Ice cream treat for children after school's glowing report from Ofsted

And so pleased was Marshchapel Infant School at retaining its ‘Good’ verdict from Ofsted that executive head teacher Amanda Turner treated all of its 37 children to hand-made ice cream from local firm Bensley’s.

The report by Ofsted inspectors, after an ungraded review carried out in February, found that the Sea Dyke Way school was “at the centre of its local community”.

It said: “The school has built very special and strong relationships with pupils and its families.

“Pupils are very proud of their school and describe it as ‘a place with special friends’.

"They play well together and enjoy their social time. They are respectful to each other and adults alike. Behaviour across the school is excellent.

"Parents are also overwhelmingly positive. They value how the school ‘makes learning fun’ and ‘goes above and beyond’ for the pupils.”

Marshchapel Infant School, which also provides a breakfast club and after-school club, is part of the Fenland Federation with Grainthorpe Junior School.

The inspectors discovered that pupils “thrive because of the high expectations staff have of them”.

The report said: “Pupils want to do their best. They show pride in their work and talk confidently about their learning.

"Staff know the pupils well and provide precise help. Therefore, all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), get the support they need to succeed.”

Extra support is provided to ensure that pupils become “confident readers”, Ofsted said. “Pupils enjoy their visits to the school library and can name their favourite authors,” the report went on.

The inspectors praised Marshchapel for “refining and developing the curriculum” since its previous inspection, prioritising maths, and hailed its personal development of pupils as “a strength of the school”.

The report said: "Pupils know the value of leading a healthy lifestyle and the importance of treating everyone the same.

"It is an inclusive school where bullying is not tolerated. Pupils learn about a range of world faiths and about inspirational people from history.

"They also enjoy a range of extra-curricular activities, including theatre visits, shopping at a local store and visiting a fishing trawler.

"Alongside regular after-school activities, these develop pupils’ character and confidence. This is evident in how they behave and work together.”

The inspectors also found that children in the early years “get off to a strong start” in an environment that was “bright and welcoming”.

And the school had put “careful plans in place to support pupils to transition to the next phase of their education, such as regular visits to the local junior school”.

Finally, the Ofsted report praised the school’s management team and teachers.

It said: “Governors know and understand their statutory duties well. They support and challenge the leadership of the school.

"Staff feel very proud to work at the school and be part of the ‘Marshchapel family’. They feel that leaders and governors support their workload and wellbeing.”