The Meadow Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The Meadow Community Primary School is a welcoming and caring school.

Pupils are polite and courteous. They listen carefully in lessons and work hard.

Leaders have introduced a 'Routes to Resilience' programme to help pupils to cope with the demands of everyday life – both in school and beyond.

Pupils are taught to exercise their 'character muscles'. These include respect, friendship, gratitude, honesty and empathy. Pupils demonstrate these characteristics in all aspects of school life.

During the inspection, pupils were regularly observed using kind words and helping each other.

Adults have high expectations of pupils, both academically and... personally. Pupils told inspectors that their teachers are kind and fair.

They say that almost all pupils behave well in class and in the playground. Pupils know what bullying is. They say that it very rarely happens and are confident that the adults in school will help them to sort problems out.

Every child spoken to said that they feel safe in school.

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

Since the previous inspection, leaders have worked tirelessly to improve the school. Leaders and governors have an accurate understanding of what the school does well and what it needs to do better.

Leaders are ambitious that the school will continue to improve. Every member of staff shares leaders' determination for the school to go from strength to strength. Staff are proud to work at the school and want every pupil to succeed.

The school's curriculum is broad and balanced. Curriculum plans are in place for all subjects. These plans identify what pupils need to learn in each year group and each subject.

Some of these curriculum plans have only recently been completed. Leaders have not yet fully checked the extent to which pupils are remembering what they have learned in these subjects.

Leaders understand that it is vital for pupils to read well.

This has been a priority for the school. Teachers use characters based on dogs as an engaging way to present learning to pupils on how to read. For example, 'Arlo the author', 'sequencing Sheba' and 'vocabulary Victor'.

Pupils begin to learn phonics as soon as they start at the school. Staff make sure that pupils remember the sounds they have been taught. Teachers use this information to check that pupils' reading books match the sounds they know.

Leaders want pupils to love reading. Teachers read to pupils in all year groups. During the inspection, pupils in the Reception Year were observed listening intently to the story of 'Burglar Bill'.

In another class pupils called out for 'more' when their class teacher finished reading. Every class has a pupil monitor who promotes reading. Rainbow badges are awarded to pupils who read widely and often.

Pupils wear these badges with pride.

Teachers have good subject knowledge, which they communicate clearly to pupils. Pupils are encouraged to make links with prior learning.

In Year 6 pupils can identify how an earlier topic about Ancient Rome, which included how slaves were treated, helped them to understand more about their current topic on crime and punishment. Teachers make sure that pupils learn new subject specific vocabulary. This commitment to learning new words begins in the early years.

For example, when the teacher in the Reception Year was reading, 'The Tiger Who Came To Tea' to children, they explained that the correct word for a tiger's foot was paw.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are given the help they need to access the curriculum. Staff know pupils with SEND well and adapt tasks and questions to make sure they do well in lessons.

Leaders have focused on promoting pupils' mental health as pupils have returned to school after the pandemic. Pupils are taught about how to keep themselves safe and how to develop positive relationships with others. A part-time counsellor provides support for vulnerable pupils.

This aspect of the school's work to develop pupils' character is strong. However, leaders have not ensured that pupils are provided with a wide range of opportunities to develop their understanding of how to become active members of society. This is not strategically planned.

Curriculum enrichment activities are also limited.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have prioritised safeguarding pupils.

Every adult in the school understands the importance of keeping pupils safe. Staff receive regular training and know how to spot the things that should concern them about pupils' safety. Concerns are communicated to safeguarding leaders without delay.

Leaders take the right actions to make sure that pupils are safe. They work closely with other agencies to get pupils and families the help they need.

Leaders check that adults are safe to work with pupils when they join the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Curriculum plans have been written for all subjects. However, some of these plans have only recently been implemented and are not as well developed as others. Leaders should monitor the impact of these plans to check that pupils know and recall the knowledge they intended them to learn.

Where needed, leaders should make adaptations to ensure that the recall of pupils' knowledge remains high. ? Pupils do not have an extensive range of experiences and opportunities to become active citizens, who contribute positively to their local area. Leaders should develop a strategic approach to ensure that pupils are even better prepared for life in modern Britain.