Marlpool Infant School

Overview

Marlpool Infant School is described as a “happy and caring school” where pupils “enjoy coming” and feel safe. The report highlights that staff and parents are positive about the provision, noting that children “skip into school” and behave very well under the guidance of the school’s ‘REACH’ values.

Strengths

• The curriculum is “ambitious” and “engaging,” with teachers delivering intended learning well in most subjects, allowing pupils to demonstrate a “depth of understanding.”
• Reading provision is strong; the phonics programme begins in Reception, and staff ensure pupils become “confident, fluent readers” through daily reading and expert training.
• Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils is “highly effective,” with clear plans enabling them to access the full curriculum and achieve well.
• Behaviour is good, with high expectations consistently applied; pupils take pride in their roles, such as helping younger peers, and attendance has seen “positive improvement.”
• Early years staff support children’s communication and language skills well, ensuring they are “well prepared for the key stage 1 curriculum.”

Areas to improve

• In a “small minority of subjects,” key knowledge is not clearly identified, meaning pupils do not build knowledge in a “well-ordered way” or remember learning over time.
• Safeguarding records do not always fully document actions taken, reducing the school’s ability to “reflect on the impact of its actions over time.”
• Pupils have a “limited understanding” of fundamental British values and diversity, meaning they are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they could be.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with a “positive safeguarding culture” and open leadership, though some action details are not recorded.