Pupils are happy and confident learners in this warm and welcoming school. They speak very positively about their school and are proud to be a part of it. Staff develop warm and caring relationships with pupils. Pupils feel safe. They say this is because teachers are kind and look after them. They know whom to talk to if they have any worries, including about bullying. They know that they will be listened to. Pupils have a mature understanding that everyone is different. They understand that respect and tolerance are crucial to good relationships. All pupils have opportunities to take on responsibilities. Older pupils train as playground leaders to support younger pupils during playtimes. Leaders are ambitious for their pupils. Leaders have carefully considered each subject and are continuing to strengthen their well-structured curriculum. Pupils work hard because lessons are often interesting and engaging. Those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well, including those based in ‘The Lighthouse’. Leaders have made the school a focal point of the community. Leaders and the staff team provide valuable support for pupils and their families. One parent commented: ‘The staff at Martello care not only about the children, but also their entire families, and will go out of their way to help if they are able.’ What does the school do well and what does it need to do better? The mathematics curriculum is carefully considered and structured. Teachers use a published scheme of work as a starting point but adapt the sequence of lessons to ensure that pupils’ learning is secure before they move on. In Reception, children practise counting and use real objects to secure their number knowledge. As pupils move through the school, teachers ensure that pupils think hard and solve problems. Teaching pupils to read well is a key priority. In the early years provision, children love to hear and repeat songs, stories and rhymes. This helps them to develop speaking and listening skills and improve their vocabulary. Pupils engage well with their daily phonics lessons. Adults check the progress pupils make through the wellplanned phonics programme. They ensure that teaching provides pupils with the skills they need to read fluently. Reading books are well matched to pupils’ reading abilities. Where pupils are at risk of falling behind, support is in place to help them catch up quickly. The books that pupils read and the topics they study provide them with valuable opportunities to consider and debate moral and ethical issues. The school’s inclusive Inspection report: Martello Primary School 8 and 9 March 2022 2 ethos ensures that pupils learn to be tolerant, respect others and understand the importance of treating everyone equally. Leaders are in the process of refining the wider curriculum. Subject leaders have identified the key knowledge that they want pupils to learn in subjects such as English, mathematics and geography. In most subjects, learning is well sequenced, and teachers deliver the curriculum effectively. As a result, pupils remember important knowledge and make good progress. However, this is not yet the case in a few subjects, including science and art and design. More work is needed to strengthen the curriculum in these subjects to ensure that pupils are taught in sufficient depth to enable them to secure important subject knowledge. Pupils with SEND are well supported. Specialist teachers’ knowledge and expertise are shared with other staff. Parents are also offered help, guidance and support with their children. Appropriate adaptations and effective adult support ensure that pupils with SEND are able to access the curriculum. Teachers carry out regular checks and assessments to see how well pupils are learning. These are particularly detailed in mathematics and English. Teachers use this information to support pupils in their learning. In some other subjects, teachers do not align their checks precisely to the curriculum content. This means that in these subjects, teachers do not know precisely which important curriculum knowledge pupils have remembered. Behaviour in lessons is good and teachers help to make learning enjoyable. Pupils are encouraged to be ambitious in their learning. They try hard, even when learning is difficult. One pupil said, ‘Reading and learning more are important here.’ Leaders, including trustees and local governors, have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. While some school development has slowed, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, actions for improvement are now moving forward rapidly. Leaders within the multi-academy trust work closely with school leaders. They ensure that teachers receive highly effective professional development so that the teaching of the curriculum becomes increasingly expert. The good impact of this work is particularly evident in reading and mathematics, which has been a key focus since the last inspection. Teachers speak highly of the professional development offered, including opportunities to develop their leadership skills. Staff also benefit from trust-wide opportunities to share expertise with other schools. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about school leaders, and about the consideration given to their workload and well-being.