Cherry Tree Academy Trust Marham Infant

Overview

Pupils are described as “happy, confident and proud” within a “close-knit, caring community” where they feel safe and well supported. The school has made significant progress since its previous inspection, delivering a “broad and ambitious curriculum” that is tailored to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Strengths

• Staff know pupils well and effectively identify gaps in knowledge, ensuring pupils “build knowledge well over time” and produce high-quality work.
• SEND provision is a strength, with individual needs identified early and teaching adapted so pupils access the same curriculum as their peers.
• Behaviour is “calm and respectful,” with bullying being rare and issues managed quickly and sensitively.
• The early years curriculum is “thoughtfully designed,” using open-ended questions to support communication and language development.
• Leaders have responded effectively to previous feedback, particularly in reading and curriculum development, fostering a strong culture of collaboration.

Areas to improve

• The school must provide a “wide range of appealing books” and actively encourage reading for pleasure, as too few interesting books are currently available.
• The trust board must strengthen its ability to “challenge and support school leaders effectively,” reducing the current overreliance on school leaders to set strategy.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”