Kings Meadow Primary School and Early Years Education Centre

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive on being part of this caring and welcoming school. Children in the early years, and pupils across the rest of the school, benefit from the positive relationships that they form with staff. This helps them to feel happy and safe.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), understand the school's high expectations of their achievement. They rise to meet these expectations. Typically, pupils achieve well.

Pupils behave extremely positively throughout the school. They are polite and respectful towards each other and to staff. They enjoy harmonious playtimes with their friends, joining in with a variety of team games....r/>
Pupils take pride in receiving rewards for demonstrating exemplary behaviour. For example, they earn 'crowns' and get to sit on thrones during celebration assembly.

Pupils, including those in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision), benefit from an exceptional programme to enrich their personal development.

For example, pupils throughout school relish going to clubs, such as in Flamenco and ballroom dancing, history and book group. Pupils have high aspirations for their future lives. They enjoy finding out about different career pathways that they may wish to follow in the future.

Older pupils shared their comprehensive understanding about issues, including cybercrime and water safety.

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

The school has successfully designed a curriculum that is ambitious for pupils, including for those with SEND. It has identified the important knowledge that pupils should learn at each stage and in each subject.

Trips and visitors to the school further enhance the curriculum offer. Most pupils achieve well in a range of subjects.

Staff deliver the curriculum in a way that creates awe and wonder for pupils and promotes their love of learning.

In most subjects, teachers successfully check how well pupils are learning the curriculum. However, in a few subjects, the school does not use information that it gathers to modify future teaching. Consequently, in these subjects, gaps in some pupils' prior learning remain.

Strong staff expertise in the early years, including in the provision for two-year-old children, contributes to the curriculum being delivered extremely successfully. Staff know children and their families remarkably well. In the Nursery class, staff encourage children to interact positively with each other.

They support children to take turns and to develop their communication and language skills. Staff help children to understand and to follow instructions and classroom routines exceedingly effectively. Parents and carers are involved in what children will learn by being part of curriculum consultation groups.

Children in the early years are exceptionally well prepared for key stage 1.

Staff implement the phonics programme skilfully. Reading is prioritised from the start of the Nursery class to the end of Year 6.

Staff swiftly identify pupils who struggle to keep up with their reading. They ensure that these pupils receive appropriate support to catch up with their peers. Most pupils become avid, confident and fluent readers.

Older pupils spoke with enthusiasm about the diverse range of authors and texts that they enjoy reading.

The school has appropriate processes in place to identify any additional needs that pupils may have. It provides teachers with information about the support and resources that will help pupils to access the full curriculum.

Pupils with SEND learn well during their time at school.

Pupils benefit from a wealth of carefully considered experiences which enhance their personal development. These opportunities prepare them exceptionally well for life in modern Britain.

For example, pupils discuss and consider topical issues with deep understanding and empathy for others. They have an impressive understanding of how to keep physically and mentally healthy. Staff help pupils to develop healthy habits from a young age through exciting activities, such as smoothie-making and yoga workshops.

Pupils fully respect the many differences that exist between themselves and others.

Pupils work conscientiously. They understand and rise to the school's values admirably.

By following the school's 'golden promises' conscientiously, pupils help each other to make the most of their time in school. They behave exceptionally well. The school's rigorous approach to supporting pupils' attendance helps to ensure that pupils are in school as often as possible.

Governors have a wealth of experience. They assure themselves that the school's systems are working effectively and that pupils receive a high-quality education. Staff value the support that they receive to fulfil their roles.

They appreciate how the school and the governing body make sure that their workload is manageable as they are given time to fulfil their roles well. Staff are proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, staff do not use assessment information as well as they could. This means that the school is unclear about what pupils remember over time and, from time to time, gaps in some pupils' knowledge go unaddressed. The school should support staff to identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge, so that new learning builds on what pupils already know and can do.

Also at this postcode