Setting

Mrs McSorley Moat Hall Primary School John's Lane Great Wyrley Walsall WS6 6BX

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Primary School

Thank you for the help which you and your staff gave when I inspected your school on Friday 15 October 2010, for the time you gave to our phone discussions and for the information which you provided before and during the inspection. Please could you pass on my thanks to the pupils who were all very welcoming and happy to discuss their experiences of school with me.

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Primary School

Since the previous inspection, the school’s leadership structure has altered and an acting deputy headteacher has been in place since September 2010.

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Primary School

As a result of the inspection on 13 May 2009, the school was asked to address the most important areas for improvement which are set out in the annex to this letter.

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Primary School

Having considered all the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time the school has made satisfactory progress in making improvements. The school is also making satisfactory progress in demonstrating a better capacity for sustained improvement.

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Primary School

Pupils’ achievement is currently broadly average in English and mathematics. The school has been effective in addressing under performance of all pupils in reading, writing and mathematics. Boys are now on track to attain at the same level as their national counterparts. Attainment in mathematics in 2009 was below average and the school has focused a great deal of energy on improving this subject. In 2010, attainment in writing also dipped. School leaders acted swiftly and effectively and the quality of pupils’ writing has risen and in some classes is now above average. Recent improvements to teaching are enabling pupils to make good progress in their lessons, and there are clear indications that overall attainment is improving. Serco Inspections Boundary House 2 Wythall Green Way Middle Lane BIRMINGHAM West Midlands B47 6LW OFSTED T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Primary School

SERCO Direct T 0121 683 2888 Direct email emma-jane.evley@serco.com September 2010 Page 2 The school has been well supported by the local authority. As a result, new methods of assessing and monitoring pupils’ performance have been introduced and teachers are provided with information that helps them to plan more effectively. Pupils are provided with work and tasks that match their needs well in English lessons, and progress, some of which is rapid, since the beginning of the term is apparent. High ability pupils are producing work of a good standard because they are challenged and motivated by the tasks. English is now taught in mixed ability classes. Until the start of this term, pupils were taught English and mathematics in ability based groups. Pupils are still taught in ability groups for mathematics and a scrutiny of their work showed that within these groups pupils are often provided with the same

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Primary School

work regardless of their prior attainment. As a result, progress in mathematics is not as rapid as it is in English.

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Primary School

As part of the work undertaken with the local authority, pupils now have very clear targets in English and mathematics. The school has made good progress in this area because pupils are well informed about their targets and are keen to achieve them. In addition, teachers provide pupils with a good quality of feedback about their work. Pupils’ work is consistently well marked and in some classes they are becoming involved in assessing their own progress and are rapidly improving as a result of the feedback that they receive.

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Primary School

The headteacher has a clear vision for the school’s improvement and is well supported by the acting deputy headteacher. Members of the recently revised leadership team are all now focused on ensuring pupils make better progress and their self-evaluation is accurate. The school elected to become involved in an intensive school improvement programme led by the local authority. This has accelerated pupils’ progress and has raised the quality of leadership at all levels. Effective leadership has also supported the improvement of teaching, and almost all of the lessons seen during this monitoring visit were of a good quality.

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Primary School

I hope that you have found the inspection helpful in promoting improvement in your school. This letter will be posted on the Ofsted website.

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place in May 2009

 Raise standards further by ensuring a good rate of progress for all groups of pupils, especially boys in reading and writing.

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place in May 2009

 Ensure that teachers make better use of assessment information to match learning more precisely to the needs of all pupils, particularly the more able.

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place in May 2009

 Make sure pupils know what they need to do to achieve their targets by giving them better individual guidance about what they need to do to improve.

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place in May 2009

 Improve leadership and management at all levels by ensuring monitoring and evaluation clearly focus on raising the achievement of pupils.

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