Mere Green Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. The academy is led with great skill and ambition by the headteacher.

She is strongly supported by a high-quality team of senior leaders, subject leaders and staff. Leaders, including governors, have made outstanding contributions to the sustained and significant improvements in teaching and pupils' achievement. The governing body plays a skilful role in the successful progress of the academy.

Governors manage the budget expertly, and hold the headteacher and other leaders to account robustly. Pupils' behaviour is excellent because they have very positive attitudes to learning. They respect and care about each other exceptionally ...well.

Their attendance has improved considerably since the school converted to an academy. Pupils are very well cared for, and the provision for their safety is exemplary. Teaching throughout the academy, including the Early Years, is outstanding.

Teachers have high expectations, and a close knowledge of the progress and specific learning needs of all pupils. The high challenge to pupils of all abilities is common in all years. Pupils' achievement is good and improving rapidly.

Disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs, pupils with speech and language difficulties, disadvantaged pupils, and the most-able pupils have made exceptional progress in the last year and a half. Children make an excellent start to their education in the Nursery and Reception classes, which are expertly managed. The academy has benefited greatly from its entry into the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership.

Additional learning resources, teaching and leadership expertise, and preparation of pupils for the future have all enhanced the academy's development.

Information about this school

The academy is slightly smaller than the average-sized primary school. Mere Green Primary school converted to become an academy school in April 2013.

When its predecessor school, Mere Green Primary, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be requiring improvement. The school joined the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership. This is a multi-academy partnership consisting of three high schools and four primary schools, all within a few miles of each other in North Birmingham.

The academy has a Nursery which children attend part-time, a Reception class where children attend full-time, and eight other classes. There are two classes in Years 2, 3 and 6, and one in each of the other years. Almost two thirds of the pupils are White British, the remainder coming from a range of ethnic heritages.

The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language, about 1 in 10 pupils, is below average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, about a quarter, is above average. The school has a Speech, Language and Communication Base, which is accessed at present by 18 pupils from North Birmingham.

About 40% of pupils, above the national average, are disadvantaged and supported by the pupil premium. The pupil premium is additional government funding for pupils who are looked after or known to be eligible for free school meals. The school has a higher than average turnover of pupils starting at times other than the start of the school year.

The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. In addition to its links with other partnership academies, the academy has a range of other links to other primary schools in the local cluster. The academy has a much higher than average turnover of pupils starting or leaving at times other than entry into the Early Years Foundation Stage.

The academy provides a breakfast club. There is also a privately run after-school club on the school site. In addition, the academy provides a number of after-school activities and sports clubs.