Marlborough Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 16 May 2023

This is a calm but busy school that enables pupils to learn well. Staff care for pupils. This starts in the early years. The safe yet inviting environment provides a positive start to children's education. The well-organised playground ensures that there is something for everyone to enjoy. Pupils who take on leadership roles contribute to decision-making, including choosing charities they would like to support through fundraising. Leaders and staff prioritise pupils' language development. This is successful, especially in helping pupils who speak English as an additional language (EAL) to develop their speaking and understanding. This helps pupils to successfully learn leaders' ambitious curriculum in most subject areas. Pupils are kind and are very tolerant of each other. They show a good understanding of difference. Relationships between adults and pupils are warm. Adults want the best for every pupil. Pupils demonstrate core values of 'respect, equality and self- belief' in all they do. They are encouraged to believe that they can achieve great things. Leaders provide pupils with many opportunities to listen to inspirational role models speak about their journey to success. A huge mural on the school playground reminds pupils of what they can achieve every day.

What the school should improve

• Leaders have not ensured that safeguarding records are sufficiently detailed. This sometimes makes it difficult to access the full history of actions taken by leaders to keep children safe. Leaders should ensure that all staff record safeguarding concerns and actions to follow up the concerns in full detail.
• Some pupils are absent from school too often. These pupils miss out on important learning and the many opportunities available to pupils who attend regularly. Leaders should ensure that they continue to take appropriate action, including working closely with families, to support all pupils to attend school regularly.
• Leaders have not monitored how well the curriculum is being delivered in some subjects. As a result, they have not identified where further support and training are needed. Leaders should ensure that they check how well the curriculum is being delivered in all subjects, to identify where additional training and support are required to ensure that the whole curriculum is delivered to a high standard.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)