Martham Academy and Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The headteacher, working with other leaders and the trust, has improved the school significantly since the previous inspection.

The headteacher has established a culture of high expectations and a warm and positive ethos in which pupils thrive. By Year 6, they develop into mature, reflective and thoughtful youngsters ready for secondary school. Standards of work are rising rapidly.

Pupils are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils across the school are articulate and explain their ideas and thinking well using a wide-ranging vocabulary. Girls are achieving particularly well in English, where they currently outper...form boys.

Boys' writing overall is not as good as that of the girls, though many boys do write well. The school makes good, and at times innovative, use of its pupil premium funding. Hence, most disadvantaged pupils are making good progress from their starting points to achieve expected standards.

However, very few attain the greater depth standard, especially by the end of key stage 2. Teaching is good and pupils work with purpose in lessons, concentrating well on their work. They work hard and complete a good amount of work.

Sometimes, however, work is a bit easy for the most able pupils. The provision in the early years is good and teaching in the Reception classes much improved since the school's previous inspection. Hence, children make good progress.

The good progress in the early years is not built upon enough when children start Year 1, especially in the quality of their written work. Pupils behave well around the school. They are very polite and courteous.

Pupils feel safe and are safe at school. The curriculum is carefully planned and focuses on providing a well-rounded education. It is enriched through visits, visitors, an extensive range of activities after school and themed events, such as the celebration of European Languages Day.

The academy trust, which the school has formally joined very recently, is providing strong support for the school to drive up standards even further. A new governing body is establishing its role quickly and effectively. Members already have a good grasp of the school's key priorities.

Under the leadership of the headteacher, other leaders are working well together to make the school the best it can be. However, leaders do not always evaluate the impact of their work sharply enough.

Information about this school

The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish. The school became part of the Rightforsuccess Academy Trust on 1 October 2017, just two weeks before this inspection. The school is larger than other primary schools nationally.

The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is below average. The vast majority of pupils are White British. About 7.

5% are from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds. A few speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is in line with the national average.

A below-average proportion have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan. The school meets the government's floor standards. These are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.