Mere Green Primary School

Inspection of Mere Green Primary School Mere Green Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B75 5BL

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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The headteacher of this school is Kristal Brookes. This school is part of The Arthur Terry Learning Partnership, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Richard Gill, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by John Vickers.

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since January 2015. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 13 and 14 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

‘Making a difference’ lies at the heart of all that happens for pupils at Mere Green Primary School. The magical moments of togetherness in learning and behaviour are seen and heard both indoors and outdoors, from the youngest to the oldest pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ expectations for pupils to achieve well are realised across the curriculum. Pupils’ digital technology skills, alongside their written skills, mean that they are well prepared for their next learning steps and life beyond school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils speak highly of their experiences learning about people of interest in assemblies. They show a sensitivity and understanding beyond their years around equality and diversity. They learn how perseverance and developing a skill or an interest help you later in life. They are inspired to do this for themselves.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love the range of clubs and residential visits that they take part in. During and after the school day, pupils can be found creating podcasts, playing steel pans, taking part in musical theatre or practising first aid. Vivid memories are shared about climbing the windiest mountain in Wales. Pupils’ comments ring true when they say, ‘Our school gives us so many different opportunities that open doors for us in later life and help us to thrive.’

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

The trust, school leaders and staff work closely and successfully together. This balanced leadership ensures that every decision centres around pupils, including their needs, strengths and interests. This makes a real and positive difference to pupils’ learning and development. The trust has supported the school effectively through recent challenging times. Continued strong leadership has ensured that pupils continue to achieve well academically and succeed exceptionally well in their personal growth.

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

This success builds from the moment children start school, when they quickly develop a strong thirst to explore and learn. Children show high levels of curiosity and excellent behaviour. Staff nurture the sparks of interest and individuality from the outset. Children in Nursery chat away to each other in their home language and just as readily turn to a friend or an adult and converse in English. Children in the Reception Year are equally at home holding a pencil correctly to form letters as at holding and using tools to safely and independently light a fire under adult supervision.

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

The curriculum has been constructed carefully over time, designed to build on what pupils know and remember. The school’s bespoke approach of ‘let’s look back, let’s learn and let’s think and link’, coupled with the distinct use of digital tools, brings learning to life. For example, pupils share their personal art galleries, recalling and discussing artists and the techniques they used in their own artwork. However, sometimes teaching approaches do not maximise opportunities for building on pupils’ previous learning. This means that some pupils do not achieve quite as well as they could. 13 and 14 May 2025

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Pupils recognise and are rightly proud of the many and varied contributions that they make to school life and the local community. They value being able to enjoy a ‘book and a biscuit’ or ‘drop in and draw’. The extra-curricular offer is extensive, stimulating and links to, but extends well beyond, the school’s academic curriculum. Leaders expertly use the pastoral team’s skills and expertise across all areas of school life. This ensures that pupils receive well-considered support for their behaviour, attendance and emotions when they need it. This makes a convincing difference to pupils being ready and able to learn.

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The school recognises the importance of reading as a gateway to learning in the wider curriculum. Pupils quickly gain the mechanics of reading and move beyond this to develop an enjoyment and appreciation of reading and different types of books. For example, they value non-fiction books, with some commenting that ‘it is like opening up a museum’. Any stumbling blocks that pupils may have as they learn to read are identified and addressed swiftly and effectively.

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Identifying and supporting pupils’ additional needs well is a theme that runs through the daily life of the school. Skilled staff are tuned into individual pupils’ needs. They support these well across lessons, clubs and residential trips. Staff use a range of technology with flair and skill to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This, alongside sensitive adaptations of physical resources, ensures seamless inclusion. This gives all pupils an equal opportunity of success. For example, the school sources instruments for pupils with physical difficulties to play and equips pupils with SEND with road safety sense and money skills when shopping.

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Parents and carers recognise the many unique and varied strengths of the school. They are right to state that it is an amazing and diverse school that goes above and beyond to care for and educate the whole child.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, the school does not ensure that teachers’ assessment is used effectively to move pupils’ learning forward and build on prior learning. When this happens, learning is slowed because pupils do not secure their understanding or further deepen what they know. The school should equip staff with the expertise to ensure that assessment is used effectively to support and extend pupils’ learning. 13 and 14 May 2025

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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). 13 and 14 May 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 13 and 14 January 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school provides before- and after-school care.  The school is registered as having specially resourced provision for pupils with speech, language and communication needs. However, this provision is not currently in use and no pupils attend.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 13 and 14 May 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, other leaders in the school and staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography, and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to some pupils read to a known adult.  Inspectors considered the curriculum in some other subjects, including English, science and history.

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 The lead inspector met with three trustees, including the chair of the trust board. She met with strategic improvement partners from the trust.  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.  The lead inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free-text responses. She also reviewed responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey. Inspectors spoke with parents at the start of the second day of the inspection.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including the school’s evaluation and improvement plans, a range of policies and information on the school’s website.

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Inspection team

Kirsty Foulkes, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Nicola Price Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 May 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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