Abbey Meadows Primary in Cambridge is a good school which provides outstanding care, guidance and support for its pupils and their families, according to Government inspectors.
A team from OfSTED – the Office for Standards in Education – praised the quality of teaching, the behaviour of pupils and the leadership of the headteacher.
Abbey Meadows Primary in Cambridge is a good school which provides outstanding care, guidance and support for its pupils and their families, according to Government inspectors.
A team from OfSTED – the Office for Standards in Education – praised the quality of teaching, the behaviour of pupils and the leadership of the headteacher.
Teaching was rated as good. “Pupils learn well because they feel secure and well supported in class. Behaviour is managed well. Teachers work closely with teaching assistants to provide as much help as possible to individuals.
“The curriculum has recently been thoroughly reviewed and is good. It rightly gives a high priority to developing basic literacy, numeracy, science and computer skills. Strong features include good provision in art and drama. There is an outstanding range of provision for pupils with learning or social difficulties,” said the inspectors’ report.
They said the pastoral care and support given to pupils was outstanding and contributed strongly to their good personal development.
“At the heart of the school’s success are the outstanding care, guidance and support that staff offer pupils and their families. Working very closely with a wide range of other professionals in the area, teachers help to overcome any barriers to learning so that pupils feel secure and confident.
“Provision for the wide range of additional needs of many pupils and their families is extremely effective,” added inspectors.
Pupils in turn were highlighted for their good behaviour and attitudes. “Pupils’ personal development is good. They behave well and show respect for others. They are enthusiastic and achieve well,” said the report.
“Pupils develop their personal qualities well throughout the school because of clear guidance and support from adults. Their moral, social and cultural development is good,” it added.
Inspectors said new headteacher Chris Beddow had built well on the school’s successes. “He has led good initiatives in staff training, the increased delegation of responsibilities and effective monitoring and self-evaluation.
“One of his first priorities was to establish a new senior team and this has been done well. These staff communicate a shared vision and clear awareness of how the school can continue to improve,” they said.
“There are high expectations of what staff and pupils can achieve and school targets are challenging,” the report concluded.
The school was encouraged to make sure assessment was equally rigorous in English, mathematics and science, and to agree an overall strategy for the school’s further development and how this will be communicated.
Headteacher Chris Beddow said, “I am really pleased with the report and feel it reflects all the hard work that has been done over the last few years at the school. It has given parents, children and teachers a real boost and is an ideal platform to build on as we develop Abbey Meadows even further.”
February 6th 2008