Meadowfield Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's values of self-worth, resilience, communication and ambition are at the centre of all it offers. Leaders and staff have high expectations for all pupils, both academically and personally. Pupils are proud of their school.

The curriculum has the needs of pupils at Meadowfield at the heart of its design. It has been carefully thought out to ensure that the multicultural community within the local area is valued and celebrated.

Pupils know how staff expect them to behave.

This is seen in the positive, calm and purposeful behaviour shown by pupils in lessons and around school. Bullying and poor behaviour are rare. Pupils are confident that adults add...ress these rare incidents immediately.

The school prepares pupils for life in modern Britain well. Pupils understand the values of tolerance, individual liberty and democracy. They are very proud of their role in voting for the school councillors.

Pupils understand and appreciate each other's individual differences and know how to show respect. They have an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships.

The care that staff provide for pupils, parents and carers is highly evident.

Parents welcome and appreciate this level of care. Parents speak to the pastoral team willingly and happily. The pastoral team helps families with food parcels, toiletries, bedding and furniture.

Parents attend informal groups offered by the school. They include 'parent pod' and 'bingo and butty'. In the early years, parents appreciate the chance to 'come and play' with their children.

Staff build strong relationships with parents from the start at this school.

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

Pupils benefit from a planned curriculum that starts in the early years. Leaders have set out clearly what pupils should learn and when in all areas of the curriculum.

They have identified the key knowledge that they want pupils to remember. Leaders and staff have systems in place to check how well pupils develop their knowledge in different subjects. However, gaps in pupils' knowledge are not identified as well in subjects such as history and religious education (RE) as they are in reading.

Pupils do not consistently learn and remember the knowledge that leaders have identified.

Resources are carefully selected to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders ensure that these pupils, including those with more complex needs, receive the support they need.

Adaptations in lessons support pupils with SEND to learn alongside their peers. There is a highly inclusive culture at Meadowfield.

Reading is of high priority throughout the school.

The phonics programme lays strong foundations for the reading curriculum. Staff's assessment of reading is regular and accurate. This ensures that pupils receive an offer that meets their needs.

Pupils welcome and thrive on this. Pupils enjoy reading. Their reading supports their writing and work in other areas of the curriculum.

The early years curriculum has been exceptionally well thought out across both Nursery and Reception. The early years environment is calm, stimulating and well resourced. It enables children to be curious, independent learners.

The established and knowledgeable staff team members are well trained and highly skilled in their interactions with children. They listen to children, explore their ideas and move their learning forward. This develops children's language skills.

Children are well-motivated and engrossed in their learning. Well-established routines and staff's high expectations ensure that children demonstrate high levels of self-control and respect.

Leaders have carefully crafted the personal development programme.

This is regularly adapted to meet pupils' needs. Leaders and staff give pupils a wide range of opportunities through the curriculum and through well-thought-out extra-curricular activities. There is a strong take-up of extra-curricular opportunities by pupils, with targeted action for disadvantaged pupils.

The school's wider development offer is one that staff are proud of and that pupils gain much from. Pupils make informed choices. They try new activities to broaden their knowledge.

Pupils become responsible citizens. The school supports the local community. Local businesses play an active role in the life of the school.

For example, a local business owner raises money for pupils' residential visits.

Ensuring pupils' regular attendance is an ongoing priority for leaders at all levels. The school's attendance policies and procedures are applied consistently.

Leaders check all pupils' attendance regularly. They provide an appropriate balance of support and challenge for families where poor attendance is an issue. Early indicators show that these actions are making a positive difference for some pupils.

However, leaders know that there is more to do to improve pupils' attendance at school overall.Staff are positive about all aspects of school life. They feel listened to by leaders at all levels.

Staff welcome the opportunities for training provided by leaders. Governors and trustees know the school well and have a clear understanding of the school's strengths and next steps. They are confident about the quality of education provided.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The well-trained pastoral team members oversee safeguarding and care for pupils and their families. They are relentless in their approach to supporting all pupils at this school to ensure that they are safe.

Staff and pupils know when and how to report concerns. Their concerns are acted on quickly. All staff know families well.

Relationships are strong. Families welcome the support they receive. Leaders and staff are knowledgeable about the risks in the local area.

Knowledge of these risks is built into the curriculum. Children who are at risk of exploitation are well supported. Planned visitors, such as an ex-probation officer and the local police community support officer, talk to pupils about the issues they may face in the local and wider community.

Record-keeping, including employment checks, is managed vigilantly by leaders.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some groups of pupils do not consistently retain the key knowledge that leaders have identified as being important. As a result, pupils have gaps in their knowledge in some subjects, such as history and RE.

Leaders should ensure that opportunities for checking what pupils have learned are more effective, so that pupils embed the knowledge from the planned curriculum. ? Some pupils do not attend school, and miss out on important learning. Leaders should ensure that parents understand the importance of school attendance and its impact on pupils' learning so that the number of pupils who are persistently absent reduces.

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