The Martin High School Anstey

Inspection of The Martin High School Anstey Link Road, Anstey, Leicester, Leicestershire LE7 7EB

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

The executive principal of this school is Laura Sanchez. This school is part of Lionheart Educational Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Kath Kelly, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Byron Chatburn. The executive principal, Laura Sanchez, is responsible for this school and two others. 16 and 17 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy to attend The Martin High School. They enjoy positive relationships with staff. Pupils are tolerant of differences and celebrate diversity. There are many extra-curricular opportunities available, including clubs, trips and visits. Many pupils take part in these, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is aspirational for all pupils to gain the knowledge and qualifications they need to be successful in future education and employment. There has been a period of instability at the school. There have been many changes to leadership and staff. Pupils have not achieved as well as they should in recent years. This is reflected in the most recent published outcomes from external examinations. However, with strengthened leadership, the school has acted quickly to improve the curriculum and support staff to develop their expertise.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Most pupils behave well and demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. Pupils are proud to earn rewards for good conduct and achievement. There are established routines to support pupils to behave well. However, staff do not always apply these routines consistently. Pupils are frustrated by this. They are not always clear what is expected of them.

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better?

The curriculum is broad and ambitious for all pupils. Pupils in key stage 3 enjoy a wide range of subjects. At key stage 4, pupils choose from a well-considered offer of academic and vocational courses. The majority of pupils study the GCSE subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate.

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better?

In all subjects, the curriculums are well planned to meet pupils’ interests and provide the knowledge and vocabulary they need to achieve well. The curriculums are carefully sequenced so that pupils can build up their knowledge over time. The curriculum provides support for pupils to read widely and often. Weaker readers receive support to develop reading fluency so that they can access the curriculum in full. The school quickly identifies the needs of pupils with SEND. Staff use effective strategies to support these pupils to access the same learning as their peers.

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better?

Staff use their specialist subject knowledge to plan lesson activities that focus sharply on the important knowledge pupils should learn. They provide pupils with clear explanations. In the majority of lessons, staff check pupils’ learning carefully. They address misconceptions quickly and challenge pupils to think deeply. However, this is not always the case. In some lessons, staff do not check well enough that pupils have understood new knowledge before moving on. They do not always adapt lesson activities to help pupils deepen their understanding. As a result, pupils do not always remember what they have learned. 16 and 17 April 2024

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Staff routinely provide opportunities over time for pupils to recall the knowledge that they have learned previously. When used effectively, these opportunities help pupils to gain fluency and make links to new knowledge. However, gaps in prior learning are not always identified and addressed. Where this is the case, pupils struggle to connect knowledge and learning is insecure.

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The curriculum supports pupils’ wider personal development effectively. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe and healthy. They understand equality and are respectful of different faiths and cultures. Pupils enthusiastically take on responsibilities in school, such as representing the school council. Many pupils get involved with community and charity projects.

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The school provides pupils with lots of information about the choices for their next steps in education and future careers. There are opportunities for all pupils to meet with employers and apprenticeship providers and take part in work experience.

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Staff are happy and proud to work at this school. They appreciate the support they get to manage their workload and the opportunities to develop their expertise. Leaders from the multi-academy trust, trustees and governors know the school well. They provide strong support and robust challenge to the school as it continues to develop all aspects of its provision.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not delivered consistently well across the school. Sometimes, staff do not check well enough that pupils are secure in what they have learned previously or how well they have understood new knowledge. They do not always adapt lesson activities to build on prior learning. Misconceptions are not always addressed quickly. As a result, learning is sometimes insecure. Some pupils do not remember what they have learned. The school needs to ensure that staff routinely check pupils’ understanding and adapt lessons so that all pupils gain knowledge securely and remember what they have learned.  The school’s high expectations for behaviour and conduct are not applied consistently. Staff do not always make sure that pupils follow routines that support positive behaviour or apply sanctions for poor behaviour. Some pupils are not clear what the expectations are. Sometimes poor behaviour disrupts learning.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The school needs to make sure that all staff share the same expectations and apply routines and sanctions consistently. 16 and 17 April 2024

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 16 and 17 April 2024

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School details

Principal Laura Sanchez (executive principal)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 5 and 6 February 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Lionheart Educational Trust.  The associate headteacher was appointed in October 2022.  The school uses three registered and six unregistered alternative providers.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 16 and 17 April 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the executive principal, the associate headteacher, the vice- principals, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator and other school leaders.  The lead inspector met the CEO, the deputy CEO and other leaders from Lionheart Educational Trust. The lead inspector also met with a representative of the board of trustees and the chair of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science, geography and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.

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 Inspectors visited lessons in a number of other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors met with pupils from a range of year groups, including pupils with SEND.  Inspectors met with a range of teaching and non-teaching staff.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, as well as online surveys for pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

John Spragg, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Mark Rhatigan Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 April 2024

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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