Marton and District CofE Aided Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Further accelerate the progress of pupils’ in all subjects by:
  • ensuring that assessment is used more consistently to inform planning so that all pupils, especially the most able, are challenged.
  • ensuring that middle leaders focus clearly on pupils’ outcomes when developing plans for improvement.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Senior leaders have a clear and accurate view of the school, which takes into account the views of pupils, parents and staff. They frequently monitor the effectiveness of the school, identify areas for development and implement effective actions to secure continual improvement. As a result, pupils’ progress is now good.
• Since the previous inspection, leaders have acted swiftly with the local authority to engage effective support from a national leader of education. Consequently, leaders have established robust systems to monitor the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across the school and as a result most pupils in all year groups are making good progress from their starting points.
• Middle leaders are keen to develop their role and raise standards of work in all subjects. They have worked with a national leader of education, benefited from relevant training and visited other schools to develop their knowledge and skills. They are clear about the strengths and development points in their particular area of responsibility. Middle leaders are aware that they now need to use pupils’ performance information in a more targeted way to drive achievement for all pupils.
• Leaders make good use of the additional funding to support pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders ensure that staff have training to enable them to meet the individual needs of pupils. As a result, these pupils attend school regularly and are now making good progress from their starting points.
• The use of additional funds provided through the physical education and sport premium is effective. The school employs a sports coach who has worked alongside teachers to develop their skills and understanding. Pupils have numerous opportunities to participate in a variety of different clubs, such as football and rounders. Participation rates are high and everyone is proud of the school’s sporting achievements.
• Pupils enjoy a wide range of extra-curricular activities including art, drama, sewing, choir and ethos group. Leaders ensure that residential trips are available even for the youngest pupils. For example, during the inspection, Year 2 pupils were at a two-day residential visit.
• Leaders have robust systems in place to track and monitor the achievements of disadvantaged pupils. Good use is made of the pupil premium funding to meet the individual needs of disadvantaged pupils. Consequently, progress for this small group of pupils has improved and is now good.
• Performance management procedures are effective. Teachers, including the headteacher, receive targets relevant to their areas of responsibility and the school’s key priorities for improvement.
• The vast majority of parents who responded to the Ofsted online questionnaire or spoke to inspectors are supportive of the school. They are happy with the improvements that leaders have made since the last inspection. ‘I cannot praise Marton enough for how well they have responded to their last Ofsted whilst keeping the children their main priority!’ is typical of the positive comments received from parents.
• Parents are overwhelmingly delighted with how happy their children are at the school and how their children are kept safe. As one parent stated, ‘Our child is very happy at this school and all staff work well together. It has a lovely family, caring atmosphere whenever you visit.’
• Leaders have designed a broad and balanced curriculum which ensures that pupils have access to a wide range of experiences. The curriculum provides well for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. They learn about different faiths and beliefs through a wide range of lessons, assemblies and visits. During the inspection, pupils were playing instruments, singing, performing, making clay Viking brooches, designing sandwiches and looking after the plants which they had grown. Teachers make excellent use of the outdoors to support pupils’ progress. For example, the nearby forest is used to extend the curriculum. Pupils are able to participate in outdoor activities and grow their own plants. The school’s values promote a strong moral code which permeates all of the curriculum.
• Leaders have ensured that pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. For example, leaders used the recent elections as a learning opportunity for pupils to understand democracy. They wrote their own manifestos, presented them to all pupils and then a real election took place in the hall. The pupils voted their own party in to lead. This party now has specific roles and responsibilities across the school.

Governance of the school

• Since the previous inspection, the governing body has had an external review of governance. Governors worked with a national leader of governance, participated in relevant training and have actively recruited new governors with the necessary skills required. Consequently, they can now undertake their roles effectively.
• Their clear vision for the school has driven the improvements made since the last inspection. They know the school’s strengths and areas for improvement and use this knowledge to hold school leaders to account for the quality of education provided.
• Members of the governing body are involved in all areas of the school. They have developed effective relationships with staff and regularly visit to support and challenge them when reviewing key priorities.
• Governors are involved in meetings with leaders which analyse the progress that pupils are making. They challenge leaders during these meetings about the progress that all groups of pupils are making and are ambitious that they make more-rapid progress.
• They have developed effective working relationships with parents and pupils. In response to the previous inspection, they held governor forums with parents to improve communication and listen to parents’ views. In addition, they recently held a ‘pupil-voice session’ with Year 6 to ascertain what it was like to be a pupil at the school.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Safeguarding is a high priority among governors and staff. Records of safeguarding are detailed and show that timely and appropriate actions are taken when required. The designated safeguarding lead is trained well and she ensures that all staff have regular training to keep up to date. All staff and governors understand the part they play in keeping pupils safe.
• The school’s records show that appropriate checks are always undertaken on adults’ suitability to work with pupils. Visitors to the school are informed of the school safeguarding procedures and are monitored closely. Parents agree that their children are safe and all pupils reported that they feel safe at school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection and is now good across the school.
• Evidence from lesson observations and pupils’ books shows that pupils are making good progress and most pupils are achieving in line with age-related expectations. However, in a small number of cases, pupils of different abilities could make more-rapid progress. This is usually when teachers do not have high enough expectations and pupils complete work which does not challenge them.
• There is a robust assessment system in place that tracks pupils’ progress and attainment throughout the year in reading, writing and maths. Consequently, leaders challenge teachers about the progress that all pupils are making and identify appropriate interventions, when needed, so that pupils can catch up rapidly.
• Phonics (letters and the sounds they make) is taught well. Teachers and support staff plan creative and interesting lessons to engage pupils in their learning. Teachers’ effective use of questioning deepens pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Teachers act swiftly to address any misconceptions and as a result pupils confidently use their phonics knowledge in reading and writing activities.
• Pupils enjoy reading and told inspectors that they ‘love it’. Younger pupils read books with confidence and used their phonics skills to decode unknown words. Older pupils read fluently and are articulate when explaining their reading preferences. During the inspection, they demonstrated a love of reading through their appreciation of favourite authors like ‘David Walliams, because he is funny’ and ‘Roald Dahl, because I like the language that he uses’.
• Pupils engage well in lessons because teachers provide them with interesting activities. They say they enjoy lessons ‘because of the way that the teachers teach, especially when they are practical’. For example, in science, pupils dissected a heart and learned in detail about how the heart functions. In an English lesson, pupils learned about active and passive voice. The teacher planned an obstacle course outside, which enabled pupils to work practically, which they enjoyed.
• In an effective maths lesson, pupils were tackling algebra problems. They were keen to share their learning with each other when they made mistakes. The teacher addressed any misconceptions and ensured through his questioning that pupils knew exactly what they were going to learn. All pupils had the opportunity to complete the same activities and made good progress in their learning. They were told that there were different levels of challenge which they could tackle. Pupils were keen to complete the red challenge, which was the most difficult, and this demonstrated pupils’ resilience in their learning.
• Leaders have established a new ‘monster writing’ session for pupils to engage them in their learning. Pupils have opportunities to write on different subjects and at length, through a variety of exciting topics. As a result, pupils make good progress in writing across the school.
• Homework activities are set regularly and cover a range of subjects. Expectations of homework develop as pupils progress through the school. Teachers ensure that homework set is in line with age-appropriate expectations.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Strong relationships between adults and pupils ensure that pupils have high self-esteem and are confident and resilient learners. They are enthusiastic about learning, take pride in their books and are keen to challenge themselves to be the best that they can be. Pupils told inspectors that they enjoy it when their teachers put ‘challenge mountains’ in their books for them to tackle. They stated that ‘we love it when the work is hard’.
• Leaders have created a caring ethos, where pupils feel safe. Pupils know how to stay safe in a wide range of situations. They have knowledge of different types of bullying and state that bullying rarely happens. Pupils are keen to add that if it ever did, staff will listen to them and resolve any problems swiftly. One pupil talked about a ‘cyber bullying’ situation which she had been involved in. She stated that staff had helped her to resolve the situation straight away and discussion sessions were used to resolve any problems in relationships.
• Pupils are keen to take on responsibilities within the school. There are a number of different councils, such as eco, school and ethos, which pupils can join. They are also particularly proud if they are chosen to be the bus register monitors, as they then make sure that all the pupils are on the correct buses.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils behave well during lessons and when moving around the school. At playtimes and lunchtimes pupils play well with each other and enjoy a wide range of organised activities. Pupils listen attentively to instructions from adults and as a result they return to class quickly and ready to learn.
• The school’s mission statement is visible in the way that pupils look after each other and respect all adults. Pupils told inspectors that they enjoy being together, learning together and having fun. They were keen to express to inspectors that they see everyone in the school as a ‘big family’.
• Procedures for monitoring attendance are rigorous. Staff act swiftly, following the school’s procedures if pupils are absent. Consequently, attendance is better than the national average and persistent absence is lower.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Evidence in pupils’ books, lessons and information provided by the school indicate that the majority of pupils achieve well in a wide range of subjects, including reading, writing and maths.
• Current pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress from their individual starting points. This is because their needs are accurately assessed so they receive the precise extra help they need.
• The proportion of pupils who pass the national phonics screening check in Year 1 has risen over three years and is above the national average.
• In 2016 pupils in key stage 1 made strong progress from their starting points, including the most able pupils. Pupils currently in key stage 1 are making the same, strong progress.
• Leaders were disappointed with the outcomes in 2016 for pupils in key stage 2. The combined reading, writing and mathematics score was below the national average. Although pupils made good progress in reading and mathematics, their progress in writing was not as strong, particularly in the case of boys. Work in boys’ books and the school’s performance information show that this has captured boys’ interests and that they are now making stronger progress.
• Leaders understand the importance of accurate assessments and they ensure that teachers have opportunities to check the accuracy of assessments regularly. This has improved teachers’ knowledge and understanding. However, teachers do not always use their assessments to plan lessons which challenge all pupils, and as a result a small minority of pupils do not make the progress of which they are capable.

Early years provision Good

• Leadership and management of the early years is good. Effective relationships are established before children start school through a wide variety of events, such as transition visits, home visits, visits to local nurseries and meetings with parents. Consequently, adults are fully aware of children’s individual needs and children settle quickly into school life.
• Children enter the school with skills and knowledge which are typical for their age. Good teaching throughout the early years ensures that they make good progress. The proportion of children achieving a good level of development is now rising. In 2016, a small number of children did not make the progress expected of them in writing and mathematics. The leader identified this and has created an environment and learning opportunities which promote stronger learning in these subjects. This has had a positive impact and current children have made good progress and are achieving above the national average. Children’s skills and understanding demonstrate that they are well prepared for the next stage in their education.
• Leaders have created a stimulating and challenging learning environment inside and out that captures the children’s imaginations. It provides for all the areas of learning and allows opportunities for children to work closely with adults or have the freedom to follow their interests independently. As a result, children are keen to learn, play well together and keep themselves safe. For example, during a phonics session inspectors observed children working together excitedly outside on a treasure hunt challenge, finding words, recording them on clipboards and reading them to each other.
• The curriculum is carefully designed with the children’s interests at heart. Teachers plan from engaging topics and use exciting trips and events to ignite children’s curiosity to learn. The teacher informed inspectors that children had been captivated by the story ‘The stick man’. As a result, she extended their learning by using the book as a stimulus for a topic.
• Adults teach phonics effectively. Inspectors observed excited nursery children on a listening walk in the woods, talking about what they had heard and what sounds they started with. Reception pupils develop their phonics knowledge through a wide range of effective activities, from sounding out words to recording. As a result of strong teaching, children in early years make good progress in phonics.
• Reading is taught in small groups. Adults have good subject knowledge and ask relevant questions to deepen children’s understanding. Adults encourage children to use their phonics to help them read unfamiliar words and ask probing questions to develop their comprehension skills. Children demonstrate good reading skills which are typical for their age.
• Adults have established strong and caring relationships with children. Staff have daily discussions about what children have achieved and what their next steps in learning need to be. They use this information to plan activities to meet individual children’s needs. Consequently, outcomes for children are improving.
• Teachers take every possible opportunity to develop children’s writing and mathematical skills, both in the indoor and outdoor environments. Inspectors observed children using a variety of equipment to deepen their skills and understanding and confidently counting to 20, writing simple sentences and reading them to each other.
• Partnerships with parents are effective. There are frequent opportunities for parents to be involved in their child’s learning. For example, stay-and-play sessions, phonics workshops and an online assessment system allow parents to contribute well.
• Partnerships with other providers are also good. The leader has established effective relationships through visits, sharing knowledge and expertise across the area. As a result, transition arrangements are highly effective.
• Any additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is targeted to meet individual needs through additional resources and extra small-group teaching sessions. This group of pupils is now making good progress.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective. All staff have appropriate training and are aware of the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child’s safety.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 111329 Cheshire East 10032170 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Voluntary aided 2 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 182 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Sue Furness Nevin Deakin 01260 224482 www.marton.cheshire.sch.uk head@marton.cheshire.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 3–4 June 2015

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• This is a slightly smaller than average-sized primary school.
• Most pupils are from White British backgrounds.
• The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is lower than the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is lower than the national average.
• The school works within a cluster of other local schools to provide training opportunities for staff.
• There have been a number of changes to the teaching staff since the last inspection.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which is the minimum expectation for pupils’ progress.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed a wide range of lessons in all classes in the school except Year 2.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other senior leaders.
• The lead inspector spoke to members of the local governing body, including the chair of governors.
• The lead inspector spoke with a representative from the local authority and a national leader of education who has supported the school.
• An inspector talked to a group of pupils on the second day of the inspection, and the inspection team talked to pupils in lessons and at playtimes.
• Inspectors talked to parents as they dropped their children off at school. Pupils’ behaviour was observed during lessons, lunchtimes and playtimes.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read and talked to them about their reading. Inspectors examined the quality of work in a wide range of books. They discussed pupils’ work and their learning with them in lessons.
• Inspectors considered documents, including the school’s self-evaluation, the school improvement plan, curriculum plans and information relating to pupil achievement and safeguarding.
• Inspectors considered 78 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey.
• Inspectors took into account 53 responses to the pupil questionnaire.
• Inspectors considered seven responses to the staff questionnaire.

Inspection team

Julie Kynaston, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Ann Dimeck Ofsted Inspector