Pens Meadow School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 May 2025

Pens Meadow is a happy school. Pupils appreciate the help that they get with their learning and if they have any worries. They know that staff care for them. These successful relationships extend to parents and carers. They particularly appreciate that the school does what it can to give their children a good start to school life. Pupils like school and attend well despite the challenges that their higher levels of need present. They behave well and try their best in lessons. The school is ambitious for all pupils. Its curriculum helps them to practise what they have been learning in school out in their community. For example, some pupils visited the local park to look at wildlife and practise working in teams. Over time, pupils make good progress from their individual starting points. Older pupils have ample opportunities to visit local businesses and colleges for taster days. Many appreciate the time that they spend with local charities, helping to sell the goods that they make in lessons. Others talk positively about their gardening work and how they enjoy planting vegetables and seeing them grow. As a result, pupils are prepared well for their next steps in education and/or training.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, some teachers do not follow the agreed sequence of learning or ensure that activities are well matched to the learning intentions. This means that pupils form gaps in their knowledge and skills in those subjects. The school should ensure that all teachers follow the intended curriculum and select activities related to the important content being taught so that pupils can build their knowledge and skills successfully in all subjects.
• In some subjects, some teachers do not use assessment well enough to check that pupils have understood what has been taught. This means that misconceptions are not identified or addressed as quickly as they could be. The school should ensure that teachers use assessment consistently well to check pupils' understanding and adapt their teaching so that pupils can learn and retain new knowledge.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)