LEADERS have won high praise for transforming their school into a ‘warm, caring community’ for children with additional needs.
Ofsted inspectors rated Marchbank Free School in Darlington ‘good’ in three key areas as the new management work tirelessly to restore its fortunes. Staff are striving to improve the one remaining area with the further development of the curriculum which will boost learning in maths and reading in particular.
The school, which helps children with social, emotional and mental health issues, was rated inadequate at its last inspection prompting sweeping changes by the Education Village Academy Trust which operates the facility.
Senior managers from the trust’s Beaumont Hill Academy reviewed every element of the school to great effect restoring confidence with local authorities and parents who use the specialist school. It now has 46 pupils on its role, a rise from 32.
The Ofsted report stated: “Leaders have transformed the way that staff feel about the school. Staff can see the benefit of what has been asked of them. They feel well supported by school leaders and the trust. Leaders have worked hard, and continue to do so, to rebuild the trust of parents.”
After one of the first face-to-face inspections since the COVID pandemic, they rated Marchbank good for leadership and management, behaviour and attitudes and personal development.
Inspectors recognised that the quality of education required further improvement but added: “Leaders know that they have a little more work to do to fully rebuild the curriculum, such as maximising the help it gives with pupils’ reading and mathematics. They are already getting on with this.”
Head of school Tess Wright said: “We are thrilled that the inspectors appreciate just how much work has gone into reaching where we currently are. To go from inadequate to three goods and one requires improvement in the space of just one monitoring visit is unheard of and vindicates the dedication of trust staff, pupils and parents who have shared the same vision to improve.”
Executive head teacher of Marchbank and Beaumont Hill Academy Caroline Green added: “The fact we have increased our role and are attracting pupils from Redcar and Cleveland, Durham, Hartlepool and Harrogate speaks volumes for the quality of provision now being offered.
“We have an ambitious curriculum in place, a safe, nurturing and happy environment which our pupils love and the unrelenting support of the trust to ensure sustained success.”
Inspectors also had high praise for the school’s innovative approach to learning, particularly the much-loved forest school, which engages youngsters in their education through the experiences of the outdoors.
The reported stated: “Since the previous inspection, leaders have transformed the school. They want the best for every pupil. Staff share this vision. Leaders’ ambition for their pupils is typified by the creation of the forest school, which the pupils love.”
It added: “Marchbank Free School is a warm, caring school community. At its heart is a belief in treating one another with kindness and respect.
“Every pupil who attends the school is treated as an individual. Lots of care is taken to make sure pupils are in the appropriate classes, getting the right support. Staff make sure that they know their pupils well, so that they understand how to help them the best.”