Markeaton Primary School

Inspection of Markeaton Primary School Bromley Street, Derby, Derbyshire DE22 1HL

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 November 2024

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 26 and 27 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Care, curiosity and determination are the values that permeate this highly inclusive, happy school. Together, pupils and adults create a learning environment where all can thrive. Pupils encourage each other and are kind. They take responsibility for themselves and for one another. Pupils feel safe and can be themselves. They meet the very high expectations the school sets for them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils find learning exciting. In lessons, they enjoy working hard, both independently and in groups. They achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Outdoor learning is a priority. The ‘calm corner’ and forest school help to promote pupils’ physical and emotional well-being. Pupils love playing together outside and get on with each other extremely well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

‘Markeaton MINDS’ is the school’s exceptional approach to developing pupils’ learning habits and character. For example, ‘M’ stands for ‘more than just me’. Pupils show this when they collaborate as learners or contribute to the life of the school. Pupil captains and champions organise activities, assemblies and clubs for others. They are positive role models.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers unanimously recommend the school. They praise the school’s welcoming, caring ethos. Parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) value the school’s work to support these children and their families.

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

The school’s ambitious curriculum has been planned meticulously. It provides pupils with a rich academic and cultural programme of learning. The key knowledge, skills and vocabulary pupils should learn has been set out clearly in each subject. The school has carefully chosen the diverse texts, artists and events pupils should study. Staff makes suitable adaptations to learning to ensure that pupils with SEND access the curriculum successfully.

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

Teachers present new information clearly. They provide models and examples to support pupils’ understanding. They check pupils’ learning and resolve most misconceptions promptly. Pupils revisit essential skills and knowledge in the ‘fast fours’ and ‘final fours’. This helps them to know and remember more. Pupils achieve well, producing high-quality work. Occasionally, teachers do not give pupils opportunities to practise or apply their learning. When this is the case, pupils do not have the chance to secure or deepen their learning as well as they could.

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

Children get off to a strong start in the Reception Year. The curriculum and provision promote children’s emotional security and character development. For example, the ‘Markeaton Achievosaurs’ approach successfully teaches children about being kind, happy, curious, independent and confident individuals. Children consistently demonstrate positive 26 and 27 November 2024

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attitudes to learning. Interactions between adults and children usually focus sharply on developing children’s language and communication.

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Reading is a high priority. From the start of the Reception Year, children learn phonics from expert teachers. The school provides books that help pupils practise the sounds they are learning. Teachers often check how well pupils are progressing through the reading programme. Pupils who need help to improve their reading benefit from effective support. Pupils are enthusiastic about reading and stories. They value the high-quality books and online reading resources that are available. They enjoy listening when teachers read to them at the end of the school day.

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The provision for pupils with SEND is strong. Arrangements for identifying these pupils’ needs are highly effective. The school prioritises involving parents in decisions about the provision. Pupils with SEND are supported closely by adults who know them well. Help in lessons and in small groups has a demonstrable impact on the academic and personal development of these pupils.

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There is a well-established culture of high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils consistently meet these expectations. Their conduct is exemplary. They are friendly, respectful and hard-working. They attend school well. Pupils, including the most vulnerable, benefit consistently from excellent pastoral support. Adults are skilled in supporting pupils to be in school and ready to learn.

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The provision for personal development is a significant strength of the school. Pupils become leaders, debaters and active citizens. They contribute to their school and the wider community. The school provides a wide range of clubs and experiences that enable pupils to discover their talents and interests. Pupils learn to respect and value diversity. As a result, they are well prepared to be successful in their next steps in education and in life.

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Staff are proud to work at this school. The school ensures that staff receive quality training. Skilled governors play a successful role in ensuring the school continues to improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, teachers do not provide pupils with enough opportunities to practise using and applying what they have learned. Consequently, pupils do not always develop their knowledge and skills as much as they could. The school should ensure that the work pupils are given allows them to secure and deepen their understanding across the curriculum. 26 and 27 November 2024

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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). 26 and 27 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 8 and 9 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school’s specially resourced provision for pupils with visual impairments closed in October 2024.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have 26 and 27 November 2024

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taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior and curriculum leaders. The lead inspector met with a group of governors, including the chair of the governing body, and with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and history. 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, reviewed samples of pupils’ work and visited lessons in some other subjects.  Inspectors observed behaviour in lessons and at other times around school.  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

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Aoife Galletly, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Liz White Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 November 2024

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