Merlin School

Overview

Leaders have created a “warm and welcoming culture” where “kindness is at the centre of the school’s ethos.” The inspection found that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, “thrive in the school” due to highly personalised support and extremely high expectations. The school meets independent school standards and demonstrates outstanding effectiveness across all evaluated areas.

Strengths

• Staff provide “highly personalised support” through small class sizes, enabling them to “check understanding and address any misconceptions swiftly.”
• The curriculum is “ambitious” and designed to ensure pupils “build knowledge progressively over time,” helping them retain and apply learning confidently.
• Early reading is taught to a “consistently high standard” with effective phonics training, ensuring pupils who fall behind receive support to “catch up.”
• Pupils display “exemplary” behaviour, being “polite, friendly and happy,” while demonstrating “excellent attitudes to their learning.”
• Personal development is carefully planned, with pupils taught to keep themselves “healthy and safe, including online,” and supported through a wide range of cultural outings and clubs.

Areas to improve

The report identifies no significant areas for improvement.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”