Merryfields School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Pupils achieve well at Merryfields School.

Achievement in English, mathematics and personal development is good. More-able pupils make good progress in reading because of the effective approach to the teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make). Most pupils in the Early Years Foundation Stage achieve well and quickly settle.

Teaching is good and some is outstanding. Pupils' learning is most effective when individually planned tasks fully meet their needs and abilities. Excellent questioning extends pupils' skills.

Communication aids are used well to promote effective speaking between staff and pupils with profound and mult...iple learning difficulties, or those with autism spectrum disorders. Pupils behave well and benefit from consistent behaviour management by staff. Pupils feel safe at school.

Parents are pleased with the care and support the school provides for them and their children. The strong curriculum promotes pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. This is enriched through visits and residential experiences.

The headteacher and other leaders have improved the achievement of pupils by setting challenging targets for teachers. Effective monitoring and training has helped to improve the quality of teaching and learning. The governing body manages the budget well and has an accurate view of the school's work.

Governors make sure that pupils who receive additional funding fully benefit from it. It is not yet an outstanding school because : In a very few lessons not all pupils make the best possible progress because their work is either too easy or too hard. Provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage does not fully meet the wide variety of needs and abilities of pupils.

Information about this school

The school caters for primary-aged pupils with learning difficulties from across Staffordshire, particularly in the area around Newcastle-under-Lyme. Some pupils come from adjacent authorities. Almost all students have a statement of special educational needs for their moderate, severe, or profound and multiple learning difficulties.

A growing number of pupils have autistic spectrum disorders and a few have additional visual, hearing or multi-sensory impairments. Six children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are undergoing assessment and as yet do not have a statement of educational needs. Pupils join the school at different times, not just in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

A minority of pupils have additional behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. Most students are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is very low, and no pupils speak English as an additional language.

There are many more boys than girls. The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium (additional funding for certain groups, including students known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority) is above average. The school also receives primary school sport funding for its pupils.

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