The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Marsh Lane is a small school that is characterised by its warm, caring and welcoming atmosphere. The pupils are at the heart of every aspect of school life. Every pupil is highly valued and known well by you and the other staff. There is a deep commitment from all staff to unlock the potential in every child. As a result, all pupils are effectively supported to ‘dream, believe, achieve and succeed’. You lead the school with energy and enthusiasm and have the respect of pupils, parents and carers, and staff alike. You ensure that this very small school is a harmonious and productive place to be. You have a good working knowledge of everyday matters, as well as the strategic overview needed to shape and drive further improvements. You have successfully tackled the areas for improvement from the last inspection. You have evaluated the school accurately. Leaders, governors and staff have the capacity to make improvements successfully. You acknowledge, however, that the school’s written plans for improvement are not sharp enough. Teachers consistently create a positive climate for learning and have high expectations. As a result, pupils are enthusiastic and confident learners. Our visits to several classes provided good examples of this. In the Year 3/4 class, pupils were discussing the equipment they would need for a polar expedition. The teacher had superbly planned an outdoor activity in the snow and freezing temperatures to enliven this work. In the Year 4/5 class, pupils were using accurate mathematical language to explain their understanding of symmetry. Children in the Reception class were very excited to tell me about a problem they had solved. Cinderella had packed too many things in her suitcase. They explained how they had successfully halved the number of items to solve this problem for her. Despite this, teaching varies too much. Sometimes activities do not provide enough challenge for the most able pupils. This means that they do not reach the high standards of which they are capable. Children make excellent progress in their first year in school. The caring ethos of the school is mirrored in early years. Adults have an excellent understanding of how young children learn. They listen carefully to the children, observe their interests and fascinations, and then skillfully capture these in their planning. The learning environments, both indoors and outdoors, are magnets for learning. Children enjoy countless opportunities to explore and think about their learning. As a result, children are very well prepared for the next stage in their education. I spoke with many parents at the beginning of the school day. Parents were unreservedly positive about the school and hold you in high regard. Parents particularly value the caring family ethos that you have created. Inspection evidence supports these positive views about the school. Safeguarding is effective. A strong culture of safeguarding is woven through all aspects of the school’s work. You ensure that the safeguarding of pupils is a high priority. Staff are vetted carefully prior to appointment and all of the necessary checks are made to ensure that they are suitable to work with children. You ensure that staff receive the required training, including that relating to protecting pupils from extremism and radicalisation. All staff are highly vigilant and well aware of the actions they need to take if they are concerned about a child’s welfare. Parents expressed confidence in the school to follow up any concerns. They told me that you do everything possible to ensure that their children are safe and happy. Pupils have a good knowledge of potential bullying situations. They are adamant that bullying does not exist at Marsh Lane Primary. They say that poor behaviour is rare and that staff deal with any concerns swiftly. This is confirmed by the school’s records. Pupils are taught effectively about how to keep themselves safe when they are using the internet. They know the immediate actions to take if they view anything that causes them concern. Pupils’ attendance is above the national average. Pupils value their education and understand the importance of coming to school regularly.