Keys Meadow Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and kept safe. They trust adults in school and are confident that staff will deal with any concerns that they may have quickly.

Bullying is rare and resolved quickly. Pupils said that this is because their teachers are always there to help them.

Leaders expect all pupils to achieve highly.

The curriculum is broad and ambitious. It helps pupils to make links between what they know and learn more over time. Overall, the curriculum prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education.

Pupils behave sensibly. This is because there are clear routines that are consistently applied by staff. Pupils appreciate the importance of being s...afe, respectful, and ready to learn.

They understand and do their best to demonstrate the school's values.

Leaders have developed a pledge of opportunities for all pupils to experience along their journey through school. These include, for example, playing an instrument in a concert, taking part in a democratic election, and visiting a London museum.

Pupils appreciate being able to take on their additional roles and responsibilities, such as anti-bullying ambassadors or members of the junior leadership team.

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

Leaders have prioritised early reading. A new programme was introduced last year to better support pupils to become fluent readers.

All staff have been trained to teach phonics consistently. Children start learning letter sounds from their first days in school. Those at risk of falling behind are swiftly identified, and additional opportunities put in place for them to ensure that they catch up.

Books used to teach reading are closely matched to the sounds that pupils know. Pupils are now remembering more. They use their phonics knowledge to read words and texts fluently.

All pupils spoken to said that they enjoyed both reading and being read to.

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum that sets out the knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need to understand from Nursery to Year 6. Children get off to a good start in the early years.

Learning progresses in a logical order, with time made for children to revisit and practise important concepts. This helps them to remember more complex ideas over time. For example, in art and design, pupils learn how to mould clay when making their own aliens.

They use these techniques when creating sculptures in other materials, such as mod roc. Similarly, in mathematics, children in the early years learn to count accurately with the help of objects and a tens frame. This gives them the foundations of knowledge that they will need to tackle more complex calculations later on.

Leaders provide teachers with the support, guidance and training that they need to deliver the curriculum effectively. Staff typically check what pupils remember and generally address any misunderstandings or gaps in pupils' knowledge. The curriculum in some subjects, however, has been developed more recently and is not as well embedded.

In these subjects, teachers do not check as carefully what pupils understand. As a result, there are some gaps in pupils' knowledge that are not addressed sufficiently well. This means that these pupils are less well prepared to tackle more difficult learning.

Those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are swiftly identified. Leaders work well with outside agencies to secure the support that these pupils need to access the ambitious curriculum. This ensures that teachers are well placed to ensure that pupils with SEND receive the right help to learn and remember more.

Behaviour in lessons is focused on learning. Low-level disruption is unusual, and pupils settle quickly, whether working on their own or with peers. Leaders have effective systems for ensuring that pupils come to school regularly.

This work has been a clear priority for leaders.

Pupils' wider development is well considered. For example, pupils learn about different festivals, cultures and religions.

Diversity is respected and pupils speak confidently about the importance of being respectful, irrespective of a person's beliefs, views or identity. Older pupils learn about the Equality Act.

The trust and local governing body know the school well.

They are committed to continuous improvement and understand their statutory duties. They have a clear understanding of the school's strengths and the areas that they need to continue working on.

Staff, including those at the start of their careers, are overwhelmingly positive about leaders' support and consideration of their workload and well-being.

They feel valued and appreciate the opportunities that are provided to help them develop further professionally.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and staff keep safeguarding at the heart of all they do.

Staff are well trained to identify any concerns when they arise. These are reported quickly. Leaders work with a range of external agencies to get pupils and their families the help that they need.

The curriculum has been designed to help pupils learn how to stay safe. For example, pupils learn about how to stay safe online and have a comprehensive knowledge of the potential risks when using social media. Similarly, police workshops have promoted pupils' understanding of how to avoid involvement in criminal behaviours associated with gang affiliation, radicalisation and drugs.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some more recently developed subjects, teachers do not check carefully what pupils have learned. This means there are some gaps in pupils' knowledge. Leaders should ensure that teachers check pupils' understanding consistently well, so that any misconceptions can be addressed, and pupils are well supported to tackle more complex ideas.