Marchbank Free School

Overview

The report states that “pupils thrive at Marchbank Free School” within a “nurturing environment” that helps them feel safe and ready to learn. Leaders have been “highly effective in transforming this school,” resulting in “Outstanding” behaviour and personal development, alongside “Good” overall effectiveness.

Strengths

• Staff “know each individual pupil well” and provide “exemplary levels of support” for self-worth and achievement.
• The curriculum is “well-organised” with a “sharp focus on pupils’ needs,” ensuring learning is “tightly focused on pupils’ starting points.”
• A “therapeutic approach” and clear routines help pupils manage emotions, with “quiet spaces” available for those who become dysregulated.
• Pupils enjoy “valuable experiences” such as forest school and cooking, which “rebuild confidence through enjoying success.”
• Reading is prioritised through “systematic” sound knowledge and “skilful teaching,” fostering a “love of reading.”

Areas to improve

• In a “minority of subjects,” curriculum implementation is inconsistent, with gaps in learning not always “swiftly identified and addressed.”
• The school must ensure all staff have the “confidence, knowledge and skills” to implement the curriculum with “clarity and conviction” across all subjects.

Safeguarding

The report confirms that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”