Green Meadows Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This school is friendly and nurturing. Staff know pupils well.

Pupils feel safe here. They develop effective ways to communicate their needs and feelings. There are positive and respectful relationships.

Pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are understood and met well by skilled staff.

Most pupils attend well. They enjoy school.

Staff help pupils to understand and manage their emotions and behaviour. Most pupils behave well. They learn the importance of being, 'ready, respectful and safe'.

Staff promptly deal with inappropriate behaviour or bullying. Pupils learn to understand how their behaviour affects others. Routi...nes around the school are well established.

Pupils develop their social skills and engage increasingly well in learning.

There is a broad and ambitious curriculum. The school's aspiration for pupils to 'grow, thrive and succeed' is central to its ethos.

Staff want pupils to flourish. However, expectations for what students in the sixth form can achieve are not high enough. Learning is not consistently well matched to students' needs and abilities.

The school's enrichment activities help pupils to develop their independence and prepare for adulthood. Pupils enjoy sailing, cooking, swimming and sporting activities. Sixth-form students attend college one day a week.

Key stage 4 pupils enjoy adventure days at Leeds Beckett University.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has undergone significant changes since it opened. The environment has been refurbished and is welcoming.

Leadership has been restructured. Leaders have established an ambitious vision for pupils to be empowered, nurtured and supported to thrive.

The curriculum is well sequenced across the school's three learning pathways.

The important knowledge and skills are identified clearly. Teachers break learning down into small steps. Most pupils experience learning that is tailored to their individual requirements.

Staff provide skilled support to help pupils to engage in lessons. Curriculum themes help pupils to make connections and revisit learning across different subjects. For example, key stage 3 pupils use the knowledge they gain from reading the book, 'Home' by Benjamin Zephaniah to explore Jamaican culture.

The curriculum for students in the sixth form is not implemented as well as it is across other classes across the school. Leaders recognise that this means that some students do not achieve as well as they could. Their plans to improve the implementation of the curriculum in the sixth form are in the early stages of development.

The teaching of effective communication and interaction skills is high priority for the school. Pupils learn how to use a range of communication resources. These include signing, pictures, symbols and objects of reference.

Pupils with high anxiety and sensory needs learn in a way that is appropriate for them. Pupils enjoy using the school's sensory and movement rooms to help them calm and be ready to learn.

Staff assess pupils' needs carefully.

Their assessments inform pupils' individual learning plans (ILPs). The ILPs identify targets for pupils based on their education, health and care (EHC) plans. External professionals, including therapists, work with staff to ensure that pupils' needs are met well.

Leaders make sure that pupils' targets for learning are achievable.

Pupils relish listening to stories and appreciate reading for pleasure. They enjoy learning phonics.

Phonics is taught well. Leaders choose texts to broaden pupils' understanding of the world. Regardless of the curriculum pathway pupils follow, they enjoy the same texts but in different ways.

Staff are skilled in delivering sensory stories and story massage. Younger pupils particularly enjoy opening out and exploring their colourful fabric 'spaceship' while reading 'Aliens Love Underpants'.

Pupils' personal development is promoted well.

The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum contains suitable topics of learning. Pupils learn about protected characteristics and fundamental British values. They receive age-appropriate relationships, sex and health education.

They learn about potential risks to their safety and the importance of good mental and physical health. Pupils have opportunities to visit the theatre, places of worship and museums. Older pupils enjoy learning to sail and taking part in activities such as bushcraft and climbing.

Pupils of all ages like participating in the 'sing and sign' choir.

The school provides pupils, including sixth-form students, with appropriate careers information and guidance. They receive independent advice to help them to make informed choices about their next steps.

Sixth-form students enjoy applying their mathematical and cookery skills when running the school's café.

Governors and trustees maintain effective oversight of the school. They understand the aspects of the school that need further improvement and have suitable plans in place to do so.

Staff speak positively about the work and support of the trust. Leaders are considerate of the workload and welfare of staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The sixth-form curriculum is not consistently well matched to the needs of the students. Students may not achieve as well as they could. Leaders should intensify their actions to improve the provision for sixth-form students so they can achieve their best and be successful in their next steps.

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