The Meadows School shares a building and grounds with a mainstream upper school, Leek High School. The Meadows is a generic secondary special school and sixth form for students with a wide range of special educational needs and/or disabilities. Students attend from all over Staffordshire and sometimes from East Cheshire. Most students are brought to school by local authority transport. All students have a statement of special educational needs. The largest group has moderate learning difficulties. Other significant groups include students with autistic spectrum disorders, severe learning difficulties, and profound and multiple learning difficulties. Many students have had poor attendance and challenging behaviours before they attend the Meadows. Some have been excluded from their previous schools. Others have long-term medical and physical needs. Very few students come from minority ethnic backgrounds and none speaks English as an additional language. A much higher than usual proportion is supported by the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority). The school has also received additional funding for Year 7 catch-up this year. The sixth form has grown considerably since the previous inspection and the top floor of the school’s premises has been converted into accommodation for these students. The school’s sixth form students attend Buxton College and Leek College, supported and taught by sixth form staff as part of their programme. The headteacher has been in post since January 2013 and the leadership team has been restructured since that time.