Marsh Baldon CofE Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 October 2023

Pupils enjoy each and every day at Marsh Baldon. They are happy in the warm and friendly atmosphere created by every member of the school community. Pupils feel safe. They know that if they need help, they can go to a trusted adult. They appreciate the opportunities they have to come together for shared experiences, such as playing on the sports equipment at playtime, attending clubs and taking part in whole-school activities, such as exploring the climbing wall. Everyone is clear about how pupils are expected to behave. As a result, pupils behave well. They move around the school calmly and respectfully. They are well mannered and polite. Older pupils enjoy being role models. They take a leading role in assemblies and they support younger pupils to learn routines during lunchtimes. Pupils feel valued. They particularly enjoy the 'golden awards' assembly and the chance to have a cup of hot chocolate with the headteacher. Pupils enjoy learning, and most are achieving well. This is because the school has set high expectations for what pupils will achieve. There is a focus on helping pupils to love learning and to make links between different subjects. Pupils are excited to discuss the learning experiences they have had on the trips and experiences they have.

What the school should improve

• The current support to help pupils in key stage 1 who find reading more difficult is not as effective as it could be. As a result, these pupils are not yet confident and fluent readers. The school should ensure that the help pupils receive is more precise, so that these pupils make even more rapid progress in reading.
• In the foundation subjects, teachers do not always precisely check what pupils know and remember from what they have previously been taught. This means that some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and understanding and therefore find it more difficult to explore new learning. The school should continue to develop teachers' knowledge and expertise in checking what all pupils know and can do.
• The new strategies to help pupils improve their writing are not yet fully embedded. Consequently, some pupils are not writing as well as leaders intend. The school must continue to monitor the recent improvements to ensure that pupils have the necessary skills for the next stage of their education.

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