Greenmeadow Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Greenmeadow Primary School Pen Close, Greenmeadow, Swindon, Wiltshire SN25 3LW

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Outcome

Greenmeadow Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Kate Mackinnon. This school is part of The Blue Kite 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 (CEO), Gary Evans, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Pauline Miller.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has created an environment where pupils can learn and flourish. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), strive to meet the school’s high expectations. This helps them to achieve well. Pupils love to learn. They work hard in lessons and take pride in their work.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are respectful, polite and caring towards each other and the staff. Pupils’ conduct in school is considerate and safe. ‘Munch monitors’ help younger pupils follow routines in the dinner hall. Effective pastoral care ensures pupils’ needs are well catered for. Pupils appreciate that the school provides quiet spaces for them to use during playtimes, such as the library and a class hub.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In this community-minded school, pupils take their responsibilities seriously. For example, play leaders teach games to younger pupils at breaktime and the school council chooses which charities to raise funds for. The school successfully prioritises developing pupils’ character. Pupils demonstrate resilience, striving to achieve even when their learning is challenging.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The partnership between home and school is strong. Parents and carers say their children are safe, happy and thriving at Greenmeadow Primary School. Pupils know that if they are worried, trusted adults in school will support them. 3 and 4 December 2024

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

The school is determined that pupils will acquire the knowledge they need to succeed. The curriculum is carefully constructed so that knowledge builds step by step. This helps pupils make sense of their learning. For example, in geography, pupils learn about the physical and human features of places in the United Kingdom before applying this knowledge to countries in South America.

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

Teachers are keen to attend the high-quality training provided for them by the trust and school leaders. This helps to ensure that they have strong knowledge of the subjects they teach and the links between them. Teachers use this expertise well to design learning activities that deepen pupils’ understanding. For example, pupils learn to question the validity of information on the internet when carrying out research for non-chronological reports. Staff select appropriate resources to help pupils learn. For instance, in science, pupils use mirrors to identify the different shapes of their teeth. They use this information to figure out which teeth are used to cut, tear or grind food. Some staff are skilled in checking pupils’ errors and misconceptions. However, this is not consistent across classes and subjects. This means some pupils struggle to understand what is being taught and the staff are unaware of this.

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

Staff have the same high expectations for pupils with SEND as they do for all pupils. The school liaises with families and external agencies. This ensures that staff understand and cater for the needs of these pupils well. Staff quickly identify any additional needs that pupils may have. These needs are well understood. Where appropriate, some pupils benefit from additional support that is smoothly built into their daily routines.

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

The teaching of reading begins as soon as children start school. Children benefit from many opportunities to practise the sounds that they learn. Staff are skilled in teaching early reading. Pupils who have fallen behind are swiftly spotted and receive expert help. This helps them to catch up rapidly. Reading for pleasure is high on the school’s agenda. Pupils speak with passion about their favourite books. Visits from authors inspire pupils to read widely.

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

From the early years, the school establishes a clear set of behaviour routines. For instance, children hold doors open for their classmates. These strong foundations encourage pupils to take responsibility for their behaviour and learning.

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

The school has developed a comprehensive personal development programme. Pupils learn about healthy relationships and online safety. They participate in debates and respect different opinions. Pupils are tolerant of differences and diversity. Although pupils learn about various world religions, some struggle to recall what they have learned. This is because some checks do not identify important gaps in knowledge to ensure future learning builds on what pupils know and can do. School trips enhance pupils’ curricular knowledge. For example, visiting local museums helps pupils better understand Brunel’s contribution to the railways. 3 and 4 December 2024

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Leaders ensure pupils and their parents know the importance of attending school daily. They track pupils’ attendance and work effectively with families if pupils struggle to attend. This helps to ensure that attendance is high for all groups of pupils.

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Trustees and local governors understand and perform their duties well. They hold the school to account through appropriate challenge and support. The school has successfully developed and enhanced the quality of education it provides. Most staff appreciate leaders’ consideration of their workload and well-being when introducing new initiatives.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, teachers do not check that pupils’ prior learning is secure before moving on to new content. As a result, there are times when pupils’ errors and misconceptions go unaddressed. This hinders pupils from building knowledge securely over time. The school should ensure that teachers are supported to use assessment strategies effectively to identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge.  Staff do not always assess effectively how well pupils are learning about different religions and so pupils do not build knowledge well on previous learning. This means some pupils do not have secure knowledge and understanding of the different world religions. The school should ensure that teachers check pupils have learned and remembered what they have been taught about different religions.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, 3 and 4 December 2024

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behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Greenmeadow Primary School, to be good for overall effectiveness in October 2012.

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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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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). 3 and 4 December 2024

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School details

Website www.greenmeadow-pri.swindon.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Greenmeadow Primary School converted to become an academy school in March 2022. When its predecessor school, Greenmeadow Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good for overall effectiveness.  The school is part of The Blue Kite Academy Trust.  A new headteacher has been appointed since the previous inspection.  The school uses one registered provider of alternative provision.  There is a breakfast club on site for pupils who attend the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 3 and 4 December 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke with school leaders, staff, parents, governors, the chair of the trust and the CEO.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, the inspector spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.

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 The inspector considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. She also looked at responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey.

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Inspection team

Faye Heming, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 December 2024

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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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