SIAMS Report

SIAMs Inspection: November 2024 

I am writing to you to inform you of the outcome of our recent SIAMs Inspection (Statutory Inspection and Anglican and Methodist Schools) which took place in school on November 11th.

The headline findings of the report are as follows:

The Christian vision fundamentally drives the work of the school as a Church school. It enables adults and pupils to flourish as they ‘let their light shine’. As a result, the whole school community is proud to live together. 

The inclusive culture within the school, which stems from the vision, is exceptional. 

We are delighted with the final report that can be read on our website here.  

The report also identifies three further areas of areas of strength. These are: 

• The ambition and support for pupils, especially the most vulnerable, is impressive. This enables pupils to shine as valued members of the ‘Marlborough Family’. 

• Daily inspirational and inclusive opportunities for reflection and prayer enable pupils to think deeply and develop spiritually. This is a result of the well-considered collective worship programme. 

• The school shines brightly as a beacon of hope and excellence within the wider community. 

There are two development points highlighted in the report. These are to: 

• Embed the recent changes to the curriculum for core Religious Education (RE) in the 6th form. This is so that all pupils continue to receive high quality RE throughout their schooling. 

• Develop the explicit language of spirituality within the curriculum. This is so that pupils are able to talk about their spiritual development journey more precisely.

The full report is definitely worth reading as it encapsulates the wonderful culture we have here at Marlborough. We are hugely proud of the community of which you are all part of. Once again, the pupils really ‘shone’ during the process and are, as the report points out, such great ambassadors for our school and the living embodiment of our vision and values – ‘the people we help to shape’.

I have picked out some of the highlights from the report below.

Thank you again for all your continued support of your children and our school. We are not perfect by any means, but we will continue to do everything we can to be exceptional – because your children deserve it.

Yours faithfully,

Mr. A. Hanlon, Principal

From the SIAMS Report: the Marlborough C of E School: November 2024

Values in action

• The school values of respect, perseverance and ambition are the lived expression of the vision. They drive the high-quality support pupils receive in their learning. Consequently, adults have high aspirations for what pupils can achieve both academically and through extra-curricular opportunities. Pupils thrive as a result of the support given to them and relish the opportunity for academic success.

• Leaders, including governors and the Trust, are inspirational in their ambition and outworking of the vision. They act to make sure pupils succeed academically and personally as shining lights. 

Strength of RE

• As a result of the school appointing dedicated RE specialists, the curriculum is exceptionally well planned and sequenced. Therefore, RE is greatly valued by pupils. 

• Furthermore, the RE curriculum provides ongoing opportunities for pupils to consider their personal views and opinions on complex moral themes. Therefore, it makes a highly effective contribution to pupils’ personal, social, moral and spiritual development. 

Inclusive By Design

• The work of the school to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is inspirational. 

• The school has cultivated a wonderfully inclusive culture and each child is treasured for their unique worth. Leaders intentionally shape pupils’ attitudes through the character programme that stems from the vision. This enables them to think deeply about their own value and the worth of others. Pupils are taught what it means to be part of the ‘Marlborough Family’ and to be respectful and caring. 

Wellbeing and Flourishing

• The wellbeing of both adults and pupils is central to the culture of the Trust and the school. Adults are proud to work at the school and feel the way they are cared for is central to this. Not only does the support for adults impact upon the school community, but the school is becoming a beacon of hope beyond itself. The fundamental principle that if you treat adults well then, they will, in turn, look after children well, is a lived reality. 

‘The people we help to shape’

• The desire of pupils and staff to support their communities extends to wide-ranging social action. Often pupil initiated, the impact upon the school and local community is wonderfully tangible. The annual fun-run, food bank initiatives and wider charities week work contribute significantly to local, national and international causes. Equally, pupils are confident to stand up for causes of justice and social responsibility. They proudly act as ambassadors within the school and beyond. Pupils point to the school vision and values as the inspiration for this work and see themselves as agents of change. 

Marlborough SIAMS Report 2024

SIAMs Inspection: January 2017

I am delighted to be able to share with you the final report and verdict of the SIAMs (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools – the Church’s version of Ofsted) Inspection which took place earlier this year.

The overall judgment is that ‘’the distinctiveness and effectiveness of the Marlborough school as a Church of England School are good’’, with a secondary judgement that ‘’the school is outstanding at meeting the needs of all learners’’. This is great news for us as a community and great credit has to go to all the staff, pupils, parents and Governors who were involved in the process itself.

Of course, the actual inspection is simply a ‘snapshot’ of what we do, and the real work that was so positively recognised by this Inspection has been going on for a long time now and it is most pleasing that the things that have been recognised as outstanding are the things that we have been really focussing on over the past two years: the culture and ethos of the school; the relevant and living values; the clear vision that informs how we treat each other on a daily basis; the expectation of excellent behaviour and high aspirations; and the caring, inclusive and outstanding culture we have here that means that all people are valued and respected. What is also particularly pleasing about the report is that it reflects our guiding principle of putting the students and their needs at the heart of the school. The culture they praise is not simply one that cares for each other, but one that is now increasingly ambitious and purposeful.

One key section of the report states that ‘’the pupils are excellent ambassadors for the school, demonstrating its values consistently through their courtesy and eagerness to learn’’. It talks of a ‘’team’’ of staff working ‘’relentlessly’’ to ensure the best outcomes and progress for our pupils, especially the most vulnerable: ‘’strategies for Pupil Premium pupils, known as Marlborough Scholarship Students, are helping these pupils to flourish. The vision and ethos have helped to create resilient and self-aware pupils with strong aspirations both for themselves and for their peers’’.

The report mentions lots of other strengths of the school: the opportunities available to all students, particularly through Electives; our Whole School Assembly; our opportunities for prayer and reflection; the dramatic and ‘’amazing’’ development of RE in school which now makes an ‘’outstanding contribution’’ to our community; improving attendance; working with Governors; and the place of the Ormerod Resource Base at the heart of our school. You are now able to read the report yourselves below.

This is an important report, not just in itself, but in the affirmation it gives to the work we are all doing, parents included, to create the right environment for our young people to flourish. They are proud to be part of our school, and you can be proud too.

Marlborough SIAMS Report 2017