Meadow Park School

Inspection of Meadow Park School Abbey Road, Whitley, Coventry, West Midlands CV3 4BD

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The headteacher of this school is Bernadette Pettman. This school is part of Finham Park Multi-Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Mark Bailie, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Peter Burns MBE. 21 and 22 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, parents and staff all describe the significant improvements that have taken place at the school since the arrival of the new headteacher. There is now a clear and ambitious vision evident from all leaders to improve the quality of education for all pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is welcoming to all pupils and is frequently described as caring and compassionate. Pupils describe how they feel fully included in the life of the school. Their concerns are taken seriously, and they are protected from discrimination. The school has robust systems in place to deal with all forms of bullying. Pupils agree that bullying is dealt with effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that teaching is improving but they do not always remember the important information in their learning. Some pupils need more help to improve their reading. Pupils also need more help to understand what they need to do to improve their work.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Although most pupils behave well in lessons and around school, a small number of pupils need repeated reminders to settle to their work and to complete tasks set.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have the opportunity to take responsibility and support others, such as by being prefects and anti-bullying ambassadors. Pupils were particularly positive about the support they receive to support their mental health.

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better?

The school has thoughtfully designed a curriculum that is ambitious and tailored to the interests of pupils. A broad range of subjects is offered at key stage 4, including several vocational subjects. For older pupils, the school currently provides a small range of business and innovation courses. However, the school has not clearly identified the important knowledge that pupils must learn and remember to be successful in their learning.

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better?

Examination results in 2023 indicated that pupils are not yet learning their curriculum well enough. Leaders recognise this and continue to work with staff and pupils to improve learning. Pupils believe that the school is improving rapidly. The great majority of pupils who left the school last year were supported well by the school to progress to the next stage of their learning.

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better?

Teachers know their pupils well, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers have high expectations of what pupils with SEND can achieve. However, they do not consistently provide the necessary adaptations to ensure that they understand the key points of their learning.

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better?

Most teachers have good subject knowledge, which they use effectively to explain new learning to pupils. However, some teachers are not checking carefully enough 21 and 22 November 2023

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that pupils understand their work. They do not consistently identify pupils’ misconceptions. As a result, pupils are sometimes confused by their learning.

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Pupils have opportunities to develop their reading skills in form time, in some lessons and in literacy lessons in the library. However, there is no targeted support to improve the reading level of the weakest readers. They do not currently get enough support to ensure they can read well enough to access the whole curriculum.

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The school has high expectations of pupils’ attendance and behaviour. The new behaviour policy makes clear what behaviours are not acceptable. There are robust processes for managing behaviour. Most pupils now behave well in lessons. Teachers deal with isolated incidences of poor behaviour effectively. Pupils say that behaviour has improved. A small group of pupils do not consistently have positive attitudes to their learning. Although they usually follow teachers’ instructions, they may need additional prompts or encouragement to start their learning activities. The school monitors attendance very carefully and acts quickly to ensure pupils attend school regularly. Attendance is improving.

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Pupils have many opportunities to discuss wider issues, such as careers or health and well-being. They are taught how they can contribute positively to society. Discussions on current affairs take place in form time and assemblies. Cultural diversity is celebrated, and a recent culture day was successfully undertaken at the request of pupils.

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Older pupils are on programmes that meet their personal ambitions and aspirations for the future. They have good relationships with staff and are committed to their studies. They have a personal development programme in form time and are well supported with careers advice.

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Governors, trustees and staff at the trust have an excellent understanding of the needs of the school. They have put in place considerable support to ensure leaders have the capacity and tools to deliver the improvements required. There is a coherent training plan in place to help teachers improve their teaching.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils do not know or remember many of the key facts in their learning. As a result, they are not able to build effectively on earlier learning or remember key knowledge for examinations. The school needs to ensure that the skills and knowledge that all pupils need, including those with SEND, are clearly defined and well implemented so that all pupils can learn and remember more. 21 and 22 November 2023

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 Some teachers do not regularly check that pupils understand their work. As a result, they do not identify misconceptions, and leave some pupils confused about their learning. Pupils do not know what they need to do to improve. The school should ensure that all staff have the necessary skills and knowledge to be able to check on pupils’ understanding of the curriculum and to articulate what pupils need to do in order to improve their work.  Pupils who need additional help with their reading do not receive enough support to improve those skills. As a result, they struggle to access some of their curriculum. Leaders should develop strategies to provide targeted support for pupils with low reading levels so they can participate successfully in their learning.  Some pupils do not consistently have positive attitudes towards their learning and need frequent interventions from their teachers to complete their work. As a

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result, they make less progress than they could. Leaders should continue their work to help pupils regulate their own behaviour.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 21 and 22 November 2023

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CEO of the trust

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Meadow Park School converted to become an academy in January 2021. When its predecessor school, Whitley School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to require special measures.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.  The school uses one registered alternative provider and four unregistered providers. 21 and 22 November 2023

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector met with the chair and CEO of the trust, members of the local governing body, the school’s monitoring officer from the local authority, the headteacher and senior leaders.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, history, design and technology, business studies and art. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, discussed the curriculum and visited a sample of lessons. Inspectors met with teachers and spoke with pupils about their learning. Inspectors also scrutinised samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors spoke with leaders and staff working in pastoral roles. Inspectors

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Information about this inspection

spoke with pupils about their wider development and other aspects of school life.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Deborah James, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Huw Bishop Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 November 2023

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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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