Meridian Community Primary School and Nursery

Inspection Report Meridian Community Primary School

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114475 Unique Reference Number East Sussex LEA 279391 Inspection number 8 February 2006 to 9 February 2006 Inspection dates David Collard AI Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Roderick Avenue North School address Primary Type of school Peacehaven Community School category East Sussex BN10 8BZ 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01273 584212 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01273 584212 Fax number 305 Number on roll Mrs Vicky Phillips Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs A M Mills Headteacher 6 March 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279391 8 February 2006 - 4 to 11 9 February 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors

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Description of the school

Meridian is a slightly larger than average primary school. The number of pupils on roll has been falling since the last inspection but is likely to stabilise at around 270 within the next two years. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is similar to the national average. Although now increasing slightly, the number of pupils from ethnic minorities is low. The equally low numbers of pupils who speak English as an additional language have all received additional support and some now speak English fluently.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Meridian Community Primary School, 8 February 2006 to 9 February 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school providing good value for money. The excellent evaluation and analysis of the school’s performance have been used well to guide planning for improvement and make the most significant difference to pupils’ learning. This has resulted in improved teaching and good curriculum provision which means that from below average starting points, pupils progress well both in the Foundation Stage and throughout the rest of the school to reach average standards by Year 6. The personal development of the pupils is good and behaviour is outstanding, because the care, welfare and guidance provided are excellent. Provision for the Foundation stage is good and standards by Year 1 are close to that expected for their age. The strong management team has been very ably led by the headteacher. Its success has been recognised by the local authority that have noted a significant improvement in the school’s provision over two years. National data on standards from last year, while

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Grade: 2

reflecting the good progress in English is not so evident in mathematics. Discussions with pupils, and the quality of work in their books this year, confirms that pupils are making good progress in both subjects. This is because the present teaching priorities, linked to raising achievement in mathematics and the progress of boys, are now clearly impacting upon pupils’ learning. The school has rightly recognised that it has less expertise in dealing with pupils’ who have English as an additional language. The schools’ monitoring indicates that these pupils are performing at levels similar to others but rightly knows that more sophisticated analysis is required to ensure this continues. The good track record of recent improvement and the good team spirit of the staff leaves the school well placed to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure the present teaching priorities that have been introduced are continued so that standards will rise further in mathematics with particular emphasis on boys’ achievement. • Help teachers improve the analysis of the progress of pupils with English as an additional language to ensure their achievement continues to be as good as others.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ achievement is good overall from a below average starting point. However, as the school has identified, boys’ achievement lags a little behind girls. In the Foundation Stage, children make good progress and reach the expected levels by the time they start Year 1. Good progress continues as pupils move through the school and they reach average standards by Years 2 and 6. Achievement, especially in writing is starting to rise but has not yet been reflected in higher national test results. The school’s comprehensive assessment data indicates that children make good progress against challenging targets. This conflicts with national performance data from 2005, which shows some underachievement in mathematics and good overall achievement in English. 2 Inspection Report: Meridian Community Primary School, 8 February 2006 to 9 February 2006 Inspection analysis, and the local authority’s comparative data, shows that pupils’ work

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Grade: 2

is of good quality and the gap between both subjects is not as significant this year. For example, the concentrated effort on developing mathematical thinking skills is working well. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make equally good progress. Boys do not perform as well as girls and the school has introduced various strategies to improve their motivation. Recent evaluation by the school confirms their progress is now accelerating. The school has monitored the performance of pupils from minority ethnic groups and those who speak English as an additional language. The numbers of those speaking English as an additional language has risen and it has been realised that, while their achievement is presently as good as other pupils, the information is not detailed enough. To ensure the good progress continues, the school knows that more sophisticated data is needed within each subject, for instance in the

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Grade: 2

pupils understanding of technical language in science.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development is good. As a result of their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development being well promoted, pupils’ behaviour is excellent and they have positive relationships with staff and each other. They enjoy though sometimes they choose to ignore the advice. Through their involvement in recycling and work on environmental issues pupils learn a good deal about the importance of contributing to the community. The practical work that they do in different subjects helps them gain a good awareness of how to cope with situations in everyday life and their future well-being. school and their attendance is satisfactory. Pupils handle responsibility well. For example, through their very active school council they successfully raised money for toys and playground equipment. Year 6 pupils carry out their ‘play leader’ responsibilities well and, working closely with mid day supervisors, they have made

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Grade: 2

lunchtimes a much more enjoyable experience for other pupils. Pupils have a good knowledge of how to stay safe such as when playing their newly devised playground games. Their participation in a wide range of sporting activities and the school’s strong emphasis on encouraging healthy eating ensures that pupils know a lot about keeping fit and healthy, even

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good in every year group resulting in consistently good progress throughout the school. Teachers successfully place a strong emphasis on promoting both academic and personal success. However, there is a great awareness that boys are not progressing quite as well as girls. Action has been taken to remedy this, such as by changing questioning techniques to keep boys interested. The information gained from assessments is used well to make lesson planning precise and to help set accurate targets for pupils. All teachers ensure that work is well presented, thoughtful and 3 Inspection Report: Meridian Community Primary School, 8 February 2006 to 9 February 2006 creative and the scrutiny of Year 6 books shows that the initiatives to improve teaching methods have been successful. For example, members of staff now share their best practice with each other, which is constantly raising the quality of lessons. Also, the

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Grade: 2

increased emphasis on improving writing styles has had an impact on learning and the pupils take pride in their work. Teachers have a good understanding of how to cater best for the different ways in which pupils learn but these still need refining to address the needs of different groups such as pupils who speak English as an additional language. Learning assistants are used well to support those with additional needs so they too achieve success. Teachers use resources well such as the new interactive whiteboards to make learning interesting and fun. Pupils’ work is generally marked well. However, apart from English the work lacks the helpful comments that indicate to pupils what they need to do next to improve their work.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. Foundation Stage children experience a rich curriculum with lots of good practical activities that give them the opportunity to find out things for themselves. Children with learning difficulties and disabilities are encouraged to participate fully in all lessons and activities. Extra enjoyment comes from a very good range of clubs that enhance the work in subjects such as science, geography and physical education. Regular staff training is helping make the curriculum more creative. However, it is still too early for this to have had a full impact on standards. Visits and visitors such as war veterans and theatre groups enrich pupils’ learning. This directly relates to work being done through topics and themes. There have been substantial improvements to the accommodation with the new information and communication technology suite and library. These are helping pupils develop independent learning

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Grade: 1

The excellent caring and supportive environment ensures pupils know that all adults listen sensitively to any concerns they may have and respond appropriately. Support is exemplary because teachers have gone out of their way to extend their understanding of disabilities with which they are unfamiliar. The school works very well with external agencies. This has resulted in better resources and different approaches to enable them to achieve as well as others. The school is good at ensuring parents are fully informed about and involved in all of this support. Child protection procedures are extremely robust ensuring children at risk are quickly identified. Regular checks are made on the overall safety of the accommodation and the governors take prompt action to deal with any hazards. Children say they feel safe. Staff are very good at setting pupils precise academic targets suited to their capability and need.

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Grade: 1

4 Inspection Report: Meridian Community Primary School, 8 February 2006 to 9 February 2006

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Grade: 2

There is good leadership and management provided by the headteacher and senior management team. This has enabled the school to improve the quality of provision significantly in recent times and there is a capacity for further improvement. The excellent process for self-review, as well as the clear directives for staff, have been at the core of the good self-evaluation and professional development. The local authority has worked closely with the school and this, along with the school’s focused action plan, has begun to raise standards. Members of staff work as a strong team and are encouraged to lead key initiatives, many of which have been successful. For example, the thorough monitoring of classroom practice has meant that different ability groups are now given more challenging work. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. Staff and governors are fully involved in the process of evaluating how well

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Grade: 2

the school is performing and constructing plans for future development. Not complacent, the school is working hard to raise standards in mathematics. Boys’ achievement and monitoring the progress made by pupils who speak English as an additional language are key priorities for the school. Resources have been improved significantly. Several steps are in place aimed at making learning more creative and enjoyable but the full effect is yet to be realised on standards. Governors are well informed and very proactive. They work closely with the school offering a good level of support and understanding. From their direct investigations they are rigorous in holding the school to account for areas that they feel need improving. 5 Inspection Report: Meridian Community Primary School, 8 February 2006 to 9 February 2006 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Meridian Community Primary School, 8 February 2006 to 9 February 2006

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 1 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 2 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 1 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Dear Pupils, Thank you for looking after us so well during our recent visit. We very much enjoyed joining you in your lessons and hearing your thoughts about the school. We are sorry we did not see any of the children in Year 6 but hope you enjoyed your trip to the Isle of Wight. We expect you would like to hear what we said about your school so I have included some of the main points below. • You told us how much you enjoyed your lessons and the activities at school and we can see that this is so. We were very impressed with your behaviour and the way you concentrated on your work. • You also said that you are looked after well, have many friends and like your teachers and we agree. All of you are very clear about whom to see if you have a problem. We think you are given very good opportunities to help change things such as the playground games and these have made a difference to how well you can play. • Your

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

teachers work hard to make sure your lessons are enjoyable and interesting. We were very impressed with how well you presented your work and took notice of the comments in the books. We agree with you that teaching is good and that you learn well. Your teachers are very good at keeping information about your progress and then making changes that will give you even more challenges. • Your headteacher and her staff are trying hard to make sure that all of you make good progress. We think that they are giving you interesting activities. We have particularly asked them to make sure they keep a close eye on how well you are doing because it seems you do better in English than in mathematics. Also there are some differences between how well the boys are doing compared to the girls so this is another area that your teachers will be working at more closely. • There are now more children from other countries at your

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

school. They tell us that they are enjoying learning. However, the teachers need to make sure that their progress is looked at so that they continue to do as well as they can. Finally, we wish you all the best for the rest of your time at Meridian. Yours sincerely, David G Collard (Lead inspector) Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 www.ofsted.gov.uk

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