Meadow Primary School

Inspection of Meadow Primary School Sparrow Farm Road, Stoneleigh, Epsom, Surrey KT17 2LW

p.1

Inspection dates: 21 and 22 September 2022

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 21 and 22 September 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Meadow Primary is a happy school which values every pupil. Pupils go about their school day smiling. This includes the two-year-olds who have just started in the brand-new nursery. Relationships are strong. Pupils show an interest in all they do, whether performing in the choir at the O2 Arena or participating in regular swimming lessons in the school pool.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Adults expect pupils to try their best. Leaders have recently introduced a new behaviour policy. Even though it is early days, pupils know what leaders expect of them. They behave well. Pupils show the learning behaviours in lessons that leaders want them to, such as resilience and resourcefulness. They love winning ‘magic minutes’ for doing the right thing. Teachers deal with low-level disruption promptly.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Bullying is rare. The school council has just published a pupil version of the anti- bullying policy. Together with lessons and assemblies, this makes sure that pupils understand how to recognise and act if bullying were to happen. Leaders take bullying seriously. They investigate thoroughly and put detailed support programmes in place. Pupils feel safe.

p.2

better?

Leaders have carefully sequenced the knowledge, skills and vocabulary for all subjects from Nursery through to Year 6. They are ambitious about what they want pupils to know, remember and do. Leaders use expertise from across the trust well to support their curriculum thinking, for example in designing the Spanish curriculum. This has helped staff to develop strong subject knowledge. The nursery opened three weeks prior to this inspection. Children in the early years, including those in the provision for two-year-olds, show great interest in exploring their new surroundings. Staff guide them well.

p.2

better?

Subject leaders are enthusiastic and knowledgeable in their areas of expertise. They take an active role in ensuring that teachers understand what to teach and how best to help pupils remember what they have learned. Teachers deliver their lessons well and focus on the right content. Teachers successfully provide pupils with time to practise and embed learning. For example, pupils sing songs in Spanish to remember key vocabulary.

p.2

better?

Teachers make regular and useful checks on what pupils know in English and mathematics. However, this is not the case in some other curriculum subjects. At the time of the inspection, leaders were considering the best way forward for this area of work. This means that, currently, teachers are not always sure about what and how best to check pupils’ understanding. Subject leaders cannot always use assessment information to reshape the curriculum if needed. 21 and 22 September 2022

p.2

3

Leaders have made reading a priority in the school. In early years, staff share stories and songs frequently. This helps pupils to become enthusiastic readers. Children in Nursery already have opinions on what they like to listen to. Older pupils love recommending books to each other via the class reading scrapbooks. Leaders introduced a new approach to teaching phonics in September 2021. They have ensured that staff teach phonics well. Pupils read books that match the sounds they are learning. Teachers regularly check which letters and sounds pupils know. Staff quickly provide effective support for pupils who need extra help.

p.3

3

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in school life. Leaders identify pupils’ specific needs well. Teachers think carefully about what pupils with SEND need to help them learn best in English and mathematics. However, sometimes, in foundation subjects, pupils with SEND struggle with their work. This is because teachers do not always adapt work well enough if needed. This affects pupils’ learning and their behaviour. Some pupils with SEND lose focus.

p.3

3

Leaders make sure that pupils have many wider opportunities beyond the academic curriculum. Pupils learn about different cultures, beliefs and lifestyles. They respect difference. As one pupil said, ‘If everyone was the same, the world would be a very bland world’. Pupils recognise the difference between right and wrong. They confidently discuss the benefits of the school rules and rules in society. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

p.3

3

Staff appreciate leaders’ efforts to support their well-being. They value the training they receive to hone and develop their skills. Leaders have created a collaborative culture where teachers plan together and ask each other advice. Governors work well with subject leaders to check for themselves that pupils receive a good quality of education. They know the school well.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff invest in the well-being and safety of their pupils. They show this through their dedication to following procedures to the letter. Staff are well trained to spot pupils at risk of harm. Safeguarding leaders communicate well with each other. They take swift action when necessary to support pupils and their families. As one parent wrote, ‘The teachers work very hard to make sure the children feel safe and cared for, which allows them to meet their academic goals’.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that pupils know how to keep themselves safe, for example through road safety lessons. 21 and 22 September 2022

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In foundation subjects, staff do not adapt their teaching sufficiently for pupils with SEND. This means that, in these subjects, some pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that staff have the training and support they need so that they know how best to help pupils with SEND to learn well in all subjects.  In foundation subjects, teachers are not always clear about the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn. This means that teachers cannot build on pupils’ learning consistently well over time. Leaders should ensure that teachers know what the key information is that pupils should retain.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 21 and 22 September 2022

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10241434 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 Meadow Primary School converted to become an academy school in July 2018. When its predecessor school, Meadow Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is part of The Bourne Education Trust. The board of trustees has delegated some strategic responsibilities to the school’s local governing committee. This is outlined in the trust’s scheme of delegation. The trust remains the responsible body for this school.  The headteacher was appointed in September 2021. Before this, she was seconded for two years from another school in the trust as head of school. The deputy headteacher also took up her current position in September 2021.  In September 2022, the school opened a nursery. The nursery provides education for children between the ages of two and four. At the time of this inspection, eight two-year-olds were on roll.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.6

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, staff, pupils and parents.  Inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, languages, computing and history. Inspectors spoke to subject leaders, staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work. An inspector heard pupils read to an adult from the school.  The lead inspector met with three governors, including the chair of governors. She spoke with the education director and a trustee from The Bourne Education Trust.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s safeguarding arrangements. This included safer recruitment checks and the schools’ records of concerns. Inspectors also spoke to staff, governors and pupils about safeguarding.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 The lead inspector reviewed a range of documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation of the school and school development plans.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour throughout the day. They spoke to pupils about their views on behaviour in school. Inspectors considered how the school is supporting pupils’ personal development.  They took into account parents’ responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View and parents’ free-text comments. An inspector spoke with a number of parents at the beginning of the school day. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. There were no responses to the pupil survey. Inspectors spoke to many pupils to discuss their views of the school.

p.6

Inspection team

Lea Hannam, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Catherine Hylands Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 September 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

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 .

p.7

7

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

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7