Meridian Primary School

Inspection of Meridian Primary School Old Woolwich Road, Greenwich, London SE10 9NY

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 September 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 13 and 14 September 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are full of enthusiasm about their school. They discussed their learning and achievements with pride. Pupils treat each other respectfully. They spoke about the school being a kind place. Pupils said that bullying rarely happens. If it does, staff deal with it quickly. Pupils behave well because all staff make their expectations clear. Pupils are safe and happy. They are confident to share concerns with any member of staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide high-quality pastoral support to pupils. The school’s ‘Meridian Learning Muscles’ are used to encourage positive character development for all pupils. All staff are committed to every pupil’s welfare, well-being and academic success.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In the early years, staff set the bar high from the moment children join the school. Staff motivate children with a rich learning environment that captivates their interest.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders hold regular parent and carer reading sessions. These are well attended and valued. Parents said that they enjoy these sessions because they learn how to support their children with reading at home.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In the online survey, many parents said that they would recommend the school to others. One parent’s comment that captured the opinion of many was, ‘Staff clearly care about my child and us as a family.’

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better?

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, including those in the school’s designated specialist provision for deaf pupils, who are fully integrated into school life. These expectations are shared and understood by all staff. Leaders designed the curriculum with of the needs of all pupils in mind. They provide subject training for staff which enhances the curriculum.

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better?

Leaders have put in place a broad and balanced curriculum. Staff typically check pupils’ learning and use the information to plan further teaching. Most subjects are planned and sequenced carefully. For example, in mathematics, when teaching place value, teachers have broken down key learning into smaller chunks. They regularly revisit this learning. This enables pupils to remember key knowledge needed for future learning. However, in a few subjects this is not as routinely the case and pupils are not as secure in their learning. Leaders plan to develop subject leadership further, so that the curriculum in all subjects helps all pupils to remember key knowledge equally well.

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better?

Leaders plan additional activities to enhance the main-school curriculum and widen pupils’ experiences. For example, pupils worked with an archaeologist to support their understanding of Roman Britain and how differently the Romans’ lives were to 13 and 14 September 2022

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life today. Pupils said that they enjoyed looking at artefacts from Roman times and researching how they were used.

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Reading is prioritised. Leaders promote the love of reading from the moment children start at the school. For example, in the early years, high-quality books capture children’s interests. Staff receive appropriate training to deliver the school’s approach to phonics. Most pupils learn quickly to read fluently. Pupils who are new to English are given effective support to help them to access the whole curriculum. They are supported in class by teaching assistants and follow a structured phonics programme and use appropriate resources. This helps them to grasp key subject vocabulary very quickly to use in their writing. Teachers check what pupils know and remember informally and formally. Leaders use these checks on learning to ensure that all pupils are assessed quickly and their needs met swiftly.

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All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and pupils in the designated specialist provision, are supported. Leaders identify and review the needs of all pupils and additional support is put in place where needed. Pupils in the specially resourced provision are supported by specialist staff in phonics, reading and mathematics to ensure that their needs are met. They join mainstream classes for wider curriculum subjects in the afternoon.

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Classrooms are calm and purposeful learning areas. Pupils’ sensible behaviour means that the curriculum can be taught as intended. Leaders make sure there are clear systems and routines in place.

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Pupils play games at breaktime that encourage them to take care of their physical health. Pupils are taught about healthy relationships and are encouraged to develop a mature understanding of friendship. Pupils are enthusiastic about outings and visits, including camping in Year 2 and 6 and a journey to Wiltshire for pupils in Year 5. Pupils in the school’s designated specialist provision are supported to transfer successfully to secondary school.

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Parents and the governing body are fully involved in school life. For example, parents, staff, pupils and governors said that the school’s annual arts festival is an exciting, fun learning experience for pupils. The governing body holds leaders to account effectively for the standard of education that pupils receive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders train all staff to recognise signs that may indicate that a pupil may be at risk of harm. They know whom to speak to and how to get help. Leaders have put in place clear systems to monitor any concerns.

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Safeguarding

Leaders liaise effectively with external agencies to secure expert help if needed. For example, leaders direct families to where they can get early help. 13 and 14 September 2022

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Pupils are taught through the curriculum how to keep themselves safe. All staff know what to do if concerned about the behaviour of any adults. The governing body makes sure that recruitment is managed safely. Members of the governing body perform all their statutory duties effectively.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of wider curriculum subjects, pupils do not have the same opportunities to revisit or practise key learning as in other subjects. This means that pupils do not remember important knowledge in these subjects as well as in others. Leaders should continue to embed the intended curriculum. This will enable all pupils to know and remember more in every subject.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 13 and 14 September 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10240940 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Information about this school

 The school maintains designated specialist provision for up to 18 pupils with SEND who are deaf.  The school uses no registered alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography, and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in science, music, religious education and French. Inspectors met with the chair of the governing body and 13 and 14 September 2022

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two other members of the governing body. Inspectors met with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors held meetings regarding safeguarding with leaders with responsibility for safeguarding, staff and pupils. Inspectors checked a range of school documents and records, including the record of pre-employment checks.  Inspectors spoke to pupils about their views of the school. They considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey for parents, and responses to surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Ann Pratt, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sophie Healey-Welch His Majesty’s Inspector 13 and 14 September 2022

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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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