Meadhurst Primary School

Inspection of Meadhurst Primary School Feltham Hill Road, Ashford, Middlesex TW15 1LP

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 January 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 24 and 25 January 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s values ‘learn, thrive and achieve’ permeate into every aspect of daily life. Pupils’ success and happiness are at the forefront of everything that happens here. They feel safe and trust staff. Incidents of bullying are dealt with effectively. Relationships between staff and pupils are respectful. Leaders have high expectations. An overwhelming majority of pupils work hard to achieve these.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are confident and kind towards everyone. They speak enthusiastically and fondly about the drama, art, dancing and sports clubs they enjoy. Pupils are passionate about their roles as playtime buddies, eco-troopers, members of the school council and library monitors. They talk knowledgeably about individual liberty and mutual respect. One Year 4 pupil said, ‘We make sure that everyone feels part of our school community. We appreciate each other and don’t judge anyone here.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Breaktimes are sociable and pleasant occasions. Pupils regularly raise funds and donations for charities they support. Trips, such as visits to BP, Hampton Court Palace and other local areas of interest, help pupils learn about their community. Pupils know how to look after their health and well-being. They participate in a wide range of sporting and creative events in the area and beyond.

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better?

Leaders have worked dedicatedly to raise aspirations for all pupils, including those with special education and/or disabilities (SEND). They are steadfast in their aim to achieve high standards in all areas of their work. Leaders, governors and trustees leave no stone unturned in order to ensure that all pupils benefit from a well-rounded education. This includes learning a curriculum which is embellished with an interesting range of experiences and opportunities. However, some pupils do not take advantage of all that the school has to offer, because they do not attend regularly.

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better?

Staff are proud to work here. They are very positive about the strong teamwork and supportive relationships in the school. Governors and trustees work equally well together. The trust and the interim local governing body have established rigorous systems to hold leaders to account. They have a thorough understanding of the school’s strengths and what needs to improve. Leaders value the support and training provided by the trust.

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better?

Reading is central to all learning. Children in early years are introduced to phonics from the moment they join school. Teachers develop children’s love of reading through rhymes and songs. Older pupils relish choosing texts from the well- stocked reading areas. Leaders provide pupils with books which help them revise the sounds they learn in lessons. The phonics programme is well crafted. Leaders agree that a few staff who teach phonics, do not always make sure that pupils 24 and 25 January 2023 learn to read accurately. This means that some of the youngest readers do not read fluently or confidently. Leaders are addressing this.

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better?

Leaders quickly identify and support pupils with SEND. They work closely with a range of professionals to ensure that pupils with SEND have high-quality, appropriate support. Teachers have a sound understanding of how to help pupils with SEND. They adapt resources and activities effectively. Teachers make sure that pupils’ education, health and care plan targets weave into all activities. Non- verbal children in early years learn to sign with Makaton and use symbols confidently. They communicate their ideas successfully and become increasingly independent learners.

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better?

Lessons are engaging and exciting. In most subjects, including in early years, leaders have set out the important knowledge that they want pupils to learn. However, in a few subjects and some areas of learning, the curriculum is not well structured. Leaders have not identified clearly or precisely the essential knowledge they want pupils to learn and remember well. This means that teachers sometimes design activities that do not help pupils build on what they know already. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

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better?

Pupils develop a firm understanding of the wider world. Pupils learn about beliefs different to their own. This begins in the early years. Pupils understand that positive relationships are based on trust and respect. They learn about consent and puberty. Pupils are keen to play their part to look after the environment. They organise campaigns in school to reduce waste and help their peers take better care of resources. For example, every week, pupils look forward to receiving the coveted ‘tidy cup’. Pupils routinely debate topics such as immigration and civil rights. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that staff have regular training in safeguarding. Staff are highly vigilant, and they know what signs to look for that might show a pupil is at risk of harm. Leaders work with external agencies to seek advice and to provide effective support for families. Leaders make the required checks to ensure that all adults are qualified to work with children.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know how to keep safe online. They learn about healthy relationships and some of the risks they may face offline. Police and fire brigade officers visit regularly to speak about personal safety.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

24 and 25 January 2023  A few staff do not teach phonics consistently well. As a result, some of the youngest readers do not learn to read accurately. Leaders should continue to make sure that all staff who teach phonics are well trained.  The curriculum in some foundation subjects and areas of learning does not set out precisely the essential knowledge pupils should learn and know well. Consequently, pupils do not achieve as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum in all subjects is well structured and coherent.  Some pupils have poor attendance. This means that they are missing out on important learning and vital school experiences. Leaders need to continue their work to reduce persistent absenteeism.

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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. 24 and 25 January 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10257070 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Meadhurst Primary School joined The Howard Partnership Trust (THPT) in December 2018. The predecessor school, Spelthorne School, was judged as inadequate in its last inspection in May 2017.  The interim governing body was established soon after the school joined THPT. It is currently in transition towards becoming a full local governing body from July 2023.  The school uses two alternative provisions. One of the providers is registered with Ofsted.

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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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 24 and 25 January 2023  Inspectors met with the principal and senior leaders. They also met with executive leaders from the multi-academy trust, including the chief executive officer, two executive principals, the director of education and the deputy chief executive officer. An inspector also spoke with the chair of trustees and the chair of the interim governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors also considered curriculum plans in other subjects.  Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in the early years. They visited Reception Year to understand how curriculum plans were being implemented.  An inspector spoke on the telephone with a manager of one of the alternative providers.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors checked the single central record and spoke to leaders, staff and pupils. Throughout the inspection, leaders considered and checked the culture of safeguarding within the school.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including school improvement plans and leaders’ self-evaluation.  Inspectors talked to pupils formally and informally about their learning, what behaviour is like at school and whether they felt safe at school.  Inspectors reviewed pupil, staff and parent surveys and spoke to parents and carers at the start of the first day of the inspection.

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Inspection team

Shazia Akram, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Ian Howie Ofsted Inspector Jill Digweed Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 January 2023 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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