Meadow Bridge School

Meadow Bridge School

Address: The Old School House, High Street, Cricklade, Wiltshire, SN6 6DD Unique reference number (URN): 149026

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met. Insufficient evidence: Inspectors were unable to gather sufficient evidence to judge whether safeguarding standards are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils arrive at the school with substantial gaps in what they know. Leaders help pupils to start and overcome these obstacles through the ‘connect and relate’ transition into the school. They focus on developing and applying their basic skills across the curriculum. This includes a consistent approach to teaching phonics, writing and mathematics for those ready to access these approaches. Pupils who spend longer periods in school work towards and achieve nationally recognised qualifications, such as functional skills and GCSEs. This prepares them well for their next steps.

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Achievement Expected standard

Across the wider curriculum, pupils engage well with the interesting projects on offer. These projects help pupils connect their learning and link it to important life skills. Pupils produce beautiful work which is the culmination of their work over a term. They delight in sharing what they have learned about horticulture, history and science.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

The school admissions process is highly effective. Leaders and staff get to know the pupils well before they start the school. Many pupils experienced an unsettled education before joining the school. Staff give pupils a fresh start built on positive relationships, in a safe environment that builds self-esteem and helps them rediscover their love of learning. ‘Student-focused Intervention’ plans identify barriers to attendance. Leaders work alongside pupils and families to provide the support and encouragement needed to overcome them. Leaders collect attendance information to track trends in how well pupils attend. They take swift action if attendance dips. As a result, many pupils’ attendance has improved over time.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders set clear expectations to staff for how individual pupils’ needs will be supported in their ‘base’ classrooms. Pupils typically display positive attitudes to learning. Bullying is rare. From the moment pupils join the school, they develop warm, professional and trusting relationships with staff and their peers. If pupils struggle to remain calm, staff intervene effectively. They implement strategies that help pupils regulate their emotions and feelings. Examples are the use of movement breaks, sensory resources and visual prompts. These strategies enable pupils to develop self-control and stay engaged with learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school's curriculum is ambitious, broad and balanced. Spread across several ‘pillars,’ such as mathematics or scientific, detailed plans identify what pupils need to know and in what order. Leaders aim to help pupils overcome what have been fractured experiences of education. They do this through developing pupils' ‘21st century skills’ and prepare them to be ready for the next stage of their education.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers receive training that enables them to deliver the curriculum well. They make appropriate changes to their teaching, resources and activities so that pupils access the learning from their different starting points. Teachers explain new information clearly and set tasks that help pupils to practise and repeat learning, so it becomes memorable. Typically, the checks that they make on what pupils know and remember help pupils to make progress. However, the checks made on pupils’ learning in a small number of subjects do not help staff to identify and address the gaps in pupils’ knowledge as well as they could. This means that some pupils struggle to build knowledge over time because of gaps in their learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders, including the proprietor, ensure that Meadow Bridge School is inclusive. The school’s relational approach has had a clear impact on pupils’ attitudes and the overall culture at the school. Staff know pupils well. They adapt the learning environment to suit their needs. This supports pupils, especially those who find different situations overwhelming.

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Inclusion Expected standard

All pupils have an education, health and care plan. Leaders and staff work together to understand how to support pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities and remove barriers to their learning. Leaders persist with every single pupil, regardless of how challenging their behaviour is or how much difficulty they have engaging in learning. For example, they use alternative provision increasingly effectively to support pupils’ wellbeing and improve their attitudes to learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff appreciate the high-quality professional development they receive. This provides them with the skills to meet pupils’ needs well. Leaders work closely with external professionals, such as educational psychologists, the virtual school and therapists. This means that vulnerable pupils, such as looked-after children or those known to social care, are monitored carefully to ensure they benefit from the right guidance and support. The longer pupils attend the school, the more successful they become.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

In recent years, the number of pupils who attend the school has grown. Leaders have guided the school through these changes while driving continued improvement. Leaders identify their strengths and the areas they want to develop. Typically, they take the appropriate steps to push the school forward. There are times when leaders’ oversight of some aspects of the school’s work lacks precision, for example, in how they analyse patterns of behaviour around the school so they can intervene more effectively.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The proprietor and those responsible for governance fully understand the school context. They ensure that the school has a clear vision, manages its resources well and provides leaders with appropriate support and challenge. They receive regular reports from the headteacher on school development. The proprietor provides robust oversight of the school’s compliance with statutory duties and the independent school standards. They complete risk assessments for a variety of activities or areas of the school grounds. Leaders keep pupils' welfare and safety firmly at the heart of the school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff appreciate leaders’ consideration of their workload and wellbeing. They receive training that helps them to deliver the curriculum to pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, they learn practical strategies to support pupils with their speech, language and communication needs. A therapeutic approach builds trusting relationships among pupils, families and school staff. As a result, most parents and carers value the level of care and attention their children receive. They praise staff for improving their child's wellbeing and experience of school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders provide high-quality pastoral support to pupils and their families. This helps pupils to grow in confidence, build their self-esteem and prepare them so they feel ready to learn. The personal, social, health and economic curriculum is central to pupils’ development. Leaders have designed a programme that reflects the school’s context. It blends academic content, life skills and individual goals in preparation for the next steps in pupils’ lives. Pupils benefit from relationships and sex education where they learn about consent and the importance of diversity and equality. The programme has a clear focus on safety. Pupils learn from water safety training and how to protect themselves when using the internet, social media and mobile phones. External experts deliver workshops to highlight the unacceptable nature of misogyny and racism.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school actively promotes physical and mental health through enrichment activities. Pupils learn about how to eat healthily and to take regular exercise. Leaders nurture pupils' talents and interests through the 'skill zone'. Here, pupils can play sports, learn to code or play ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ with their friends.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils develop an understanding of fundamental British values. Through discussion and debate, they learn about the importance of parliament, the prime minister and democracy. Pupils appreciate being able to make a difference to school life through leadership roles such as school councillors. These opportunities build their independence and sense of responsibility. Pupils receive independent careers guidance. Many feel excited for the future and know what they want to do when they leave the school. Leaders build links with local businesses and colleges to ensure that pupils learn in meaningful ways about the world of work. These partnerships broaden pupils' horizons and expose them to new opportunities.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Many have significant barriers to learning as they have missed considerable periods of their education. From the moment they start, leaders prioritise helping pupils to come to school as much as possible. As barriers reduce, attendance improves.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils feel connected to staff and the school. They settle well into their education. They start to see school as a positive place to be. As they arrive each day, a welcoming smile and a friendly chat help pupils feel at ease. They develop a sense of belonging which motivates them. Meadow Bridge School offers pupils a fresh start. As a result, pupils feel valued, not only by staff, but by one another.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Staff get to know pupils well, their likes, dislikes and special interests. Across the school, staff adapt learning so that pupils can join in and make progress from their starting points. Pupils at the early stages of reading learn to read using phonics. They read books that match their reading stage. Creative and ‘enterprise’ learning further support pupils’ resilience and curiosity.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils behave well in a calm and purposeful environment. Clear routines and consistent expectations support positive behaviour. Bullying is rare. Pupils feel confident staff will help them resolve any issues that occur. Beyond the classroom, pupils benefit from a rich set of opportunities and experiences that broaden their talents and interests. There is an emphasis on life skills, cultural enrichment and community involvement. Pupils participate in the John Muir and the Duke of Edinburgh Awards and benefit from visits by industry experts, who bring the curriculum and learning to life. Sports day, football fixtures and celebrations all build pupils’ confidence and self-worth.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that they strengthen teachers' use of assessment information so that any gaps in pupils’ knowledge close quickly. Leaders should sharpen their analysis of the school's work and continue developing subject leadership, monitoring and quality assurance, so they can act swiftly on priorities and ensure that curriculum expectations are applied consistently across all subjects.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this standard inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008 and checked the school's compliance with the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty's Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the chief executive officer, the chair of the proprietor body, senior leaders and a range of staff during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

Meadow Bridge School was registered by the Department for Education on 20 July 2022.

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About this inspection

The school is an independent school with two sites. The Thameside campus is situated in The Old School, High Street, Cricklade, Swindon, SN6 6DD. The Parkside campus is located at Calcutt Street, Cricklade, Swindon, SN6 6BA.

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About this inspection

The school is registered to admit up to 90 pupils aged 6 to 19. There are currently 86 pupils on roll. All the pupils at the school have an education, health and care plan. The school has a specialism in social, emotional and mental health needs alongside Autistic Spectrum

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Independent school standards

Independent school standards are either met or not met for each category. Condition (ASC), including Asperger’s syndrome and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

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Independent school standards

The current headteacher took up post in April 2024.

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Independent school standards

The school uses five unregistered alternative providers for its pupils.

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Independent school standards

The chair of the proprietor body is Stephen Bradshaw.

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Independent school standards

The fees currently charged are between £64,053 to £65,813.

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Independent school standards

The school's email address is: admin@meadowbridgeschool.co.uk

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Independent school standards

1. Quality of education provided Standards met

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Independent school standards

2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils Standards met

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Independent school standards

3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Standards met

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Independent school standards

4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Standards met

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Independent school standards

5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Standards met

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Lead inspector:

Gavin Summerfield, His Majesty's Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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90

6. Provision of information Standards met

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90

7. Manner in which complaints are handled Standards met

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90

8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Standards met

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Insufficient evidence

Inspectors were unable to gather reliable enough evidence to grade an evaluation area. This is rare and normally only happens if there are no pupils on roll at the school.

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Insufficient evidence

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Insufficient evidence

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Insufficient evidence

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Insufficient evidence

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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