The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You lead the school with determination that all pupils will receive the best standard of education possible. You work successfully with the head of school to ensure that its vision, ‘believe, inspire, excel’, is shared by the whole school community. As a result, you have created a very caring and inclusive environment. You both have an accurate view of the school’s effectiveness and are forensic in your approach to understanding how to improve the school further. Staff enjoy working at The Bay. Relationships are warm and respectful. As one parent commented, ‘They [staff] work tirelessly to support the children and their wider families, so all can succeed.’ Pupils enjoy coming to The Bay and are keen to work hard. They think their school is friendly and that teachers help them when they get stuck, ‘but not too much’. They enjoy the many sporting opportunities they have access to. Pupils behave well in lessons and work well together. For example, in a mathematics lesson in Year 4, pupils listened attentively to each other’s ideas about how to solve a problem involving money. Many parents and carers commented on how happy their children are at school. They appreciate the highly effective provision for pastoral care. As one parent wrote, ‘All the staff seem to go above and beyond for the children. Nothing is too much trouble.’ The previous inspection report highlighted the school’s many strengths, including strong relationships, effective leadership and supportive partnerships with parents and carers. You have maintained these strengths. Since the last inspection the school has joined a federation which has boosted the pace of school improvement by effectively sharing expertise. At the last inspection leaders were asked to ensure that tasks set for pupils were at the right level so that pupils worked hard and were fully engaged in their learning. You have taken effective action to improve this. I saw pupils working enthusiastically in lessons and enjoying their learning. However, we agreed that the level of challenge for middle-attaining pupils and the most able could be improved further in mathematics and reading. The previous inspection report also asked leaders to increase the proportion of outstanding teaching. Leaders are aware that there is more to be done to improve the quality of teaching. They are working to improve this rapidly through effective support and challenge. You have an accurate view of what the school does well and what could be even better. In Year 6 in 2017, pupils’ progress in writing was above that seen nationally. However, the progress these pupils made in mathematics was below the national average. You have responded swiftly to improving the teaching of mathematics. We did agree, though, that these improvements need to be more fully embedded across the school. In Year 2 in 2017, reading attainment was below the national average. You recognise there is still work to do to make sure that reading assessments are used more effectively so that pupils are challenged at the right level and outcomes in reading in key stage 1 improve. Safeguarding is effective. School leaders and governors fulfil their statutory safeguarding duties well. They have ensured that staff are trained regularly and that a culture of vigilance permeates the school. Policies and procedures are fit for purpose and day-to-day routines are secure. You work successfully with local agencies to be sure that the needs of pupils and their families are addressed effectively. The chair of governors regularly checks that the school’s safeguarding processes are secure. Staff and governors understand their roles and responsibilities for keeping pupils safe very well. Pupils now attend school regularly. There is an improving trend in the attendance of all pupils. Leaders monitor attendance carefully and work effectively with families to help pupils’ attendance to improve. As a result, the number of pupils who are persistently absent is decreasing rapidly. Pupils said that they feel safe in school and know who to talk to if they have any worries. They said that bullying is extremely rare, but when it does happen, ‘the teachers would try as hard as they can to sort it out’. Pupils are taught how to stay safe, for example when using technology or riding a bicycle. Inspection findings In order to improve the progress pupils make in mathematics, leaders have introduced new ways of teaching which focus sharply on reasoning and problemsolving. This has been supported effectively by the local authority. Pupils’ work, especially in Year 6, indicates that this new approach is beginning to extend pupils’ understanding and application of mathematical skills and knowledge.