The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You have addressed the key issues raised. For example, pupils know how to improve their work, and teachers adapt and reshape tasks during lessons so that all pupils make consistently swift progress. You have ensured that the school continues to be a nurturing and caring environment. Pupils say that they enjoy being part of the St Matthew’s community. They are thoughtful and attentive and told me that they like attending school because learning is fun. You ensure that pupils behave well in lessons and around the school, and that they are polite and friendly. They understand and can explain the school core values of ‘Belonging, Believing, Achieving’. Staff ensure that pupils who join the school during the year are welcomed and settle in well. Pupils enjoy getting certificates for their achievements, and enthuse about the many outings and visits that the school organises. The variety of extra-curricular clubs that pupils can choose, such as cooking, drama and football, promote their interests and are very popular. You have made sure that pupils learn a broad and balanced range of subjects, which includes Spanish. Since the previous inspection, the number of fixed-term exclusions has fallen sharply and rates of attendance are up. This is because you have set clear behavioural expectations and made the school an interesting and stimulating place, so that pupils want to attend. Since the last inspection, the school has grown in size. Twenty-three new pupils have joined key stages 1 or 2 since the academic year started in September. This is in addition to the pupils admitted at the start of the academic year. Some pupils enter with skills and knowledge below those expected for their age. You, together with teachers, manage this well by ensuring that all pupils are given opportunities to catch up if needed. My observations of pupils’ work in lessons and in their workbooks confirm the school’s own progress information that new pupils are making good progress. You have pressed forward with initiatives for example in reading where a new reading scheme has been introduced, and in mathematics which are showing clear and positive signs of impact on standards. We agreed that it would be beneficial to continue with these initiatives. Safeguarding is effective. The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and records are detailed and of high quality. Staff support pupils’ wellbeing meticulously. Leaders work with outside agencies and liaise with them quickly in order to secure strong support for pupils and their families. Leaders manage concerns sensitively and effectively. Staff have secure knowledge and understanding of current safeguarding guidance and procedures. Pre-employment checks on adults working at the school meet statutory requirements. Staff training is up to date and their safeguarding practice is effective. Governors carry out appropriate checks on safeguarding during the school year. There is a culture of vigilance where pupils’ welfare is actively promoted. Pupils are listened to, and they feel safe. Inspection findings The first line of enquiry focused on how effectively leaders are improving pupils’ reading across the school, especially for the most able pupils. This was because you have rightly identified some variation in the performance of pupils in this area. Leaders have put in place new methods for improving pupils’ engagement with reading. These include setting ambitious targets for pupils’ reading and introducing parent workshops on how to support their child’s reading. You have improving training for teachers on how to strengthen pupils’ understanding and inference skills. Leaders have introduced a new reading scheme and book corners have been improved. Leaders have set clear and aspirational end-of-year expectations for all aspects of literacy, and regularly check to ensure that these new methods are effective. Pupils have a good understanding of what they read, and use this knowledge to answer challenging questions. This is evident in their books, by talking to pupils in classes and by hearing them read. Teachers now focus on broadening pupils’ vocabulary with some notable results. As a result, pupils are able to use a wide range of vocabulary when describing key sections of the materials they read.