Marsh Green Primary School

Inspection of Marsh Green Primary School Kitt Green Road, Marsh Green, Wigan, Lancashire WN5 0EF

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 8 and 9 July 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their welcoming school. They want to come to school because of the warm relationships that they enjoy with each other and staff. These are mirrored in the way that pupils care for one another. Pupils arrive at school ready to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils strive to meet the high expectations that the school has for their behaviour. They do this well and value the importance of treating others in a way that they would like to be treated themselves. Pupils are kind and considerate to each other. This helps pupils to feel happy and safe at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ wider development is well considered at this school. Their school experience is enriched by a range of trips and visits. For example, pupils speak enthusiastically about visits to Chester to learn about the Romans. Pupils flourish and increase their independence in leadership roles. These include acting as school councillors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school wants the very best for pupils. Since the previous inspection, it has taken action to strengthen the curriculum. This has been successful. Pupils respond well to the high aspirations that the school has for their achievement. Typically, pupils achieve well.

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

The school has undergone much positive change since the previous inspection. It has refined its curriculum thinking to ensure that a broad and ambitious curriculum is in place.

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

The school ensures that staff have the knowledge and expertise to deliver the curriculum well across subjects. Staff select activities that enable pupils to develop their knowledge in a logical and coherent way. This helps them to build a secure body of knowledge. However, historical weaknesses in the previous curriculum mean that some older pupils have gaps and misconceptions in their knowledge. At times, teachers do not identify and address the gaps that pupils may have from their learning in previous years. This prevents pupils from developing depth in their knowledge.

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

The nationally published data does not reflect the strengths of the educational offer at this school. In 2024, the attainment of pupils at the end of Year 6 was significantly below the national average. A high proportion of pupils in this year group joined the school at various stages throughout key stage 2. Most current pupils achieve well.

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

The school swiftly identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This includes pupils who benefit from the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision). It ensures that staff receive the guidance that they need to ensure that these pupils enjoy success. The school liaises with different agencies when required, to further support pupils with SEND. Typically, pupils’ additional needs are met well. 8 and 9 July 2025

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Reading is a high priority. Staff have the knowledge to deliver the phonics programme well. If pupils struggle with reading, the school provides them with the help that they need to develop into confident and fluent readers.

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In the early years, children, including those in the provision for two-year-olds, are immersed in learning about the world. They enjoy joining in with stories, rhymes and songs. Early reading and mathematics sit at the heart of the curriculum for children in the early years and pupils in Years 1 and 2. For example, children in the early years gain the knowledge to recognise sounds and their corresponding letters. In these subjects, pupils are well prepared for Year 3. However, some pupils do not show the same level of readiness in their writing. These pupils are not able to form letters correctly. This sometimes goes unaddressed, which hinders the accuracy of their written communication.

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Pupils learn to respect the differences that may exist between people. They appreciate the opportunities offered by the school, such as joining a sports team or singing in the choir. Pupils learn important information to equip them well for life in modern Britain, such as learning about democracy. Pupils understand how to stay safe online and who to talk to if they have worries and concerns.

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Throughout the school, there is a calm, orderly and positive atmosphere. Pupils are polite, friendly and confident when talking to visitors. The school has high expectations for pupils’ attendance. Most pupils attend school regularly.

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Governors know the school well. Staff appreciate the care and support that the school provides for their workload and well-being, such as the time that the school has provided for them to manage recent improvements to the curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Occasionally, the school does not identify and address the gaps and misconceptions in some pupils’ knowledge as well as it could. When this happens, pupils move on to new learning before they are ready. The school should ensure that teaching addresses any gaps or misunderstandings in pupils’ learning consistently well so that pupils build sufficient depth in their knowledge over time.  Some younger pupils do not master accurate letter formation by the time that they leave Year 2. This hinders their writing fluency as they move through the curriculum. The school should ensure that pupils have the skills that they need to be successful writers. 8 and 9 July 2025

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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). 8 and 9 July 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 20 and 21 June 2023, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Two new deputy headteachers and an assistant headteacher have been appointed since the previous inspection.  A new chair of governors has been appointed since the previous inspection.  The school offers before- and after-school provision.  The school makes use of one registered and one unregistered alternative provision.  The school has a specially resourced provision for up to five pupils with SEND between the ages of four and 11 years old. The specially resourced provision supports pupils with a speech, language and communication need, pupils with autism, pupils with a social, emotional and mental health need and pupils with a physical disability.  There is provision for two-year-old children at the school.

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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 8 and 9 July 2025

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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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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other leaders, members of the governing body and a range of staff at the school. The lead inspector spoke with representatives from the local authority.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, including early reading; mathematics; art and design; and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke

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to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work in other subjects.  Inspectors also spoke with some pupils to gather their views. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, at breaktimes and lunchtimes and when moving around the school.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including records of governing body meetings, the school’s evaluation of its strengths and areas for improvement and documents relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  An inspector met with parents at the start of the school day. Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including the

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Inspection team

Mark Hazzard, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Schelene Ferris Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 July 2025

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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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