The Meadows School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement Errors in the legal coding of attendance have occurred. Codes indicating that pupils were attending education in other locations have been used, when absence codes would have been accurate. As a result, leaders have little clarity as to how strong attendance is because : figures are inflated.

While staff in school teach about health issues such as smoking, some pupils smoke on the school site during the school day. Leaders do not ensure that the additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is evaluated effectively. Governors do not yet hold school leaders fully to account, as the information that they are given is not precise.<...br/>
For example, they have been unable to analyse rates of absence. Too many pupils are persistently absent. Pupils' standards of spelling, punctuation and grammar, although improving, are too low by the time pupils leave Year 11.

Sometimes, the most able pupils are not pushed forward in their learning consistently well enough. The school has the following strengths School leaders have been tenacious in improving the quality of teaching and learning at the school. As a result of improvements, most pupils now make good progress from their starting points.

This includes disadvantaged pupils. The school has a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum. The programme and choice of subjects on offer meet the diverse range of pupils' strengths and needs.

Leaders have continued to improve the culture at the school. Relationships between staff and pupils are positive. Since the last inspection, exclusions and the need for restrictive physical intervention have reduced.

Most pupils' conduct in lessons and throughout the school is positive. The school has implemented a range of strategies to meet pupils' social and emotional needs. The wide range of enrichment activities helps to develop pupils' social skills well.

Their personal development is good Parents and carers are very supportive of the school. Pupils are well prepared for their next stage in education, employment or training by the time they leave The Meadows School. This is because : they make strong progress in developing their social skills and attain well in a range of qualifications.

Information about this school

The Meadows is a special school for 72 pupils aged between 11 and 16. The school currently has 58 pupils. The school makes provision for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.

All pupils have an education, health and care plan. Most pupils are of White British origin and over two thirds are boys. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is considerably higher than the national average.