The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You continue to lead a school that is very popular in the local community and has recently expanded to admit more pupils. Pupils and staff are welcoming, polite and proud of their school. You have developed the senior leadership team to strengthen the support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. You appointed an energetic head of the English department at the start of this year and an experienced specialist leader of mathematics to join the school in September. You have sensitively managed some challenging staffing issues during a period of turbulence. Teachers and support staff are highly committed and dedicated to pupils’ welfare and academic achievements. Parents and carers who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, appreciate that their children are ‘thriving’. One parent commented, ‘I feel my child has been taught well not just academically but to be a kind, thoughtful and tolerant human being.’ Many parents recognise the strength of the school’s leadership and the effectiveness of teachers. You have skilfully organised the new curriculum to progressively develop pupils’ skills in a wide range of subjects, and to build confidence. The majority of pupils are happy to come to school. Pupils told us that they enjoy their lessons and additional activities that you provide for them including performing arts; visits from experts in industry; and science, technology, engineering and mathematics challenges. In addition, pupils are proud to accept responsibilities that develop their leadership skills, such as acting as prefects, house captains, librarians and digital leaders. You have taken effective action to consider the areas for improvement identified in the last inspection. Leaders routinely monitor the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by observing lessons and reviewing pupils’ work. You have used the knowledge gathered to construct a programme of professional development that meets the needs of individual members of staff. Teachers now challenge the most able pupils more frequently in lessons but some pupils and their parents rightly feel teachers could set work that is even more difficult. Governors, led by a new chair, are effectively holding leaders to account. The governors have adopted an innovative process to increase their knowledge about specific aspects of the school and consequently have a wealth of information on which to base their questioning. Governors’ detailed and well-kept records confirm that they challenge leaders on performance data, but this has not always happened in a timely manner. Senior leaders have accurately prioritised where improvements are needed and are taking rapid action towards reducing the difference in achievement between the small percentage of pupils who are disadvantaged and other pupils. In the 2016 national tests for Year 6 pupils, the girls in the school achieved higher than boys in writing and mathematics, and the percentage of pupils achieving the ‘greater depth standard’ was lower than in some other similar schools. Some pupils did not achieve as well in mathematics as they did in other subjects. Some pupils who are in Year 8 and took part in activities to catch up when they were in Year 7 have not made the accelerated progress intended. Teachers do not consistently focus with rigour on promoting progress for all pupil groups, or ensure that all pupils are working as hard as they can. Safeguarding is effective. The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and that records are detailed and of high quality. You have reliable systems in place to check for the recruitment of suitable staff and visitors. Staff and governors frequently attend relevant training on safeguarding and keep up to date through helpful weekly briefings. Consequently, staff and parents are confident that pupils are safe in school. Pupils feel safe because of your stringent entry procedures. Pupils told us staff are always visible at break and lunchtimes and that they feel comfortable talking to staff about issues that concern them. Poor behaviour is rare and staff respond quickly and efficiently should it occur. Your documents confirm that senior leaders have taken rapid action when an individual pupil’s behaviour does not meet your expectations and contravenes the school’s values. A small minority of parents raised concerns about bullying. Pupils who spoke to us do not share the same concern. Teachers prepare pupils to stay safe from harm through a wide-ranging programme of personal development that includes topics such as cyber bullying, substance misuse, and racist and homophobic abuse.