Martongate Primary School, located in Bridlington, has recently undergone an inspection that highlighted several areas for improvement. The overall effectiveness of the school is rated as requiring improvement, with similar ratings for the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. However, the early years provision is noted as good, indicating a strong foundation for younger learners.
Pupils at Martongate Primary School are generally happy and polite, and the school promotes a vision of developing active citizens who contribute positively to society. Initiatives such as the eco-club demonstrate the school’s commitment to environmental sustainability. The school environment is characterized by care and nurture, with positive relationships between pupils and adults. Despite this, there are concerns regarding behaviour in lessons, as the new behaviour policy is not fully understood by pupils. Some parents and pupils have expressed concerns about bullying, although the school takes such incidents seriously and investigates them thoroughly.
The school has made efforts to adapt its curriculum in response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to inspire pupils to learn. However, the implementation of the curriculum is inconsistent across subjects. While subjects like art and geography are well-planned, others, such as design and technology, lack clarity in their curriculum structure. This inconsistency affects pupils' ability to build knowledge over time, leading to difficulties in recalling and connecting prior learning.
The provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is variable, with unclear systems in place for supporting these students effectively. The school has prioritized early reading through a new phonics program, but some pupils still require additional support. The effectiveness of catch-up sessions has been questioned, prompting the school to increase the frequency of these sessions this academic year.
In mathematics, the school has identified gaps in pupils' understanding, particularly in foundational areas such as number bonds and calculation. New teaching approaches have been introduced, but engagement levels vary among pupils, with some becoming disengaged during lessons. The school has implemented a range of personal development opportunities, yet pupils' understanding of British values and world religions remains limited.
The governing body has systems in place to hold school leaders accountable, but these efforts have not yet translated into a consistently high-quality education for pupils. The school is beginning to address staff workload issues, but some staff members still report negative impacts on their well-being.
Safeguarding arrangements at the school are effective, with minor improvements noted during the inspection regarding checks on adults working at the school. The school is encouraged to develop a more consistent approach to teaching mathematics, ensure clear learning sequences across all subjects, and establish better systems for supporting pupils with special educational needs. Additionally, enhancing the personal development curriculum to provide more explicit opportunities for understanding British values and world religions is essential for improving overall pupil knowledge and engagement. The school is committed to addressing these areas for improvement to enhance the educational experience for all its pupils.
