Meadows Primary School and Nursery

Inspection of a good school: Meadows Primary School and Nursery Riddings Close, Ketley, Telford, Shropshire TF1 5HF

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Inspection dates: 23 and 24 November 2021

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Outcome

Meadows Primary School and Nursery continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school’s heritage. They gain an in-depth knowledge of their locality and its rich mining history. Pupils have written and published a book about this, ‘A Horse’s Tale’, a story about Archie the Ketley pit pony. Leaders widen pupils’ horizons. For example, pupils learned about different cultures and their associated heritage in their recent study of South Asian countries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their lessons and try hard. Teachers want pupils to do well and generally most pupils achieve well. However, some pupils do not always remember their learning because, in some subjects, the curriculum is not as well planned. Plans do not always include all of the necessary knowledge pupils are expected to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils usually behave well in lessons. In the playground, they engage in a variety of games and play well together. Pupils believe bullying does not happen at this school. They say if friends fall out, teachers are on hand to ‘fix it’. Staff ensure pupils are kept safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers have mixed views about the school. In the main, they say good things. However, the school is working hard to address the concerns of a small minority of parents.

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

Curriculum plans are in place for all subjects. The curriculum is very well structured in English and mathematics. However, there is some variability in the quality of planning in a few subjects, such as history and art. In these subjects, planning does not identify all of the key knowledge pupils need to learn. This means pupils do not always learn or remember the most important facts. Senior leaders have already started to implement a more consistent approach to curriculum planning.

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

Children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 get off to a good start in learning to read. Staff teach phonics well. Pupils’ books are well matched to their abilities. As a result, 23 and 24 November 2021

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pupils make good progress in reading. The school has plans in place to change its approach to early reading in line with government guidance. In all classes, pupils experience high-quality literature. For example, in Year 5, pupils are reading ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens. There is a well-stocked library and attractive reading areas that appeal to pupils. However, some pupils in Year 5 and 6 do not have a secure knowledge of a range of authors. Teachers are addressing this through their reading sessions with pupils.

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The early years provides children with excellent opportunities to explore mathematics in practical ways, including rhymes and songs. This helps children to develop a secure understanding of mathematical concepts and prepares them well for later learning. In all year groups, teachers regularly check what pupils have learned and remembered in mathematics. They provide additional support where needed. This enables pupils to build successfully on their learning from early years to Year 6.

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Staff go to great lengths to ensure pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from the same experiences as their peers. Staff carefully adapt the delivery of the curriculum so that it meets their needs. They also find ways so that pupils with SEND attend all clubs, trips and sporting events.

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Pupils benefit from a wide range of extra-curricular experiences. Trips, such as visits to places of worship of different faiths, visits to the cinema and to Arthog, enhance their learning well. Pupils have a detailed understanding of how to keep their bodies healthy. They also know the importance of ‘keeping a positive mind’.

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Most staff feel their workload is taken into account and is manageable. A small number of staff would like further support with managing pupils’ behaviour. Staff know they can contact governors if they need to raise concerns.

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Governors recognise the strengths of the school. They also know what needs improving. They work closely with leaders to provide the support and challenge needed to improve the school further.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have had extensive training in safeguarding. They are aware of possible risks to pupils’ safety and well-being. They are quick to spot when a pupil may need early help. Staff refer concerns using the school’s online system. Leaders make sure that pupils at risk of harm get the help they need, without delay. Pupils feel safe in school. Medicines are stored safely. An appropriate number of staff are first-aid trained.

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Safeguarding

Governors regularly check that safeguarding procedures are fit for purpose. The school ensures that all adults who work with pupils are safe to do so.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the key knowledge to be taught is not made explicit. This means that pupils do not always learn all of the essential knowledge. Senior leaders need to support subject leaders to make the refinements to planning so that key knowledge to be learned is explicit.  Leaders have plans to introduce a new government approved scheme to teach phonics and early reading. Leaders must now provide all staff with the training and support they need to implement this scheme. This will further support pupils in becoming successful readers.  A small minority of staff and parents feel that they could be better supported by leaders. For example, a few staff would like more help with managing pupils’ behaviour. Leaders should take account of all feedback from staff and parents, and continue to address these concerns.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 23 and 24 November 2021

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In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 23 and 24 November 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199679 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13 October 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator, the reading, mathematics and history leaders and class teachers. The inspector also met with three governors.  Deep dives were carried out into reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector looked at curriculum planning and spoke to leaders about their subjects. The inspector conducted joint lesson visits with leaders, spoke to pupils about their work and wider school experiences, and looked at a range of pupils’ work.  The inspector scrutinised a wide range of safeguarding information, including the school’s policy, spoke to staff and pupils about safeguarding and looked at how pupils

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learn to keep themselves safe. The inspector spoke to the safeguarding leader about the recording and reporting of any safeguarding incidents.  The inspector also checked the school’s website and looked at planning from other subjects, including art and design, and design and technology.  The inspector considered the response to Ofsted’s Parent View, and the views of staff and pupils in Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Heather Phillips, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector 23 and 24 November 2021

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regulates and inspects to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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