Setting

Aviation House 125 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0300 123 1231 F 020 7421 6855 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Mrs J MacDonald Headteacher Moore Primary School Lindfield Close Moore Warrington WA4 6UG

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technology (D&T)

Thank you for your hospitality and cooperation, and that of the staff and pupils, during my visit and that of my colleague, Amraz Ali HMI, on 21 January 2011 to look at work in D&T.

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technology (D&T)

The visit provided valuable information which will contribute to our national evaluation and reporting. Published reports are likely to list the names of the contributing institutions but individual institutions will not be identified in the main text without their consent.

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technology (D&T)

The evidence used to inform the judgements included: interviews with a governor, staff and pupils; scrutiny of relevant documentation; analysis of pupils’ work; and observation of four lessons.

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technology (D&T)

The overall effectiveness of D&T is satisfactory.

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Achievement in D&T

Pupils’ achievement in D&T is satisfactory.

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Achievement in D&T

 From their above average starting points pupils reach standards by the end of Key Stage 2 that are in line with expectations for their age. They can follow instructions to make circuits and assemble models and they know and apply health and safety rules to keep themselves and others safe. Pupils make step-by-step plans and can describe how they made their models and what they might improve.  Pupils are enthused by making and this is demonstrated in the detailed models that some of them make at home with their families and bring in to show their teachers.  Pupils’ work and teachers’ assessments do not capture sufficiently pupils’ progress in developing knowledge and understanding of materials and how effectively they use this to develop their own ideas and make decisions about their work.

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Quality of teaching of D&T

The quality of teaching of D&T is satisfactory.

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Quality of teaching of D&T

 Teachers make adequate use of the training and professional development that they receive. They know how to construct safely and to make models in relation to each of the activities in the topic. However, some teachers are less confident when instructing pupils in how to use tools correctly, for example when sawing wood. Pupils are keen to follow instructions and to do the right thing. This was demonstrated well in pupils’ extended concentration and in the care that Year 6 pupils took to work accurately when measuring the thickness of card.  Not all pupils are clear about what they have to learn or the skills they need to practise and improve during the lesson. This is because the quality of lesson planning varies and where there are plans they focus more upon what pupils will do rather than what they are to learn. Consequently, teaching is not focused securely on challenging individuals and groups to

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Quality of teaching of D&T

develop a sound understanding of D&T and to accelerate their progress. Mostly pupils’ work shows an overemphasis on decoration rather than designing.

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Quality of the curriculum in D&T

The quality of the curriculum in D&T is satisfactory.

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Quality of the curriculum in D&T

 The curriculum provides a broad range of opportunities to work with materials and is enriched by visits, visitors and after-school clubs. These help to develop pupils’ awareness of technology around them, such as canals and bridges. Planning ensures that pupils are using practical skills within most topics but generally there is insufficient focus on the needs of users and product analysis and for pupils to apply what they find out to developing their own ideas and products.  Pupils enjoy making food and using ingredients but such opportunities diminish for pupils in the upper key stage.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management in D&T

Leadership and management in D&T are satisfactory.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management in D&T

 School leaders have successfully created an enthusiasm for designing and making and have put making at the centre of a creative curriculum. Monitoring and evaluation have identified where teachers require training and support to teach practical skills but have not ensured that teachers understand the differences and similarities between D&T, and art, craft and design. Consequently, pupils’ learning is not always planned effectively or their progress monitored and assessed rigorously enough to ensure that they achieve in D&T as well as they do in their other subjects.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

 ensuring that teachers are clear about the differences and similarities between D&T, and art, craft and design to enable them to plan lessons that are focused on what pupils must learn to develop securely their D&T capability  reviewing the curriculum to ensure that pupils have more opportunities to learn about food and ingredients, to investigate how products meet users’ needs and have opportunities to develop their own ideas and products.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

I hope that these observations are useful as you continue to develop D&T in the school.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

As I explained previously, a copy of this letter will be published on the Ofsted website. It may be used to inform decisions about any future inspection. Except in the case of academies, a copy of this letter is also being sent to your local authority.

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