Meadows Primary School and Nursery

Meadows Primary School and Nursery Riddings Close, Telford TF1 5HF

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 Good teaching with some that is outstanding, notably in the early years, ensures that pupils make good progress in a wide range of subjects, including English and mathematics, in every year group.  Pupils show a keen interest in learning and behave well in lessons and around the school.  All pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs or disability, make at least good progress from their starting points.  The headteacher, acting deputy headteacher and governing body take a strong lead in driving improvement. Rigorous checks on teaching, with good training and support where it is needed, maintain the quality of classroom practice and improve achievement.  The good teaching of letters and the sounds they make (phonics) means that pupils quickly develop good reading skills from an early age.  Children in the early years make good progress and develop a love of learning. Teachers plan

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This is a good school

activities that are very well matched to pupils’ interests and abilities.  Pupils enjoy coming to school, and take pride and pleasure from their learning and progress. Attendance is improving and is above the national average.  The school successfully promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Consequently, pupils have a good understanding of their social responsibilities and helping others less fortunate than themselves.  The school uses effective procedures to ensure that pupils are safe and protected. Pupils say they feel safe at school and well looked after by staff.  The local authority has provided effective support to the school and this has helped in bringing about improvements in all areas of school life.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers do not consistently ensure that tasks for the most-able pupils in mathematics are fully matched to their abilities.  Senior leaders have not ensured that the good and better teaching practice in the school has been shared sufficiently well between teachers.  While there is some high-quality marking in pupils’ books providing clear guidance for improvement, this good practice is not consistently applied across all classes.  Some recently appointed middle leaders have not had time to demonstrate positive impact.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment to secure consistently rapid rates of progress by ensuring that teachers more consistently: plan activities that are well matched to the needs of the most-able pupils in mathematics provide pupils with feedback in their books that gives them clear guidance on how they can improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by ensuring that: the good and better practice that already exists in the school is shared more effectively between teachers recently appointed middle leaders monitor and evaluate their area of responsibility and initiatives introduced to demonstrate positive impact.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Since the previous inspection, the headteacher has recognised the need to improve the quality of teaching and to raise outcomes. She has successfully achieved this by establishing a strong and determined team of school leaders and staff who share a common set of high expectations.  The headteacher’s rigorous analysis of pupils’ progress and her accurate checks on the school’s work give all teachers and the governing body a clear understanding of the school’s performance, including in the early years. This means that improvement planning is sharply focused on identified weakness. This is seen, for example, in the successful action taken to raise attainment in reading, writing and mathematics. It shows the school’s capacity for continued improvement.  The headteacher is well supported by other leaders in the school, who have shown strong commitment to improving teaching and learning within their areas of responsibility and recognise their accountability for

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

pupils’ progress. They have benefited from support and training and are now more effective in ensuring that the school is well led and managed. This has resulted in required improvements in the teaching of mathematics and English, and provision for those who have special educational needs or disability and for children in the early years during this academic year. Recently appointed middle leaders have plans in place to improve further their areas of responsibility but have not yet had time to demonstrate impact.  The school provides a broad and interesting curriculum that promotes good achievement for pupils and contributes well to their personal development. The range of subjects and topics covered in all years recognises local, regional and global differences, including different cultures and beliefs, and promotes an understanding of others’ points of view. Fundamental British values around democracy, liberty, respect

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

for others, and tolerance of a range of faiths and values are all promoted well.  Leaders use pupil premium funding for disadvantaged pupils effectively. It has helped, for example, to develop the role of teaching assistants in providing pupils with good individual support. The school evaluates the impact of its expenditure through information showing how well pupils achieve. This shows that all groups, including disadvantaged pupils, are making similarly good progress, and in some classes even faster, especially where planning and teaching for these pupils has been particularly stimulating.  Monitoring and evaluation are used effectively. A systematic approach to observing teaching across the school is in place, involving all school leaders and external support when required. The outcomes from monitoring are used to plan for further improvements. The majority of staff, including those who are relatively new to teaching, have benefited from a well-planned range of professional development

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

activities, including opportunities to observe good and better teaching in the school. Senior leaders have not, however, ensured that this good practice has been equally shared with all classroom teachers.  Where staff improve their teaching and accelerate pupils’ progress, they are rewarded by moving up the pay scale. However, where a teacher is unable to improve and still has significant weaknesses, leaders do not hesitate to take stronger action.  The school leaders ensure that different groups of pupils have an equal chance to succeed, and they tackle any instances of discrimination. Pupils say they do not hear any discriminatory language or derogatory language in the school, such as homophobic or racist comments, and they would report any they did hear.  Physical education and sports premium funding is used well to extend the range and quality of sporting activities in which pupils can take part. Pupils have the opportunity to be involved in sports competitions

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

with other local schools. Members of staff also lead lunchtime and after-school clubs, including boys’ and girls’ football, cross-country events, cycling and athletics. This has led to greater participation in sports activities and pupils’ understanding of the benefits of healthy eating and improved physical fitness.  The local authority is fully aware of the school’s strengths and areas for development, and has worked well with senior leaders.  The responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, indicate that parents have a very positive view of the school, with a huge majority of those who responded saying they would recommend the school to another parent.  The governance of the school Governors are now a highly effective force in providing challenge and support to school leaders. They have reviewed the ways they operate since the last inspection. They recognised their need to have a wider range of expertise and have brought in new governors. This has resulted in a governing body

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

that has a clear understanding of what is happening in school and how it can be improved further. Governors carry out a wide range of regular monitoring and evaluation activities, and contribute to ongoing school improvement planning. They visit classrooms regularly and meet with school leaders to review progress. They have an extremely good understanding of the assessment information that is available to them and use this to track progress of all groups of pupils. They also have a clear understanding of the effectiveness of teaching and its impact on pupils’ progress. Governors ask challenging questions of school leaders and use their link-governor structure well to monitor particular aspects of the school’s work. Link governors then report these activities back to the full governing body. They have a clear understanding of how teachers’ performance is managed and the links between this and their pay progression. They manage the finance and resources that are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

available to the school, including the pupil premium, very well and measure the impact of spending on pupils’ achievement.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Robust systems are in place to ensure that the safeguarding needs of pupils are a high priority. Regular training for all staff helps to make sure that they are in a strong position to identify if any pupils are at potential risk. Vulnerable pupils and their families are well supported, with good links in place to work with outside agencies when required.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The quality of teaching across the school has improved significantly since the last inspection and is now at least good with some that is better. The headteacher, supported by the governing body, has identified and addressed any weaker teaching. There are now specific targets for each pupil, based on at least nationally expected attainment, that identify what they are expected to achieve. These are reviewed regularly with all teachers to monitor progress and to identify if there is any underachievement.  Teachers’ subject knowledge is good. Teachers provide a range of tasks that motivate their pupils and encourage them to want to succeed. Pupils are also keen to live up to the expectations of the adults around them and this helps them to make good progress. This was particularly noticeable in English where pupils in Year 6 had the opportunity to practise their persuasive writing skills. The pupils were

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

gradually adding more and more sophisticated persuasive vocabulary to their written pieces, and showed a clear understanding of the techniques needed to develop their work to reach the highest standards.  Teachers and teaching assistants work together effectively and the help they give is matched well to the accurate assessment they make of pupils’ learning needs. This means that the majority of pupils, including those who have special educational needs or disability make good progress.  Where learning is most effective, teachers include activities with additional stretch and challenge for most-able pupils to deepen their knowledge and understanding. However, this is not consistent and the most -able pupils in mathematics often find their work too easy.  The teaching of reading, including the teaching of phonics (the sounds letters make) is good. Pupils are provided with good opportunities to apply their reading skills in different subjects.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The teaching of writing is effective. Pupils are given good guidance on how to structure their writing. They are encouraged to use interesting and imaginative vocabulary, and pupils have good opportunities to apply their writing skills in different subjects.  Improving the teaching of mathematics is a current school priority, with a focus on developing pupils’ ability to use their mathematical knowledge to solve problems relating to some real-life situations. In Year 5, pupils used reasoning and previous learning to solve quadrant and coordinates problems playing a ‘battleships’ game. They were able to explain confidently how to undertake the problems and worked well together to discuss the process, using accurate mathematical vocabulary. This is not consistent for all abilities across the school.  A whole-school approach to assessing pupils’ work is now in place and this is used well to measure

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

progress. Teachers are scheduled to meet together regularly to compare work and to determine whether it is at a level that is appropriate to the ages of the pupils. This information is then used to track progress and to plan the next stages of learning.  Teachers provide high-quality constructive feedback to pupils verbally but written feedback, in the form of marking, varies. In the best practice, teachers’ written comments, which show pupils what they need to do to improve their work, often contribute to the progress that pupils make. However, this approach is not consistent across the school.  Pupils’ homework prepares them well for the following lesson: for example, providing opportunities for pupils, including the most able, to write extended pieces of creative writing and poetry. The majority of parents who expressed a view are supportive of the progress that homework helps their children to make.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils show care, consideration and respect for each other. They are provided with good opportunities to take on additional responsibilities, including membership of a ‘Fairtrade’ committee, ensuring that other pupils have a greater understanding of where the food they eat originates from and how much it costs to produce.  Pupils’ attendance is rapidly improving. It is now above the national average and pupils are punctual.  Pupils say that they enjoy being part of the school. They participate well in the learning activities provided. They are attentive, cooperative and work well in pairs or groups when required to do so: for example, participating in a ‘walking bus’ initiative to improve their physical fitness and demonstrate a greater awareness of caring for the environment.  Pupils say they feel safe in school and are happy with their learning. They have a good awareness of how

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Personal development and welfare

to keep themselves safe in a range of situations, both within school and when they are away from school. They recognise the potential dangers when using the internet and say the school provides them with good information on how they can remain safe. Parents are very positive about how safe their children are at school.  Staff have received appropriate training and follow the correct procedures in response to any concerns they may have about individual pupils.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils move around the school sensibly and behave well, both in classrooms and in the playground. Pupils who have behavioural needs are well supported to ensure that their behaviour does not get in the way of their learning and does not disrupt others’ learning.  Pupils say that bullying is very rare in school and show confidence that if it were to occur it would be dealt with well by teachers. They understand the effect any unkind language can have on others, and have a good understanding of the different types of bullying. Thorough school records indicate that any form of unacceptable behaviour is closely monitored and dealt with effectively. A small minority of parents expressed some concerns about bullying but inspection evidence showed that any such incidents and concerns are being managed appropriately.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Outcomes for pupils have improved since the last inspection.  In 2015, pupils in Year 2 attained standards that were above average in all subjects and this indicated good progress from their starting points in the school. In 2015, Year 6 pupils’ attainment was broadly in line with national outcomes in reading and significantly higher in writing and English grammar, spelling and punctuation. Pupils’ attainment dropped from above the national average in mathematics in 2014 to just below the national average in 2015.  There have been significant improvements in the progress that pupils make by the end of Key Stage 2. In 2015, the proportion of pupils in Year 6 making at least expected progress from Key Stage 1 was better than nationally in reading and writing, and close to the national average in mathematics. Current school assessment information and evidence gathered during the inspection, including work in pupils’ books and

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Outcomes for pupils are good

lesson observations, indicate that pupils currently in the school in all year groups, including disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs or disability, are making progress that is at least in line with, or better than, expected progress.  The outcomes in the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 were higher than the national average in 2015, which was an improvement on the previous year, and this year they are expected to be even better.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability now make similar progress to their classmates because of well-targeted support which is ensuring that none fall behind during this academic year.  Pupil premium funding is used, in part, to provide additional support and small-group work for disadvantaged pupils. This has proved to be successful in reducing the attainment gap between these pupils and their classmates and other pupils nationally. In 2015, disadvantaged pupils, at the end of Year

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Outcomes for pupils are good

6, were about a term behind their classmates in mathematics and ahead by a term in reading, writing and English grammar, punctuation and spelling. When compared with all other pupils nationally, disadvantaged pupils were about two terms behind in mathematics. They were approximately a term ahead in reading, writing and English grammar, punctuation and spelling.  The most-able pupils are making good progress in reading and writing but do not make the progress they are capable of in mathematics because teachers are not setting suitably challenging activities within lessons.  Pupils in all year groups, including those who have English as an additional language and any who join the school later in the year, display positive attitudes to learning, show perseverance and resilience when tackling new tasks, and are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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Early years provision is good

 Children start the early years provision with skills largely typical for their age but many of the children from minority ethnic backgrounds are learning English as an additional language and need extra support with reading and writing.  Good teaching focuses on the basic skills of communications and language, literacy and mathematics, ensuring that children gain a firm foundation to learn more effectively. As a result, children make good progress and are well prepared for Key Stage 1.  Leadership of the early years is good. Staff work well together. They have a good understanding of strengths and areas for development, and use this knowledge to plan for improvement.  Children have opportunities to demonstrate their developing confidence and enthusiasm in the classrooms and outside area. When left alone to explore, many make their own discoveries and solve problems. For example, when working outside, children were reading instructions for planting seeds. They could explain

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Early years provision is good

the need for soil and sunlight for plants to grow. One child commented to inspectors, ‘This plant is not growing fast because it does not have enough sunshine.’  The early years classrooms and outside area are attractive and stimulating for children. For example, when studying the Goldilocks story in the role-play area, they were used effectively allowing children to use their imagination writing a script and acting as one of the three bears.  There is a very positive partnership with many parents, who are encouraged to contribute to their child’s learning, for example, by attending number and phonics workshops. This close partnership is also ensuring that children form secure bonds and develop confidence. They learn to share, take turns, care for one another’s feelings and behave well.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability are identified early so that they are given appropriate support to make similar progress to that of their classmates.

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Early years provision is good

 Pupil premium funding is used effectively to provide extra support for disadvantaged children, resulting in the gap between these children’s achievement and that of their classmates closing in 2015.  Arrangements for keeping children safe are highly effective because teachers and teaching assistants are extremely conscientious, monitoring at all times to ensure that children are kept safe.

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School details

Unique reference number 134999 Local authority Telford and Wrekin Inspection number 10002474 This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary

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School details

School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 354 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Helen Vellacott Headteacher/Principal/Teacher in charge Anna Sydenham Telephone number 01952 386230 Website www.meadowsprimaryschool.co.uk Email address meadowsprimary@telford.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 12–13 December 2013

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Information about this school

 Meadows Primary School and Nursery is a larger than average-sized primary school.  Children in the Nursery attend part time either morning or afternoon.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, those who are supported by pupil premium funding, is above average. The pupil premium provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority.  Most pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below that in most schools but increasing.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is above average compared with similar schools nationally.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  There have been changes to the staff recently with several new members of staff starting in September

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Information about this school

2015.  An acting deputy headteacher and acting assistant headteacher were appointed in January 2016.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 18 lessons or parts of lessons. A number of lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher and acting deputy headteacher.  The inspectors looked at work in pupils’ books and listened to pupils read. They met pupils to gain their views of the school. The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktime, lunchtime and at the end of the school day, as well as in lessons. They attended an assembly.  The inspectors looked at a range of documentation including assessments and records of pupils’ progress; the school’s checks and records relating to safeguarding, child protection and attendance; records of how teaching is managed; and the school improvement plans.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, the acting deputy headteacher and middle leaders. The lead inspector met with four governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body. He met with a

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Information about this inspection

representative of the local authority.  The inspectors took account of the 30 responses to Parent View, and talked to parents at the beginning and end of the school day. They also looked at the 40 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Steven Cartlidge, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Gill Turner Ofsted Inspector Janet Tibbits Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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