Marlcliffe Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Marlcliffe Community Primary School Marlcliffe Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S6 4AJ

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Outcome

Marlcliffe Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Marlcliffe is a community school by name and by action. The community works with the school and vice versa. The school is over one hundred years old. The traditions of the school guide its values of resilience, respectfulness, resourcefulness and recognising self- worth. For many, the school is a focal point, bringing children and families together. Care, compassion and excellent manners are attributes that the vast majority of pupils demonstrate.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A revised curriculum that opens minds, broadens experiences and builds on successes is in place. Staff have identified the essential knowledge they want pupils to learn in the different subject areas. Teaching supports pupils in acquiring knowledge. Pupils then apply the knowledge effectively in activities and tasks.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The pupils are polite, respectful and patient. They speak with enthusiasm about what they have learned. They consider the feelings of others when they play, learn and interact with each other. Should this not be the case, then fellow pupils and staff quickly make sure the effect of pupils’ actions on others is understood.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations for pupils. These are consistently realised. Pupils leave the school in Year 6 with the knowledge and the personal skills that set them up for future success.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour in school enables teachers to teach and pupils to learn.

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

The school uses the curriculum effectively as a springboard for success. Leaders, staff and pupils have worked together to develop and refine the curriculum. Attention to detail and a ‘can-do’ attitude are modelled by the headteacher and reinforced by staff. The teamwork among adults in the school contributes to happy, enthusiastic pupils who are keen to learn and remember more. 10 and 11 July 2024

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Pupils confidently use and apply the knowledge they learn in one subject in other subjects. All pupils in Year 4 play the clarinet. The curriculum supports pupils well to acquire knowledge in different areas. For example, the pupils plan and cook food in the design and technology room. On occasion, pupils and staff venture into the school’s secret garden, which is hidden behind an intriguing, locked door. In the garden, pupils learn about geography and science when they grow food from seed.

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Learning to read is linked to learning for pleasure from the very beginning of school in the early years. This then progresses into reading to learn while always promoting reading for pleasure. Reading is promoted in all curriculum areas. Dedicated time every day is given to phonics for pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read. Recent changes to how phonics is taught have been managed exceptionally well by the school. All subject curriculums have undergone development. Curriculum thinking has clarity and is supported by subject leaders who are passionate about their areas. In mathematics, pupils are enthused by the rich curriculum. Pupils diligently work on mathematical tasks the teachers set. They use mathematical language appropriately when discussing topics and content in class. Assessment in English, mathematics and science is well considered. It enables staff to support pupils who have not quite mastered the content taught. The

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school does not identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge as well in other curriculum areas.

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The school ensures that children in early years get off to a strong start. The children engage cooperatively with each other. Routines are well established. The children explore the well-resourced provision with curiosity. Adults support them to be inquisitive learners. Curriculum expectations are clear and thoughtful. They are aligned with children’s needs.

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The school supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) continuously. The staff has high aspirations for all pupils. No limits are placed on what any pupil with or without additional needs can achieve.

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Pupils understand that when they attend Marlcliffe they have responsibilities. This includes behaving in a way that enables learning to take place without interruption. Behaviour expectations are understood by pupils. When needed, staff offer guidance and support to pupils who do not meet the school’s high expectations.

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The school provides boundless opportunities for all pupils to learn and flourish beyond the formal curriculum. Clubs, fixtures and trips that link to sport are supported and enjoyed by pupils. The locality, heritage and history of Sheffield are explored. Pupils visit local museums. They describe confidently how the city of Sheffield has changed over time. Speakers from different occupations are welcomed into the school. Local emergency services provide resources which are used in assemblies to support the personal development curriculum. Class briefings are a regular feature. These keep pupils up to speed with the opportunities available in school. Pupils know how to make their voices heard through the pupil leaders. In addition, the briefings often focus on staying safe in school and the community. This includes with regard to water and road safety. Opportunities to support pupil’s personal development are in place across the wider

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The governors, leaders and staff are united in their efforts to make pupils’ time at school a positive experience. The determination to create memories that time does not erase is being realised. Staff and pupils are proud to say Marlcliffe is their school. Governors work hand in glove with the school, offering support and challenge to leaders in equal measure.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, the school does not identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge well enough in wider subjects. As a result, pupils do not make the progress of which they are capable in all areas. The school should ensure that gaps in pupils’ knowledge are identified and addressed.

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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 April 2015.

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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. 10 and 11 July 2024

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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). 10 and 11 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Co-chairs of the governing body Steve Chu and John Doherty

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School details

Date of previous inspection 2 July 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up post in September 2023.  The school does not make use of 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 carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, governors, senior leaders, the SEND coordinator, subject leaders, teachers and a representative from the local authority.  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 10 and 11 July 2024

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The responses to Ofsted’s surveys for pupils, staff and parents were also considered.

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Inspection team

Richard Jones, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 10 and 11 July 2024

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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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