Murrow Primary Academy

Murrow Primary Academy

Address: 73 Murrow Bank, Murrow, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, PE13 4HD Unique reference number (URN): 145147

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

A variety of factors, including the small numbers of pupils, means that the published outcomes do not fully reflect the true achievement of pupils. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, progress suitably from their varying starting points. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, broadly achieve well in reading and mathematics. Leaders' recent work to improve the curriculum has positively affected pupils' writing knowledge. In the Reception Year, for instance, children have well-developed writing and reading knowledge ready for Year 1. Effective support and extra help have plugged gaps in older pupils' writing.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils build an effective understanding of a range of subjects, for instance in science and art. Pupils' work is typically high quality, showing depth to their understanding. Pupils can talk animatedly about their learning and what they know. By the time pupils reach Year 6, they are well prepared for secondary school and beyond.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Over the last few years, pupil attendance, including persistent absence, has broadly been close to national averages. Most recently, the school's attendance was negatively affected by a spate of absences in the Autumn term 2025. Due to the small nature of the school, school attendance is disproportionately affected by small numbers of pupil absences. Despite this, leaders worked closely with pupils' families to understand the barriers to attending well. Leaders put in place a range of effective strategies, including working with families so they see the benefits of attending school regularly. As a result of leaders' actions, attendance continues to improve and persistent absence has decreased. There is still a little more work to do to get attendance back to where it was before.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations of how pupils should behave. These expectations are known by pupils and staff alike. Staff teach pupils the importance of good behaviour and effectively model what should be expected. As a result, pupils behave well, showing kindness to each other and staff. Serious incidents, including bullying, are rare and dealt with effectively. Leaders ensure that pupils access a range of effective help and support to manage their own behaviour. Pupils value the help on offer and comment positively about how this helps them to get back on track.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Over the last 2 years, and after a dip in achievement, leaders effectively overhauled the school curriculum. Well-designed and sequenced curriculum plans are in place across all subjects. This includes an improved approach to supporting pupils to write well.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The effective phonics curriculum, starting early in the Reception Year, supports children to secure important reading knowledge. A range of thoughtfully chosen books threads through the curriculum. These books help expand pupils' vocabulary and learn about new ideas. Well-chosen books and extra support help pupils who have fallen behind to catch up and keep up with their peers.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is broadly taught well. Teachers use effective strategies to help pupils understand difficult concepts. There are increased opportunities for pupils to practise and build on their understanding, particularly in writing and mathematics. Teachers use what they know about pupils' needs to make effective changes and adaptations to their lessons. This enables all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to access the ambitious curriculum offer.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Appropriate checks on learning help teachers and leaders to spot if pupils need further help. Sometimes, these checks are not used as well as they could be. In these instances, pupils do not always get the precise guidance they need.

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Early years Expected standard

Children get off to a successful start in the Reception Year. The curriculum is well planned and sequenced. Adults know the children well and form positive relationships with children and their families. Children are happy and well looked after. Staff take time to understand children's starting points. They successfully adapt the curriculum around the important knowledge children need to develop well. For instance, staff build children's vocabulary by effectively modelling talk and conversation. They teach children a wide variety of words and support them well with their early reading knowledge. Children enjoy, learn and remember a range of songs and stories that support their language development.

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Early years Expected standard

The outside area gives children plenty of opportunity to develop physically and socially. Children engage thoughtfully in their learning, both individually and with their peers. Children have positive attitudes to each other and staff. They learn the school's routines, developing independence and resilience. Through well-planned and well-taught lessons, children build their understanding of the world around them. They securely learn their number facts so they can solve appropriate mathematics problems.

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Early years Expected standard

By the end of the Reception Year, most children have progressed well from their starting points. Children are ready for their next stage of learning in Year 1.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders work closely with pupils and their families. They have a secure understanding of the range of barriers pupils face in their small community. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders share this information well with staff to ensure effective support is in place. Staff use this information effectively to address pupils' barriers. Leaders work with a range of agencies to ensure additional, appropriate help is on offer, for instance, access to effective therapies and speech and language support. Leaders' effective working relationship with the virtual school and local authority means children in care settle well into school life.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders effectively share resources with the 2 other partner primary schools that they oversee. This means that support is appropriately targeted at the pupils who most need the help and guidance. Leaders use the additional funding effectively to address the challenges pupils face. Funding has effectively supported staff, for instance, to deepen their knowledge about adverse childhood experiences. This means they are aware of, and can address, the root cause of any tricky behaviour to keep pupils on track. The strengthened inclusion team regularly reviews and adjusts any support to ensure it enables pupils to succeed.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have acted quickly to stabilise the school during a period of staffing turbulence. Working closely with the trust and the 2 partner primary schools has enabled leaders to plug gaps in leadership and staffing. In addition, leaders have drawn on best practice across the schools to reinvigorate the curriculum offer for pupils. This has had a marked, positive impact on improving the school's curriculum and, consequently, pupil achievement. Leaders have brought staff along with them on this journey. Staff appreciate the support for their workload and wellbeing. Leaders ensure staff access high-quality training to implement the relevant changes, for instance to the writing and mathematics curriculum. Leaders look outwards to best practice, for example, using the expertise of the local 'mathematics hub' to check the impact of their work.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders recognise the impact of recent rapid changes in staffing on parents and pupils. Leaders are rebuilding relationships and trust with parents through a range of events and workshops. A number of parents value the work of the school, including parents of the most vulnerable pupils.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Well-qualified trustees appropriately support and challenge leaders. Trustees commission improvement partners to help evaluate the impact of leaders' actions, for instance, reviewing the behaviour culture and changes to different curriculum areas. Consequently, leaders and the trust are clear about the work needed to improve the school further. This includes building middle leadership capacity and expertise to refine and evaluate the effectiveness of the recent curriculum changes.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

A well-designed personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) curriculum ensures pupils learn about a range of important topics. The programme is broadly well taught and enables pupils to learn about topics such as careers, healthy relationships and water safety. There are plenty of opportunities for discussion and debate so pupils develop a sound understanding of the world around them.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Assemblies build on pupils' understanding from PSHE lessons. They offer opportunities to further explain concepts such as democracy and British values. Thoughtful trips to Westminster and Parliament, for instance, help bring pupils' learning to life and broaden pupils' horizons. Books teach pupils about different cultures and people and the opportunities in the world around them. A range of clubs features in school life. From sport to music, there is something for everyone to do. These experiences raise pupils' aspirations for themselves. Leaders ensure that all pupils, regardless of background, have equal and equitable access to the various opportunities on offer. Pupils proudly share their cultures with each other and learn about others who are different from them, for example in the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller heritage themed week. This helps build pupils' understanding of difference and diversity. These events positively contribute

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

towards a positive school culture and sense of belonging.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The personal development programme further builds pupils' resilience and confidence. Leadership opportunities, such as the student council, enable pupils to have a voice, be heard and build self-esteem. Pupils actively contribute to school life and feel part of this community. Pupils have a range of adults and places they can go to if they need further help or guidance. High-quality wellbeing support enables pupils to build resilience and confidence in themselves and their own abilities. As a result of this work, pupils are being prepared well for life in modern Britain.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy attending this small, welcoming community school. Pupils are polite and kind. They form positive and respectful friendships with each other and with staff. Pupils play well together at social times. They typically behave well. Poor behaviour does not happen often. If it does, then there are a range of staff that pupils trust who will sort it out. Rare incidents of bullying, for example, are dealt with swiftly and effectively.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The Reception Year gives children a positive start to school life. They are resilient and determined individuals. Children learn new words through the stories shared by adults. Older pupils enjoy the books and texts they get to explore across the curriculum. This helps them learn about other people different from themselves.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The curriculum is well adapted around pupils' needs. This allows them to achieve and gives them the best opportunity for success. Pupils focus on their learning in class and enjoy the challenge of their work. They feel secure that staff will help them if they find something tricky. This is because staff know them as individuals. Pupils talk animatedly about what they have learned from the varied curriculum.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Leadership roles enable pupils to build their confidence and talking skills. The student council is the ‘voice of the school’ so pupils feel listened to. Well-chosen activities and events, where pupils share their heritage and backgrounds, build a sense of community and belonging. Trips away from school, such as to science parks or to London, build on pupils' learning in class and give them new experiences beyond their day-to-day lives. Leaders ensure the range of opportunities is available to all.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy the varied clubs and sporting activities, such as swimming. Relevant careers events show pupils the opportunities available after school life. This raises their aspirations.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure staff use assessment consistently well to spot gaps in pupils’ understanding and to help pupils to achieve well.

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Lead inspector:

Damian Loneragan, His Majesty's Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 30 June 2026

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School and pupil context

Leaders should ensure middle leaders have the necessary capacity and training to evaluate and refine their new curriculum and leadership areas. Leaders should further embed their strategies to support all pupils to attend well.

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About this inspection

The school is part of the Diamond Learning Partnership Trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The chief executive officer (CEO) is Jonathan Lewis. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Godfrey Smith.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the co-headteachers, senior leaders, the CEO, trustees, staff, parents and pupils during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school does not use any alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The school shares its leadership and staffing with 2 other local schools. The co- headteachers have supported this school since September 2024.

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About this inspection

Co-headteachers: Aimee Garner and Nancy Irvine

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support. National average: 3.5%

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (final) 73% 75% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 75% 73% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 73% 74% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 5.6% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.2% 5.5% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 14.1% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 13.8% 14.6% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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