St Martin At Shouldham Church of England Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils deeply understand their school values of 'respecting, generous and achieving'. They display these in how they treat each other. They see themselves as part of one caring and nurturing school family that extends beyond the school gates.

For example, some pupils recently joined other trust schools for carol services at a local cathedral.

There are high expectations for pupils' achievement. Pupils learn a broad, interesting and ambitious curriculum and generally achieve well.

However, they sometimes need more precise guidance about how to improve their writing.

Behaviour and attitudes are exemplary. Pupils follow routines and respect each other.<...br/>
Even the youngest children want to help, support and include others. The caring staff value pupils. This makes the pupils feel safe and excited to come to school each day.

Pupils participate in an extensive range of wider activities. These range from sports and art clubs to residentials and choir performances. These experiences help develop new skills and build confidence.

For example, older pupils talked proudly about overcoming their worries about jumping into the water on a residential trip. This has helped them feel more confident about taking their next steps into secondary education.

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

The school's curriculum is well established and ambitious.

This forms the basis of what pupils should learn. As the curriculum is secure, the trust and school have focused on how well the curriculum is taught. They have developed subject experts who work across schools.

These experts support and train other staff in teaching each subject well. This includes in providing the support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) need to access the curriculum fully.

Staff are skilled and knowledgeable.

They enable pupils to learn the intended curriculum and achieve well. For example, in art, pupils talk enthusiastically about artists they have studied and their style. They apply this knowledge to produce eye-catching pieces of artwork, including in the style of Leonardo da Vinci.

Exceptional foundations for the curriculum are built in early years. Children have access to a wealth of opportunities to explore colour, painting and sculpture. This ensures they have the foundations they need for more complex learning.

The school's approach to teaching early reading through phonics is well understood by staff. The foundation for this is again built in early years. Staff skilfully build pupils' communication and language skills through rich conversations.

This means that children quickly become extremely confident in sharing ideas. Staff ensure that pupils get the support they need to keep up so they learn to read confidently. Pupils develop a love of reading.

They speak enthusiastically about the range of books they read. Pupils with SEND receive the tailored support they need to become confident readers. However, the school's approach to teaching writing is not as well embedded.

Sometimes teachers do not give pupils precise enough guidance about developing their writing. This means that pupils' writing is not always of the standard it could be.

In early years, children engage in highly stimulating and well-structured activities.

These provide the firmest foundations for Year 1. For example, children explore problem-solving with 3D shapes. Staff use these opportunities to draw out the depth of their mathematical thinking but also to support pupils to develop exceptional communication and social skills.

Children with SEND have their needs identified at an early stage and staff precisely tailor provision to take account of these.

Behaviour is excellent. Pupils demonstrate respectful and highly courteous behaviour.

They are engaged and motivated to do well in lessons and actively show care and sensitivity to the needs of others. The school has a strong culture of respect and tolerance. As a result, pupils feel safe and supported.

Personal development is promoted extremely well. Pupils enjoy many competitions and tournaments where they learn about competing with moral integrity. The school offers wider opportunities that are exceptionally well matched to the social needs of the community, for example the military club.

This supports families with links to the Royal Air Force, especially while on deployment. The school also provides emotional literacy and mental health support for anyone who needs it. Year 6 students benefit from an individual mentoring programme that gives them the support they need to be as well prepared as possible for secondary education.

The strength of leadership is the collaborative work that the partnership and trust have set up across schools. Governance challenges and supports this effectively. This work also supports staff's well-being.

Staff feel enthusiastic about opportunities to grow as teachers. This benefits pupils, as they are taught by enthusiastic, caring and knowledgeable staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes teachers do not check the quality of pupils' writing precisely enough. Therefore, pupils do not consistently receive the guidance they need about how they can improve or develop their writing. The school needs to ensure that teachers consistently provide pupils with the support and guidance they need to develop their writing so that the writing that pupils produce is the best they are capable of.