Temple Meadow Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 10 May 2023

Pupils have a rich and varied set of experiences at Temple Meadow. From dance and performance in a purpose-built studio to gardening projects and working with artists, there are plenty of memorable activities. This very distinctive feature of the school helps pupils to enjoy attending each day and be enthusiastic about learning. Leaders and staff have high expectations for pupils. They are supportive role models, who promote worthwhile values. Leaders and staff are kind, but firm, and teach pupils the importance of respectful and safe behaviour. Most pupils respond well to these high expectations, and bullying is uncommon. However, if it does occur then staff find out what has happened and deal with it effectively. There can be some challenging behaviour at times, but staff do not let it become a problem. Consequently, classrooms are calm. Pupils feel safe and secure at school. In classrooms, the new approach to teaching reading is already making a difference. In some other subjects, the curriculum and assessment are not as well organised. Currently, leaders are working to strengthen these aspects, so that pupils are better prepared for learning at secondary school.

What the school should improve

• Leaders have not thought carefully enough about how some areas of learning in the early years link to the curriculum in key stage 1. This means that some children are not as well prepared for learning in key stage 1 as they could be. Leaders should ensure that the early years curriculum is reviewed, so that it takes more account of what children need to know to be well prepared for Year 1.
• In some subjects, the curriculum does not identify the essential knowledge that pupils should learn and when they should learn it. Staff sometimes rely on their experience and strong pedagogical knowledge rather than research-informed curriculum design. This means that pupils do not achieve as well as they could in these subjects. Leaders should review the curriculum in these subjects to take more account of current curriculum thinking. They should do this, so that all pupils are supported to make the best possible progress.
• In some subjects, current systems for assessment do not precisely identify what pupils know and understand. This means that staff are not always clear whether pupils have learned the curriculum. When reviewing curriculum design in some subjects, leaders should strengthen assessment systems, so they provide a more useful check on what pupils know and can do.

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