Meadowside Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching in order to increase pupils’ progress and raise standards, particularly in writing and mathematics by:
  • ensuring that teachers use assessment information about pupils’ skills and knowledge to set work at the correct level of difficulty, including for disadvantaged pupils, pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities and the most able pupils
  • ensuring that teachers provide pupils with opportunities to practise and develop their writing skills
  • ensuring that the school’s approaches to the teaching of writing and mathematics are used consistently by teachers across the school.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since her appointment in the spring term, the headteacher has carried out a swift and accurate assessment of the school’s strengths and areas for development. She has identified the areas for improvement and has put in place a comprehensive and ambitious plan for improvement.
• Senior leaders have prioritised areas for immediate action. The headteacher has delegated responsibility for areas for improvement to senior and middle leaders, for example the review and development of the school’s behaviour policy and the improvement of provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities.
• Senior and middle leaders demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the improvements that need to be made. They say that they feel empowered and well supported by the headteacher to make changes. Leaders are holding staff to account for the progress pupils are making. Frequent monitoring by leaders has raised teachers’ expectations of what pupils should achieve.
• The headteacher has evaluated staff professional development needs and has designed a programme of training. For example, mathematics and writing training is in place for all staff. Teachers have been partnered together and share good practice to develop the quality of teaching and learning across the school. This training has not yet had time to impact on the progress that pupils are making.
• Leaders have set short-term targets for disadvantaged pupils to eliminate gaps in learning. In some year groups, disadvantaged pupils have made better progress than other pupils. However, some pupils are not making as much progress as they should. Since the arrival of the new headteacher, there has been a greater focus on monitoring the progress that disadvantaged pupils are making.
• The leader for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities has a good understanding of the development of provision. She has taken steps to involve teachers more in planning for pupils’ next steps. Recent changes have not yet had time to impact on the progress that these pupils are making.
• The school’s curriculum is well balanced and is enhanced through the use of enrichment days to develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding across all subjects. Inspectors observed pupils learning about Shackleton through examining primary sources and speaking to a relative of one of the members of the expedition. Pupils’ understanding of the Vikings was developed through participation in an interactive Viking day. Pupils demonstrated a growing understanding of Viking culture and made links to other subjects, including geographical locations and what artefacts could have been made of.
• The curriculum develops pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. Pupils learn about other religions and can describe similarities and differences between them. One pupil said that she wanted to be a pilot when she is older and learning about different cultures will help her with this. Pupils understand the rule of law, and they understand the treatment and rights of children and fair trade. The school’s student council helps pupils to understand campaigning and the democratic process.
• The local authority has provided support for the new leadership team from a headteacher of a local outstanding school who is also a national leader of education. The local authority is supportive of the new headteacher and believes that she and her team have the capacity to bring about sustained change.

Governance of the school

• The membership of the governing body has changed significantly since the last inspection. Governors are experienced, with a wide range of skills to provide the necessary expertise to challenge leaders and to improve the school further.
• Since the last inspection, governors have taken decisive action to secure effective leadership. They have been unafraid to take difficult decisions to ensure that the focus is on improving the quality of teaching and learning for pupils and to raise standards.
• Governors have a secure understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They are using their comprehensive understanding of the progress and attainment of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, to hold the leadership team to account. They have high expectations for the school and are dedicated to delivering a good standard of education for pupils.

Safeguarding

• The headteacher has carried out a recent audit of safeguarding procedures to ensure that current safeguarding provision meets the requirements. The school’s single central record and staff recruitment procedures are comprehensive. Office staff are tenacious in ensuring that all safeguarding practices meet requirements.
• The designated safeguarding leaders have ensured that all staff are vigilant in keeping pupils safe from harm. Staff follow up causes for concern in a timely manner. Where pupils have left the school, staff are fastidious in ensuring that pupils are safe and any concerns are forwarded to the relevant agencies.
• The highly effective pastoral support manager has developed strong relationships with families. These relationships ensure that home–school links are strong enough to prevent incidents, or to act swiftly when concerns arise.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Due to the high turnover of teachers in some classes, leaders have been unable to secure good teaching and learning across the school.
• Sometimes teachers in key stage 2 are not using assessment information well enough to set tasks that challenge all pupils. Activities sometimes focus too much on the needs of middle-ability pupils and do not meet the needs of other pupils. Some pupils do not make as much progress as they are capable of.
• Pupils across the school are encouraged to develop their writing through daily writing practice. However, this approach is inconsistent, and, in some classes, teachers are not providing pupils with enough opportunities to develop and extend their skills independently.
• Leaders introduced a new approach to the teaching of mathematics in September 2017. This has ensured that there is a consistent approach to the systematic development of pupils’ skills. Sometimes, in key stage 2, teachers are not using their knowledge of what pupils can already do well enough. Tasks are not always adapted to challenge pupils that are more able or to support the lower-ability pupils.
• Some pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are taught in the school’s ‘Learning Hub’. Teachers plan activities to nurture and support pupils and target their specific needs. The high adult-to-pupil ratio means pupils receive additional support to help them to achieve. Occasionally, the expectations of what these pupils can achieve are too low and activities do not always meet their needs.
• There is a renewed consistency in the approach to developing pupils’ reading skills. Teachers have ensured that pupils’ reading books are at the right level to provide challenge. Teachers use the accelerated reader programme to encourage pupils to challenge themselves to read books that are more difficult. In lessons, teachers develop pupils’ inference and comprehension skills well by talking about texts together.
• Where teaching is strong, teachers use their good subject knowledge to set tasks that meet pupils’ needs. Adults use additional resources well to support pupils’ learning, particularly in the development of early mathematics skills. Teachers target questioning effectively to develop pupils’ knowledge. They use their knowledge of what pupils can already do to pitch questions that will challenge pupils’ thinking.
• Teachers in key stage 1 are using the school approach to develop pupils’ skills in mathematics well. When appropriate, teachers extend pupils’ skills to develop problem-solving and reasoning skills. Teachers provide pupils who are more able with additional challenges.
• Leaders have ensured that there is a consistent approach to developing pupils’ handwriting across the school. Teachers develop pupils’ handwriting systematically from the early years, through the school. Pupils develop a fluid and fluent style.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Workshops help to support pupils with their well-being, attitudes to their work and anxiety. From these, leaders identify pupils who require additional support in order to manage their feelings and emotions. This was particularly pertinent for pupils in Year 6 who were experiencing anxiety and were then supported during their end-of-key-stage-2 assessments.
• Adults support pupils who access the school’s ‘Learning Hub’ to help develop their social and emotional skills well. These pupils eat together, and staff encourage them to take turns and complete jobs together. Pupils are taught how to develop their awareness of dangers and to better understand their emotions.
• Pupils say that there are very few incidents of poor behaviour. If they have a problem, they know who they can talk with, and adults sort out problems quickly. Pupils say there are very few incidents of bullying.
• Pupils have a good understanding of keeping themselves safe. Children in Reception talked about the importance of holding hands with someone when crossing the road. Pupils learn about possible dangers in society, including from substance abuse. Pupils have a comprehensive understanding of how to keep themselves safe online. A pupil in Year 1 described how they would report anyone who asked for personal information to their parents or to school staff.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils around the school are polite and courteous to each other and visitors. They are happy to talk about their learning and are proud of their successes. Pupils demonstrate respect for visiting speakers and ask pertinent questions.
• Pupils’ workbooks show that pupils take pride in their work and teachers’ expectations of presentation are high.
• Around the school, pupils conduct themselves well and inspectors saw no incidents of poor behaviour. The school behaviour logs show that leaders follow up any incidents of poor behaviour effectively, and support is put in place for pupils when required.
• Pupils say that adults deal with behaviour fairly and they understand the school rewards and sanctions.
• Leaders have taken a stringent approach to securing good pupil attendance. Leaders have confirmed with parents and carers what the acceptable reasons for absence are. They have authorised fewer absences. Overall attendance has improved and is above the national average. The pastoral support leader monitors the attendance of vulnerable families carefully to ensure that pupils attend school regularly.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of key stage 2 in 2017 was in line with the national average. Pupils made progress in line with other pupils nationally in reading. However, in writing and mathematics pupils made less progress than the national average.
• The school’s own assessment information shows that the proportion of pupils in Year 6 set to achieve the expected standard will be slightly below the national average. On average, pupils are not expected to make as much progress as other pupils nationally.
• Leaders believe that, due to a legacy of inconsistent teaching, some pupils in key stage 2 will not make as much progress as they are capable of this year. The proportion of pupils working at age-related expectations will be below the national average. However, pupils’ workbooks show that where teaching has been stronger pupils have made progress in line with the national curriculum expectations.
• The progress of disadvantaged pupils is inconsistent. In the past disadvantaged pupils have not made as much progress as other pupils in the school or pupils nationally. The school’s own assessment information shows that the support in place for disadvantaged pupils is beginning to accelerate progress. In some year groups, disadvantaged pupils have made better progress than other pupils have.
• The progress of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is inconsistent and some pupils are not making as much progress as they are capable of. Changes to the provision for these pupils have not had time to impact on the progress that these pupils are making.
• The school’s assessment information shows that pupils in key stage 1 are making good progress. Due to some inconsistent teaching while pupils were in Year 1, assessment information for pupils in Year 2 indicates that the proportion of pupils working at the expected standard will be just below the national average. However, pupils’ workbooks show that they have made good progress this year.
• The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the national phonics screening check has been in line with the national average for the past three years. It is expected to be so again in 2018.

Early years provision Good

• The school’s own assessment information shows that children make good progress in the early years, with the majority leaving the early years well prepared for Year 1. The proportion of children achieving a good level of development is set to be at the national average this year. The early years leader is ambitious for the early years and aims for more children to exceed the expected standards.
• Leaders have supported teachers in the early years to develop their skills. Teachers have an accurate view of the progress children are making and their knowledge of the early years curriculum has enabled them to target children’s specific areas of learning.
• Teachers use questioning well to develop children’s learning. Activities are planned to interest children and link well to the different areas of learning. Teachers use their own subject knowledge to develop children’s skills in different areas. For example, children were encouraged to compose music and complete musical notation using pictures of the instruments they played. The teacher encouraged children to share each other’s compositions and perform pieces together.
• Teachers carefully assess the needs of disadvantaged children and provide support when required. For example, children receive additional support to develop phonics and early reading skills. The proportion of disadvantaged children expected to achieve a good level of development is in line with the national average.
• Leaders have ensured that adults support children who have SEN and/or disabilities well. When required, adults adapt activities to meet children’s needs, while ensuring that they are well included. Adults skilfully manage children’s needs to enable them to have equal access to learning opportunities.
• Children in the early years are keen to learn and participate well in their learning. They work and play collaboratively with others and have a good understanding of class routines.
• Prior to starting in the early years, staff quickly assess children’s needs through liaison with families and by visiting children in their pre-school settings. Children settle well.

School details

Unique reference number 121901 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 10047987 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 407 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Daryl Ede-Collis Josephine Garnham Telephone number 01536 723985 Website Email address www.meadowsideprimary.org head@meadowside-pri.northants-ecl.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 9 March 2016

Information about this school

• Since the last inspection, four different headteachers have led the school. Following the resignation of the last headteacher, an interim executive headteacher and head of school led the school until the appointment of the current headteacher.
• The proportion of pupils who are believed to speak English as an additional language is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is in line with the national average. The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum requirement for pupils’ progress and attainment in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed learning in a number of lessons, some of which were observed jointly with the headteacher or deputy headteacher. They observed the teaching of early reading skills and listened to pupils read. The inspectors also talked with pupils about their school and looked at examples of pupils’ work in all year groups to gain a view of the impact of teaching over time.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher, subject leaders, office administration staff, a newly qualified teacher and representatives of the governing body. The inspectors also spoke with the local authority school improvement manager.
• The inspectors spoke with parents informally and considered the 36 responses to the online parent questionnaire Parent View and the 24 responses to the staff survey.
• The inspectors looked at a range of documents, including: the school’s self-evaluation and plans for improvement; the most recent information on the achievement and progress of pupils; information relating to safeguarding of pupils; and the most recent data relating to the attendance of pupils.
• The inspectors considered the range and quality of information provided on the school’s website.

Inspection team

Helen Williams, lead inspector Elizabeth Mace Martin Fitzwilliam Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector