William Martin Church of England Infant and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Senior leaders, including the governors, have ambition to continually improve the school.

Standards have improved since the previous inspection. Teaching is good across the school. Teachers know their pupils well.

They plan interesting lessons that engage pupils in their learning. Early years provision is good. Good teaching and imaginative learning activities ensure that children make good progress.

Teaching assistants give effective support to pupils who need extra help so that these pupils make good progress. Pupils behave well, are enthusiastic learners and show respect for adults and one another. Pupils say, and their parent...s overwhelmingly agree, that they feel safe and happy in school.

Pupils enjoy coming to school. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is very well developed through the subjects, the school's ethos and the range of visits and after-school activities. This is an inclusive school where every pupil is valued and supported to achieve as well as they can.

Disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are thriving as a result of the support they receive. Pupils' progress is improving across a range of subjects. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics have improved since the previous inspection.

However, progress in writing is slower than in reading and mathematics as pupils are not always given enough opportunities to practise their writing. Although middle leaders monitor the work within their areas well, which has helped raise standards, they do not fully check the impact this work has on how well groups of pupils are doing.

Information about this school

The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school with eight classes from Nursery to Year 2.

There are two classes for each year group, including the early years foundation stage (Nursery and Reception). Children attend part-time in the two Nursery classes and full-time in Reception. The majority of children transfer from Nursery to the Reception.

The school is part of a hard federation with the on-site junior school. The schools share the same headteacher, governing body and special educational needs coordinator but their finances are separate. A large majority of pupils are of White British heritage and speak English as their first language.

The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium is below average. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disability, or an education, health and care plan is above average. The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

The school runs a breakfast club for disadvantaged pupils. They also run Gateway Collect after-school club. The school is part of the Harlow Education Partnership.

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