Merefield School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Merefield School Westminster Drive, Southport, Merseyside PR8 2QZ

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Inspection dates: 25 and 26 February 2025

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Outcome

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

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are delighted to attend this exceptional school. They arrive cheerfully at school, met by staff who greet them warmly. Interactions between pupils and staff are genuinely caring and positive. Consequently, pupils love their time in school and behave extremely well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has extremely high expectations of what pupils can do. Staff are passionate about providing the very best education for pupils. From the youngest children in the early years to the oldest students in the sixth form, there is no restriction placed on what the school expects pupils to accomplish. Staff have a thorough understanding of pupils’ individual and complex needs. This, along with an ambitious curriculum, ensures that pupils, all of whom have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are extremely well prepared for their next steps.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a wide range of opportunities that promote their wider development. For example, they enjoy enrichment activities that include horse riding, swimming, gymnastics and cooking. Pupils are keen to help others and support local charities. They are regular visitors out in their local community where they shop for ingredients for cookery sessions and use the local library.

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

Leaders have a clear and ambitious vision for the school. They create a purposeful environment in which pupils are eager to learn. The school sequences the curriculum exceptionally well to meet each pupil's unique needs. Every pupil follows a personalised programme, carefully tailored to their specific requirements. Staff incorporate actions from pupils' education, health, and care (EHC) plans into their lessons. Staff check pupils’ 25 and 26 February 2025

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learning carefully. They know exactly what each pupil needs to learn and do next. This approach ensures that all pupils, from the early years to the sixth form, receive a high- quality education. Irrespective of their starting points or individual needs, pupils achieve well.

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Communication is central to the school’s approach. From the early years, children learn to make choices and express their needs. Staff model spoken language clearly and they provide strong support. This helps children to communicate well, whether through speech, sign language, or communication devices. Pupils across the school have plenty of opportunities to practise and develop their communication skills throughout the day. As a result, they become more independent at expressing themselves.

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The school is passionate about ensuring that all pupils have access to books. Pupils enjoy learning the basics of reading, such as listening and responding to sounds. Those who are ready to start phonics receive expert teaching to develop their early reading skills. Staff are keen to encourage a love of reading among pupils. Pupils of all ages and abilities have regular access to a wide range of books and enjoy sharing sensory stories, songs, rhymes, and poems with both staff and their reading buddies.

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Pupils are highly motivated and enjoy learning. From the early years, children learn to follow routines and take turns. Staff support pupils well in learning to manage their own behaviour. Pupils enjoy the friendships they make. Playtimes are full of activity, with pupils socialising happily with their peers. The school builds strong relationships with families and carefully monitors pupils’ attendance. This ensures that pupils attend school regularly.

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The school places a great emphasis on the importance of pupils’ wider personal development. This gives pupils excellent opportunities to develop personally and prepare for life beyond school. Personal, social and health education lessons are engaging and relevant. Pupils have an excellent understanding of how to keep themselves healthy and how to stay safe online.

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The school prepares pupils exceptionally well for life in modern Britain. It provides comprehensive careers education, advice and guidance. Older pupils explore different professions, which helps them to develop their aspirations for the future. The school offers a wide range of work placements and practical experiences. These include working in libraries and cafés, and supporting younger pupils with enrichment activities.

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Governors share the school’s high expectations for pupils. Staff value the support they receive for their well-being and workload. They appreciate the time the school gives them to do their jobs well. Staff are very proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 25 and 26 February 2025

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

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in June 2019.

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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). 25 and 26 February 2025

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form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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form

Dates of previous inspection 4 and 5 June 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Merefield School is a special school that caters for pupils aged from three to 19 years. It provides for pupils who have severe learning difficulties or profound and multiple learning difficulties.  All pupils have an EHC plan.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school's education provision. 25 and 26 February 2025

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other senior leaders and a range of staff. Inspectors met with members of the governing body.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, they spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and

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the results of the online staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Sharples, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Samantha Birchall Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 February 2025

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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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