As you will all be aware, in May, Monteagle was visited by Ofsted for a monitoring inspection of Good Schools. This inspection would not change our grading of Good but thoroughly looked at all of the areas that make a good or outstanding school. We had an incredibly successful inspection and it is something we are all rightly very proud of. I wanted to share some of the highlights of the report with you. We are particularly pleased that the report captured so much of the astounding work we do here each and every day for our children.

We continually aim to be a truly outstanding school.

Report Highlights:

  • Pupils enjoy attending Monteagle. They feel happy, safe and well looked after. Staff are ambitious and have high expectations. Pupils work hard in lessons and produce good quality work in different subjects. They behave well because expectations are clear. If misbehaviour occurs, leaders act swiftly.
  • The curriculum is enriched through a range of experiences. These usually include visits to museums and other sites in London, visits to the coast and overseas visits to France. Pupils have benefited from working with professionals, such as from the Royal Opera House.
  • Monteagle Primary School is at the heart of its community. Staff know its families well and have supported them through providing food banks, parenting classes and adult education. All these make a positive difference to pupils’ learning and well-being.
  • Pupils’ reading is a priority, starting with children learning phonics in the Nursery. Leaders assess pupils’ reading regularly. Those that fall behind are supported to catch up by well trained staff. Most pupils develop into confident readers, who are motivated to read widely.
  • Pupils follow a broad curriculum. Schemes of work have been reviewed and match the content of the national curriculum. Some subjects are sequenced very well. For example, in history, leaders have identified migration as an idea they want pupils to understand. This is developed over different time periods, from the Romans through to the recent migration of workers to the local area. Pupils develop a better understanding of this concept as they move through the school because they learn about it in different contexts.
  • In the Additional Resource Provision, leaders are clear what they want pupils to know and understand. The curriculum is broken down so that pupils can practise what they need to learn.
  • Pupils concentrate and behave well in lessons. At breaktimes, they join in with organised games and play sensibly with their friends. Most parents who responded to the online survey stated that behaviour was well managed.
  • Pupils enjoy a range of extra-curricular activities that develop their interests in music, sport, science and technology. Leaders have found ways of providing these experiences despite COVID-19 restrictions. For example, the end of year musical will be performed online to the local nursing home rather than the usual live performance to residents.
  • Staff feel well supported by leaders. They told inspectors that leaders managed workloads effectively and that they felt involved in decisions about the school.
  • Staff are well trained to recognise and report any concerns they have. Leaders work closely with external agencies, securing swift support for pupils and families, when required.
  • Leaders understand the risks pupils might face in the local area. They have ensured that such risks are addressed through the curriculum. For example, work has taken place with older pupils on the risk of gang crime and radicalisation. Most parents who completed the online survey stated that their children were safe and happy at school. Pupils told inspectors that they felt safe. They knew how to stay safe online and knew whom to report any concerns to.

You are able to read our full report online via the Ofsted Website.