The Martin High School Anstey

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy to attend The Martin High School.

They enjoy positive relationships with staff. Pupils are tolerant of differences and celebrate diversity. There are many extra-curricular opportunities available, including clubs, trips and visits.

Many pupils take part in these, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The school is aspirational for all pupils to gain the knowledge and qualifications they need to be successful in future education and employment. There has been a period of instability at the school.

There have been many changes to leadership and staff. Pupils have not achieved as well as they should... in recent years. This is reflected in the most recent published outcomes from external examinations.

However, with strengthened leadership, the school has acted quickly to improve the curriculum and support staff to develop their expertise.

The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Most pupils behave well and demonstrate positive attitudes to learning.

Pupils are proud to earn rewards for good conduct and achievement. There are established routines to support pupils to behave well. However, staff do not always apply these routines consistently.

Pupils are frustrated by this. They are not always clear what is expected of them.

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

The curriculum is broad and ambitious for all pupils.

Pupils in key stage 3 enjoy a wide range of subjects. At key stage 4, pupils choose from a well-considered offer of academic and vocational courses. The majority of pupils study the GCSE subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate.

In all subjects, the curriculums are well planned to meet pupils' interests and provide the knowledge and vocabulary they need to achieve well. The curriculums are carefully sequenced so that pupils can build up their knowledge over time. The curriculum provides support for pupils to read widely and often.

Weaker readers receive support to develop reading fluency so that they can access the curriculum in full. The school quickly identifies the needs of pupils with SEND. Staff use effective strategies to support these pupils to access the same learning as their peers.

Staff use their specialist subject knowledge to plan lesson activities that focus sharply on the important knowledge pupils should learn. They provide pupils with clear explanations. In the majority of lessons, staff check pupils' learning carefully.

They address misconceptions quickly and challenge pupils to think deeply. However, this is not always the case. In some lessons, staff do not check well enough that pupils have understood new knowledge before moving on.

They do not always adapt lesson activities to help pupils deepen their understanding. As a result, pupils do not always remember what they have learned.

Staff routinely provide opportunities over time for pupils to recall the knowledge that they have learned previously.

When used effectively, these opportunities help pupils to gain fluency and make links to new knowledge. However, gaps in prior learning are not always identified and addressed. Where this is the case, pupils struggle to connect knowledge and learning is insecure.

The curriculum supports pupils' wider personal development effectively. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe and healthy. They understand equality and are respectful of different faiths and cultures.

Pupils enthusiastically take on responsibilities in school, such as representing the school council. Many pupils get involved with community and charity projects.

The school provides pupils with lots of information about the choices for their next steps in education and future careers.

There are opportunities for all pupils to meet with employers and apprenticeship providers and take part in work experience.

Staff are happy and proud to work at this school. They appreciate the support they get to manage their workload and the opportunities to develop their expertise.

Leaders from the multi-academy trust, trustees and governors know the school well. They provide strong support and robust challenge to the school as it continues to develop all aspects of its provision.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum is not delivered consistently well across the school. Sometimes, staff do not check well enough that pupils are secure in what they have learned previously or how well they have understood new knowledge. They do not always adapt lesson activities to build on prior learning.

Misconceptions are not always addressed quickly. As a result, learning is sometimes insecure. Some pupils do not remember what they have learned.

The school needs to ensure that staff routinely check pupils' understanding and adapt lessons so that all pupils gain knowledge securely and remember what they have learned. ? The school's high expectations for behaviour and conduct are not applied consistently. Staff do not always make sure that pupils follow routines that support positive behaviour or apply sanctions for poor behaviour.

Some pupils are not clear what the expectations are. Sometimes poor behaviour disrupts learning. The school needs to make sure that all staff share the same expectations and apply routines and sanctions consistently.