Marston Green Junior School

Overview

Pupils at Marston Green Junior School are proud of their environment and “rise to” the school’s high expectations. The report describes a “calm environment conducive to learning” where relationships are “highly positive” and staff know pupils and families well. The school is praised for its focus on reading and its effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Strengths

• Pupils exhibit “flawless behaviour” and demonstrate “excellent attitudes to learning,” allowing them to work without disruption.
• The school lives by its motto that “every learning opportunity is a reading opportunity,” helping pupils develop into “keen readers” through high-quality texts and timely gap identification.
• Staff provide “bespoke support” and “carefully considered adaptations” for pupils with SEND, which are described as effective.
• Teachers receive ongoing training and deliver an ambitious curriculum, particularly in science and music, where they ensure pupils “make links with what they have learned previously.”
• The school takes its duty to support staff seriously, creating a culture where staff are “very proud to work at the school.”

Areas to improve

• The school must ensure a “clear, cohesive and consistent strategy” supports staff in identifying and addressing barriers faced by disadvantaged pupils, who do not always achieve outcomes in line with peers.
• The school should address gaps in pupils’ “foundational knowledge in mathematics” to enable them to build on prior learning and succeed in later stages.

Safeguarding

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