St Martin’s Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Martin's Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

The headteacher of this school is Johann Coates. This school is part of LDBS Frays Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Christopher Cole, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Angie Brett.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a friendly, kind and happy school. Pupils give a warm welcome to the many in-year new arrivals.

There is a keen sense of inclusion, respect and integration of all, no matter their faith or culture. This also includes pupils in the Oasis... specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (specially resourced provision). Pupils enjoy warm working relationships with staff.

They said that there are several adults they can turn to if they have any concerns about their safety or welfare.

The school strives to ensure that all pupils achieve well. Over the past couple of years, the school has improved its curriculum.

It also has improved the quality of the bespoke provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). As a result, the school realises its ambition for pupils' academic success.

As soon as children join the early years, staff show children how to behave well.

Staff are also well trained to meet pupils' needs and to help pupils with SEND who may get dysregulated. Should pupils have a tiff, staff work with them to reflect on their behaviours and restore their relationship. As a result, across the school pupils behave well and there is a calm and purposeful atmosphere around the school.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has an ambitious, broad curriculum. The school brings pupils in the specially resourced provision into mainstream classes whenever possible. The school has secure systems in place to identify the needs of all pupils with SEND as well as those with little knowledge of English.

Well-trained staff work in conjunction with specialist therapists. They make bespoke adaptations to teaching, resources, and, when appropriate, the curriculum content. These strategies help all pupils to gain new knowledge across the range of subjects.

The teaching of reading is a high priority. The school has a well-established phonics programme in place. All teaching and support staff are trained to deliver phonics effectively.

Children are taught to read from the start of Reception. Pupils practise their reading using books that match the sounds they have learned. Staff keep a sharp eye on pupils' progress.

Those falling behind quickly receive help to catch up. As a result, pupils gain confidence and become fluent readers.

The school places much emphasis on staff training and development.

For example, subject leaders and teachers attend training and work with colleagues in other trust schools. Trust-wide experts, such as for early years, also work with school staff. This means that leaders and teachers gain subject-specific and phase expertise.

They are skilled in delivering lessons that help pupils learn the intended curriculum. Teachers and leaders use assessment to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge. They use this information to address misconceptions.

Subject leaders and early years leaders work closely together when thinking about the curriculum. This ensures that children leave Reception very well prepared to build on their knowledge in Year 1. However, the school's development of the curriculum is still a work in progress.

There are a few aspects of curriculum thinking and delivery that need refinement in some subjects. These differ between those subjects. This means that pupils do not routinely achieve their full potential across the subjects.

Early years staff establish routines for children right from the start. Children quickly learn to pay attention during formal lesson times and to play and work sensibly with each other. Pupils work hard in lessons.

The occasional incidents of disruption are quickly nipped in the bud by teachers.

The school arranges visitors, such as authors and athletes, to speak to pupils and broaden their horizons. The school offers clubs such as football and dancing.

Some are tailored for pupils with SEND to develop their social skills. Last year, the school arranged and trained a choir made up from four trust schools. The school choir made several public performances, including at St Paul's Cathedral.

The school takes pupils for visits, to museums, for example. Pupils with SEND are included in all enrichment activities. The school is beginning to implement its plans to expand curriculum-based enrichment activities for all year groups.

Staff value the steps leaders have taken to reduce their workload. They described leaders as approachable and considerate. For example, if they are having a tough day, they can call on a senior leader to come and support for a short while.

This gives them a much-needed breather.

The trust's chief executive officer (CEO) and a range of senior trust staff visit the school often. They support school leaders and local governors and hold them to account.

They check how well trust-wide systems are working in the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, there are some weaknesses in curriculum thinking and implementation.

This means that pupils do not routinely achieve as highly as they could. The school should continue its work to refine and sharpen its thinking and implementation of the curriculum so that pupils can achieve their best across all subjects and year groups.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2018.

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