT

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Inspection dates: 23 and 24 January 2024

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The headteacher of this school is Tijhs Jordan This school is part of Bourne Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Alex Russell, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Andrew Field. 23 and 24 January 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this highly ambitious and inclusive school. They live up to the school’s expectations and burst with pride about their high achievements, both academically and pastorally.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s culture is shaped by its well-known learning behaviours. Relationships between staff and pupils are exceptionally strong and based on mutual respect. As a result, pupils behave impeccably well. They are attentive and enthusiastic in lessons. Over lunchtime, they benefit from an impressive range of activities, including archery, a sandpit, dancing to music and making crafts in the lodge. Staff and pupil play leaders are on hand to help others, showing great empathy and kindness. There is a school-wide harmonious and caring atmosphere, which means pupils are happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn how to be responsible and active citizens through a wide range of community links. They have a genuine understanding of fundamental British values and why they matter. The school makes meaningful relationships with local businesses and therefore ensures that all pupils have toast and fruit freely available to them. Wider opportunities include playing golf at a local club and participating in a dance competition in London. Pupils know how they can contribute to society, and this builds their future hopes and aspirations.

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better?

The school is unrelenting in its ambition for all pupils, both academically and pastorally. This ambition is highly evident in the design of the curriculum. It reflects the context and experiences of pupils in this diverse community. In every subject, the content is carefully considered to make sure all pupils build the knowledge and skills they need. As a result, all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, achieve highly. Teaching staff appreciate the extensive professional development they receive and how well they are supported by leaders to provide pupils with a high-quality learning experience.

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better?

Pupils are highly successful and enthusiastic readers because the school places great emphasis on the teaching of reading. Pupils recognise that reading is the key to unlocking doors into wider learning and the world. In lessons, they skilfully explore and analyse a wide range of texts. Teachers expertly use their questioning skills to deepen and check pupils’ understanding. Those who need extra help with their reading are identified quickly and supported by well-trained staff. The reading reward scheme is highly effective at motivating pupils to read. They wear their many badges with pride and talk with enthusiasm about their favourite books and authors. Pupils enjoy visiting the school library and choosing books to take home, under the careful guidance of the proud pupil librarians.

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better?

High-quality resources aid pupils’ learning effectively. They use them appropriately and with great care and respect. In mathematics, pupils independently select 23 and 24 January 2024

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equipment that allows them to be efficient and successful mathematicians. Across the wider curriculum, pupils enjoy practical investigations, where they work well collaboratively and show perseverance with their learning. In debates and discussions, pupils show respect for others’ views and make thoughtful contributions.

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Disadvantaged pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve extremely well. This is because, in every subject, there is careful consideration of where individual pupils may need extra help and what this should look like. Teachers routinely check and assess all pupils’ learning and use this information to shape their teaching. Skilled staff run catch-up interventions and pre- teaching sessions, which help pupils to learn and be ready to learn more. The school ensures that any pupils who need specialist support for their mental health and well- being receive it. The level of pastoral care offered by the school is impressive.

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The school’s work to promote pupils’ attendance is highly effective. It is based on leaders’ clear rationale that the curriculum is right for the pupils at this school. As a result, pupils want to attend because they are excited by their learning and wider opportunities. Families are supported well to understand why school attendance is so important. One parent sums up the views of many when they say, ‘I’m honestly jealous of my child, as their school day sounds fantastic. I would wholeheartedly encourage anyone to send their child to Marnel Juniors.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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). 23 and 24 January 2024

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School details

Website https://www.marneljuniorschool.co.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Following the closure of the predecessor school, Marnel Junior School opened in 2021 as an academy sponsored by the Bourne Education Trust. When its predecessor school was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate.  The school has an above average number of pupils who qualify for pupil premium funding. Proportions of pupils with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language are similarly high.  The school does not currently 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. 23 and 24 January 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with senior school leaders and representatives from the trust and the governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science, art and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  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

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culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors evaluated responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey and spoke to pupils to gather their views.  The inspectors analysed responses to the staff survey and spoke to staff about their views of the school.  The inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire and the additional free-text responses. The inspectors also spoke with parents at the start of each day of the inspection.

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Inspection team

Kate Fripp, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lorraine Greco Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 January 2024

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