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This inspection rating relates to a predecessor school. When a school converts to an academy, is taken over or closes and reopens as a new school a formal link is created between the new school and the old school, by the Department for Education. Where the new school has not yet been inspected, we show the inspection history of the predecessor school, as we believe it still has significance.
This inspection rating relates to a predecessor school. When a school converts to an academy, is taken over or closes and reopens as a new school a formal link is created between the new school and the old school, by the Department for Education. Where the new school has not yet been inspected, we show the inspection history of the predecessor school, as we believe it still has significance.
Main findings
Merley First is an outstanding school. Through excellent leadership and management, the curriculum and teaching have improved exceptionally well since the last inspection and both are of high quality. Reception children get off to an excellent start and pupils continue to make rapid progress throughout other year groups.
As a result, pupils' achievement is outstanding and, by the time they leave in Year 4, attainment is much higher than is usual for this age. Excellent attention is given to providing for pupils' needs and interests, and setting very high challenges which are nearly always met. This, together with the outstanding partnerships the school has with a wide range of other schools and organi...sations, helps pupils develop a thirst for learning.
They very much enjoy school, a fact fully validated by their parents and carers, so attendance levels are high. Assessment is an integral part of all lessons so that pupils develop an especially good awareness of how well they are doing and where to improve. There is an excellent focus on helping pupils develop important literacy, numeracy and science investigation skills so that they apply these especially well in a range of situations, including solving problems.
Strengths such as these prepare pupils especially well for the future. Pupils achieve exceptionally well in important aspects of their personal development. They show considerable maturity, play an excellent role in the life of the school and local community, and have an outstanding awareness of how to achieve healthy and safe lifestyles.
It is no surprise that the school has gained a national award. The headteacher has been particularly successful in creating a very strong staff team which works exceptionally well to drive up progress and attainment, ensuring that the gap between attainment in English and mathematics is closing quickly. The governing body is scrupulous in fulfilling its statutory duties, and supports and challenges the school well.
The school's approach to self-evaluation is accurate and rigorous. Very comprehensive and rigorous systems for monitoring the quality of provision and pupils' progress mean any weaknesses are speedily identified and addressed. As a result, the school is especially good at meeting the needs of different groups; boys and girls perform equally well and those pupils who find learning difficult often make outstanding progress.
Development planning is exceptionally well focused on important priorities, with staff continually seeking ways to enhance provision. These strengths give the school an excellent capacity for improvement. Pupils are well cared for, including through effective procedures to keep them safe and free from harm at all times.
The procedures to support good attendance are especially effective. The support and guidance for pupils is good overall. Strong systems to support good behaviour ensure lessons proceed at a brisk pace, although a small minority of pupils with behavioural problems find it difficult to manage their own behaviour, especially during playtimes.
The school's excellent assessment and tracking procedures are especially effective in helping the school to monitor and support pupils, including the very small minority who need specific help. However, the targets set for a very small number of pupils who have specific support programmes are not always detailed enough to allow the school to track these pupils' subsequent progress accurately.
Information about the school
This is a large first school where there are two classes in each year group.
Most pupils are of White British heritage and very few speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is broadly average. These mainly relate to specific learning, behavioural, emotional and social, and speech, language and communication needs.
The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is low. The school holds the Healthy School, Rights Respecting School Level 1 and Investors in People awards. The Early Morning Club run by the school provides out of school care.
