William Martin Church of England Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at William Martin enjoy coming to school. They like the range of subjects they learn about.

Pupils appreciate the help adults give them in lessons. They work hard and aspire to reach the high expectations leaders have of them. Many pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

Pupils know and understand the school's rules and values. Leaders give pupils opportunities to change and add to these. For example, pupils added 'be kind' to the school rules as this was important to them.

Pupils value leaders listening to them.

Pupils behave well in and outside of lessons. They look after each other.

Older pupils act as role models for younger pu...pils. Pupils make friends easily because they are kind to each other. Bullying is rare.

When it does happen, adults deal with it quickly. Pupils feel happy and safe at school.

Pupils enjoy the opportunities leaders have carefully chosen for them, such as 'First-Aid Friday' where all pupils learn first aid.

Older pupils welcome the additional responsibilities on offer to them. They enjoy taking on positions of responsibility, such as house captains, leaders of worship and pupil ambassadors. This helps pupils to understand how to be responsible.

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

Leaders have designed and developed an ambitious curriculum. They have identified the knowledge and vocabulary they want pupils to learn. In most subjects, leaders have clearly organised the curriculum, so that learning builds on what pupils already know.

In a small number of subjects, leaders have not sequenced the curriculum as precisely. In these subjects, pupils do not always build on their prior learning as effectively as they could. Despite this, overall, most pupils achieve well.

Teachers routinely check what pupils have learned. They adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of the pupils. This means pupils achieve well in most areas of the curriculum.

However, there are occasions where teachers do not precisely identify what pupils already know. This means that, sometimes, teachers do not match learning carefully enough to what pupils already know and can do.

Reading underpins the entire curriculum.

Leaders have carefully selected a diverse range of books that pupils will read over their time in the school. Pupils enjoy reading, especially the books they read as a whole class. Pupils enjoy visiting both the school and local library to choose their own reading books.

Leaders quickly identify pupils who struggle with reading. Well-trained staff help these pupils to catch up quickly. Staff carefully match reading books to the sounds pupils know and can read.

This helps pupils to read accurately and fluently.

Leaders have ensured that staff know how to effectively support those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND access the same broad curriculum as others.

As a result, these pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

Leaders have prioritised the pastoral care of pupils. Relationships between pupils and adults are highly positive.

The vision of the school, 'experiencing life in all its fullness', runs through everything the school does. The wider curriculum develops pupils' understanding of other cultures and religions. Pupils have opportunities to reflect thoughtfully on how they learn from their mistakes.

Pupils learn about relationships and people who are different from them. They know the importance of understanding, accepting and celebrating everyone as unique.

Most pupils attend school regularly.

There are, however, a significant minority who are absent from school too frequently. Leaders closely monitor these pupils. They take action to improve the attendance of these pupils.

However, there are still some pupils who do not attend school as regularly as they should. These pupils miss out on learning.

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, are proactive in supporting the well-being of staff.

Staff appreciate how leaders are there to support them. The trust holds leaders to account effectively. They understand what the school does well and what it needs to do better.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have ensured that safeguarding is at the forefront of all staff's work. Leaders train staff effectively to recognise the signs that a pupil is at risk of harm.

Staff have a secure understanding of contextual risks for pupils. Staff know how and when to report concerns. Leaders act swiftly and appropriately on concerns to keep pupils safe.

Leaders have ensured that pupils learn how to keep safe. Pupils have a secure understanding of online risks and healthy relationships.

Leaders ensure that required pre-employment checks are thorough and recorded accurately.

The trust monitors and holds leaders to account for safeguarding procedures in the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not precisely sequenced the curriculum in a small number of subjects. This means pupils do not always build on prior learning as well as they could.

Leaders must ensure that they carefully sequence all areas of the curriculum, so that pupils know and remember more across the full range of subjects. ? Teachers do not always use their checks on pupils' learning to precisely identify what pupils already know. This means teachers do not always carefully match learning to what pupils can already do.

Leaders must ensure that teachers carefully identify what pupils know and can do, so that pupils build on prior learning effectively. ? While there have been some improvements, a significant minority of pupils are persistently absent from school. Leaders must ensure that their approaches to promoting good attendance result in these pupils attending school regularly.

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