Meadlands Primary School

Broughton Avenue, Richmond, Surrey, TW10 7TS.

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Early years provision Good 2

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Pupils’ progress from their starting points is not yet good through Years 1 to 6 because teaching is not consistently good. As a result, standards are not improving quickly enough, particularly in writing.  The most able pupils do not make sufficient progress because they are not always challenged sufficiently in lessons to work at a higher level.  Teachers do not always give pupils clear steps on how they can improve their work or allow them the time to respond to comments in their books so that they deepen their understanding.  Not all pupils have clear targets in English and mathematics so that they know what to do to achieve their best.  Teachers do not have high enough expectations of the quality and quantity of work that pupils are required to produce.  The middle leaders are not involved fully in checking the quality of teaching and in holding teachers responsible for the progress of their pupils.

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 The checks on the progressof different groups of pupils are not frequent enough to identify those who are falling behind or to provide them timely support.  Governors are not secure in their understanding of the quality of teaching and the progress pupils make, and so are not able to hold senior leaders to account for their work.

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The school has the following strengths

 The headteacher has a clear understanding of what needs to be improved to raise standards and improve progress.  The morale in the school is high and staff are very supportive of the school’s leadership.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make a good start as a result of good teaching.  The good teaching of phonics (linking letters and sounds) is helping pupils to improve their reading.  Behaviour and safety are good. Pupils enjoy coming to school and their attendance is high.  Nearly all parents responding to the online questionnaire (Parent View) are very positive about all aspects of the school’s work.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 18 lessons, of which five were joint observations with the headteacher or deputy headteacher. Inspectors also observed pupils at break and lunch times and attended an assembly.  Meetings were held with different groups of pupils. The inspectors listened to pupils in Years 1 and 6 read, and discussed their reading with them.  Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, the ex-Chair and the new Chair of the Governing Body and two other governors. A discussion was also held with a local authority representative.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and examined a range of documentation, including the school’s information on how well pupils are doing, improvement plans and checks on the the quality of teaching. They also looked at records relating to behaviour, safety, attendance and safeguarding.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ work to see what progress they make and to judge the quality of marking and

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Information about this inspection

feedback.  The inspectors took account of 79 responses received from parents to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and several letters were received from parents. In addition, inspectors spoke to parents in the playground at the start of the school day.  The inspectors also considered 19 questionnaires completed by staff.

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Inspection team

Avtar Sherri, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Heidi Boreham Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Meadlands Primary School is an average sized primary school.  Pupils come from a wide range of ethnic groups, with the largest group from a White British background.  The number of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium funding is average. This is additional government funding provided to give extra support to those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and to children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of children who receive special educational needs support is above average.  There have been changes in staff, including the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, since the previous inspection. The school did not have a substantive headteacher for almost two terms prior to the inspection. There have also been some recent changes in the membership of the governing body,

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Information about this school

including the chair of governors.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good or better in every year group by ensuring that:  the most able pupils are always challenged in lessons so that they can work at, and achieve, higher standards  teachers’ marking of pupils’ work always includes clear guidance on how it can be improved, and that pupils are given the time to respond to these comments to further their understanding  pupils always know their targets in English and mathematics and use them in lessons so that they can check their progress towards them  teachers have high expectations of the quality and quantity of the work that pupils are required to produce.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise pupils’ attainment in writing by ensuring that:  pupils are given frequent and regular opportunities to practise their writing skills in all subjects and topics, and are given sufficient time to write at length  teachers always counter any untidy or poor presentation of pupils’ written work.  Improve leadership and management by ensuring that:  the role of middle leaders is better developed so that they are fully involved in monitoring the quality of teaching and in holding teachers accountable for the progress of their pupils  the checks on pupils’ progress are more frequent so as to identify at a very early stage those individuals or groups of pupils who fall behind with their learning  governors know about the quality of teaching and the progress pupils make across the year groups so that they can hold senior leaders accountable for the work that they do. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because teaching and pupils’ progress over time are not consistently good.  The role of middle leaders in checking the quality of teaching in their subject areas and in holding teachers accountable for the progress their pupils make is not yet sufficiently developed. As a result, they do not always know how well pupils are doing in their subject areas across the different year groups.  The school’s systems for monitoring the progress of different groups of pupils are not sufficiently well developed to enable leaders and managers to carry out frequent checks on the progress pupils make. As a result, they are not always able to identify those pupils who are falling behind quickly enough to give them timely support.  The school development plan identifies the appropriate priorities for improvement, and the present plan identifies the role of senior and middle leaders in evaluating the impact of these actions. However, the

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The leadership and management requires improvement

school’s self-evaluation does not focus closely enough on the progress different groups of pupils make across the year groups, and judgements are sometimes over-generous about the quality of teaching in the school. As a result, governors, in particular, are not always secure in their knowledge of the quality of teaching throughout the school and in the progress of different groups of pupils.  The headteacher is extremely capable and is committed to bringing about improvements. After a lengthy period of transition, she has provided stability and is creating a culture where the quality of teaching is a priority in order to raise pupils’ achievement. The headteacher and her deputy headteacher, the new team of middle leaders and governors are working well together and have high ambitions for pupils.  Leaders and managers have been successful in using the pupil premium funding effectively to narrow the

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The leadership and management requires improvement

attainment gaps for the disadvantaged pupils. Closer targeting, effective one-to-one and small group support help them achieve as least as well as their peers, and do better than similar pupils nationally.  The management of performance and training are supporting teachers well in improving the quality of teaching. There is a good link between the performance of teachers and their salary progression.  Subjects are planned well through themed and practical activities, including the effective and creative use of the school’s ‘forest area’ to extend pupils’ learning. This captures pupils’ interest and engages them in their learning. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted effectively. Pupils learn about other cultures and religions, and British values are promoted well. There are limited opportunities, however, for pupils to mark different cultural events and visit different places of worship to extend their

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The leadership and management requires improvement

understanding of cultural and religious diversity. The school provides well for pupils’ sporting activities and after-school clubs to develop their physical development and wellbeing.  The school is using the primary sports funding well, and is increasing pupils’ participation in, and enjoyment of, sports. Teachers are taking up opportunities to increase their skills in teaching physical education.  There are good links with parents, and the school works closely with them to ensure children are supported well in their learning. Nearly all of the parents who responded to the Parent View questionnaire felt the school is well led and managed, and all staff responding to the staff questionnaire agree with them.  The school meets the statutory requirements of safeguarding.  The local authority has worked with governors on increasing their understanding of pupil performance information.  The governance of the school:

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Governors have worked well to ensure stability in leadership during the transition period of the interim headteacher arrangement. They understand the performance information and how their results compare with those of similar schools and with the national picture. They want the very best for pupils, and are clear that the main priority for the school is to raise pupils’ achievement. They ensure the efficient management of financial resources, and have a good understanding of how pupil premium is spent and its impact on raising achievement for the disadvantaged pupils. They also scrutinise soundly the use and impact of the additional sports funding.They carry out all statutory safeguarding checks effectively, and have been trained in safeguarding. Governors have a good knowledge of performance management, including how decisions are made on teachers’ pay scales and setting appropriate targets for the headteacher. However, they are not always secure about the progress of different groups of

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The leadership and management requires improvement

pupils across the year groups and are therefore not able to hold senior leaders to account for the work they do.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good and they show very positive attitudes to their learning. Their good behaviour extends from the classroom to the playground and around the school. Pupils are very respectful, friendly and courteous. They open doors for adults, engage with visitors and are keen to talk about their learning.  Pupils say that bullying, racism and name-calling are rare. Any incidents of poor behaviour are dealt with quickly and effectively. Discrimination is not tolerated and pupils from all backgrounds get on well with each other. There have been no incidents of extremism. This is confirmed by the school’s behaviour records, which show that there are very few incidents of unacceptable behaviour and that exclusions are rare.  Pupils show respect for the school environment and are careful not to throw litter on the floor around the school, including in the dining hall, which can be a very busy place at lunchtimes.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour is not outstanding because a few pupils become unsettled occasionally when the work set is not of an appropriate level of challenge or quantity Some pupils do not always ensure that their work is well presented in their books.  Attendance has improved markedly through celebrating good attendance, better monitoring and effective work with parents. As a result, attendance is now above national figures for primary schools. Pupils’ punctuality is good.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. All visitors to the school are appropriately checked. Pupils are unanimous in saying they feel safe and well cared for at school by staff. Their positive relationship with staff means that they can easily approach any one of them if they have any concerns.  Pupils are effectively taught how to keep themselves safe. For example, pupils know about road and fire safety and the safe use of the internet. They know about different types of bullying, including cyber-

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

bullying.  All staff who completed the questionnaire and all parents responding to Parent View say that behaviour and safety are good at the school.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because it has not been good enough over time to ensure pupils make consistently good progress across the year groups.  Teachers do not always give pupils clear steps on how they can improve their work. When teachers do make comments on pupils’ work in books, pupils are not always given time to respond to these comments to help them improve their work and deepen their understanding. As a result, their progress slows and some pupils repeat the same mistakes over and over again.  The presentation of some pupils’ work is poor, including their handwriting. However, this is not always picked up by teachers and some pupils’ workbooks continue to be untidy.  Sometimes, teachers’ expectations of pupils’ work is not high enough, and a few pupils get away with producing insufficient work. As a result, they do not make the progress of which they are capable.  The most able pupils are not always challenged to enable them to achieve higher standards. In some

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

lessons, the most able pupils who complete their task are not moved on quickly enough to harder tasks.  Pupils are not always sure of their targets in English and mathematics, or make any reference to them in lessons. As a result, they are not always able to check for themselves the progress they are making towards achieving them.  Pupil do not always have enough opportunities to write at length to develop their writing skills. Sometimes, their progress in writing is hindered by the requirement for short responses only.  Teaching assistants work effectively to support the weaker learners, including those who are disabled or have special educational needs and those who are disadvantaged.  There are positive relationships in the classroom, and pupils have good opportunities to talk about their learning with each other. Teachers and teaching assistants mostly use questioning effectively to test pupils’ understanding.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Pupils’ engagement in their learning is good. For example, in an effective Year 2 information and communication technology lesson, pupils researched well to find out facts about ladybirds and were thoroughly engrossed in their learning.  Pupils make good use of the school’s own private ‘forest area’ (Forest School) to extend their learning. For example, Year 5 pupils used the forest area effectively in an activity on the Stone Age.

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The achievement of pupils

 In 2013, the attainment of pupils declined in mathematics, reading and writing at Key Stage 2 and in writing and mathematics at Key Stage 1 Their attainment was broadly average in both of these key stages. Pupils’ attainment in writing is weaker than in reading and mathematics because pupils do not always write at length in English and other subject areas to improve their writing skills.  In 2013, the proportion of pupils attaining higher levels declined in writing and mathematics at Key Stage 1 and in all subjects at Key Stage 2. In 2012 and 2013, no children achieved the highest level (Level 6) in any of the subjects at the end of Key Stage 2.  The school’s own information shows that the most able pupils do not make enough progress in reading, writing and mathematics across the year groups. This is because the most able pupils are not always challenged sufficiently in lessons to help them achieve higher standards.

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The achievement of pupils

 The school’s end of Year 2 results in 2014 show that attainment improved in all subjects. However, attainment dropped at the end of Year 6 in 2014 in English grammar, punctuation and spellings and mathematics. Attainment dropped at Level 5+ in mathematics, writing and English grammar, punctuation and spelling. This reflects the less than good progress that pupils, particularly the most able, make from their starting points.  In the national phonics check at the end of Year 1, the proportion of pupils who reached the expected level has been above the national figures for the past three years. This is helping pupils to enjoy and improve their reading.  Disabled pupils, those with special educational needs, and those from minority ethnic groups make broadly the same rate of progress as their classmates because of the good quality support they receive from both teachers and teaching assistants.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language do better than their classmates overall because of the

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The achievement of pupils

effective support they receive and the rich opportunities in the classroom for speaking and listening.  Disadvantaged pupils make the same and sometimes better progress than others. In 2013, the gaps in attainment between the disadvantaged pupils and their classmates in Key Stage 2 narrowed markedly because of better targeting and one-to-one and small group support. As a result, these pupils did better than their peers in reading and mathematics. In reading, they were about seven months ahead and in mathematics they were almost 12 months ahead of their classmates. In writing, they were about three months behind their classmates. Compared to similar pupils nationally, the disadvantaged pupils were about 10 months ahead in reading, about five months ahead in writing and about 15 months ahead in mathematics. This reflects the schools’ commitment to promoting equality of opportunity and tackling any

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The early years provision

 The leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage are good over time. The new leader for the provision is clear about areas for improvement and has already put in place improved systems for tracking the progress of different groups of children in the different areas of learning. Relationships and communication with parents are strong. This helps parents to be more involved in the education of the children and ensures a smooth entry to the school. Children’s behaviour and attitudes to learning are good. They are happy and kept safe by caring adults. Safeguarding procedures comply with statutory requirements. Children benefit from the good quality teaching and effective care and support they receive from adults. This helps different groups of children make similar progress, including disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and those who are disadvantaged. There is a good balance

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The early years provision

between activities that are initiated by children and those that are led by adults, with children able to make choices between indoor and outdoor learning. Children are eager to share their learning and show adults what they can do. For example, in the Reception class, pupils talk about the equipment in the outdoor learning area and the ‘no entry’ sign they put up at the entrance of their play castle for safety reasons. Children begin in the Nursery with knowledge and skills that are below those typical for their age. As they progress through the Early Years Foundation Stage, they make good progress in their learning and begin Year 1 at a level that is broadly average for their age. Attainment is strongest in communication and language, physical development and expressive arts and design. Attainment in writing is low because opportunities are sometimes missed for mark-making in the Nursery.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is failing

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Grade Judgement Description

to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 1028993 Local authority Richmond Inspection number 444217

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 223 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Amanda Leen Headteacher Sophie McGeoch Date of previous school inspection 6 − 7 July 2011 Telephone number 020 8940 9207 Fax number 020 8255 2488 Email address office@meadlands.richmond.sch.uk guidance ‘Raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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