St Martin's Church of England Infant School

Overview

Pupils are described as happy in a “warm and welcoming” environment where staff build relationships based on “mutual respect.” The school maintains high expectations for achievement and behaviour, with a strong focus on reading and personal development. However, inconsistencies in teaching precision mean some pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

Strengths

• Staff provide a “nurturing environment” and support that is “responsive to individual needs.”
• Reading is prioritised from Reception, with “expert staff” delivering phonics “enthusiastically and with consistency.”
• Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes, playing well and sharing equipment while demonstrating values such as “friendship, love, responsibility, courage, honesty and respect.”
• Personal development is central, with pupils learning to respect different cultures and developing an understanding of mental and physical health.
• The governing body and trust work closely to ensure an inclusive environment and hold leaders to account effectively.

Areas to improve

• Teachers do not always explain new knowledge or design learning activities “as precisely as they could,” meaning some pupils do not learn key knowledge as well as they could.
• The school needs to ensure staff have the skills to “consistently teach the school’s ambitious curriculum.”
• Behaviour expectations are not always applied consistently, though leaders are taking action to remedy this.

Safeguarding

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