Martha H School

Martha H School is a newly registered independent special school for pupils with education, health and care plans, primarily for social, emotional and mental health needs and/or autism. This was its first standard inspection after registration in June 2025, and it is run by Polaris Children's Services Limited. Inspectors found a warm, caring and safe school where staff know pupils well, pupils settle quickly, and parents are highly positive. Safeguarding standards are met, and attendance and behaviour, inclusion, and personal development and wellbeing are all judged to be at the expected standard. However, the report identifies significant weaknesses in academic provision. Achievement, curriculum and teaching, and leadership and governance need attention, and the independent school standards for the quality of education and for leadership and management are not met. Pupils arrive with fragmented prior education and many gaps in essential learning, but once settled they do not make the rapid academic progress needed. Teaching is inconsistent, assessment and support targets lack precision, and leaders have not held school leaders to account sharply enough for pupils' learning and achievement. Key context includes the school's all-SEND intake, its focus on SEMH and autism, and attendance that remains below national averages although leaders are working hard to improve it from very low starting points. The main priorities are to build staff expertise so pupils secure foundational knowledge in communication, reading, writing and mathematics, and to align learning targets, assessment and teaching more precisely to pupils' needs.

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open and positive culture of safeguarding.
• Leaders establish high expectations for attendance and work closely with families, including home visits.
• Staff build warm relationships and manage pupils' difficult feelings with confidence and care.
• Pupils feel happy and safe and settle quickly into the school community.
• Inclusion is a strength: pupils' needs are identified quickly and parents are fully involved in transition.
• Staff are skilled at overcoming social, emotional and mental health barriers using responsive adaptations such as Makaton and sensory breaks.
• The personal development programme is broad, coherent and tailored to pupils' vulnerabilities.
• Pupils develop a secure understanding of British values, equality, consent, online safety and healthy relationships.
• A wide range of enrichment activities and strong careers education prepare pupils for life beyond school.
• The proprietor and governors have provided effective oversight of health and safety, safeguarding and the school's launch.
• Staff receive effective training, feel well supported, and report a strong sense of teamwork and good career progression.
• Parents and carers are highly positive about the school's caring and individualised approach.

Areas for Improvement

• Pupils' academic progress and achievement have not received enough attention, so gaps in essential learning persist.
• Many pupils are not well enough prepared for the next stage of education, training or employment.
• The quality of education standard is not met, with inconsistent curriculum delivery and teaching quality.
• Activities do not always match learning objectives or pupils' abilities.
• Support plans have targets that do not match the support pupils receive, and support lacks precision and regularity.
• Assessment uses broad bands rather than concise criteria, so staff cannot accurately check what pupils know or plan next steps.
• Pupils make little academic progress rather than the rapid catch-up they need.
• Some pupils lack fluency in communication, reading, writing and mathematics.
• Leadership oversight of curriculum, teaching and pupils' progress is not sufficiently accurate.
• The proprietor and senior leaders do not hold school leaders to account well enough for pupils' learning and achievement.
• The quality of leadership and management standard is not met.
• Attendance remains below national averages, although leaders are taking effective action to improve it from low starting points.

In 2025–26, 0.0% of pupils at Martha H School were on SEN support (nationally 18.4%) and 100.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 7.9%).

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded independent school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

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What is Martha H School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Martha H School is Needs attention, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Martha H School last inspected by Ofsted?

Martha H School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Martha H School have?

Martha H School has 28 pupils on roll.

What age range does Martha H School cover?

Martha H School for pupils aged 5 to 18.

Where is Martha H School?

Martha H School is at Downall Green Road, Wigan, Greater Manchester, WN4 0LZ.