Moorlands Junior School

Moorlands Junior School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 106308 Local Authority Trafford Inspection number 355927 Inspection dates 18–19 November 2010 Reporting inspector Stephen Wall

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 199 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr Chris Harrop Headteacher Miss Kathryn Hiller Date of previous school inspection 13 February 2008 School address Temple Road Sale Cheshire M33 2LP Telephone number 0161 962 5452 Fax number 0161 912 3669 Email address moorlands.admin@trafford.gov.uk

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Age group 7–11 Inspection dates 18–19 November 2010 Inspection number 355927 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 1234 234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the documentation in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to 'Subscribe'. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA T: 0300 1234 234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors. Nine lessons were observed taught by seven teachers. The inspectors held meetings with representatives of the governing body, staff and a group of pupils. They observed the school's work and looked at the monitoring of pupils' progress, the school's monitoring, self-evaluation and planning for improvement and the school's documentation relating to safeguarding. The inspectors also analysed 81 questionnaires returned by parents and carers and took account of those completed by staff and pupils. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at the following.  How well different groups of pupils make progress and achieve, especially pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.  How effectively the curriculum has an impact on pupils' achievement and their personal development.  How effectively the school uses assessment data to track pupils' progress and uses

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Information about the school

This is an average-sized junior school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The school has a local-authority-funded Small Specialist Class for up to 16 statemented pupils with complex learning difficulties. A few also have significant medical needs. The local authority allocates pupils to this class. Hence, the proportion of pupils in the school with special educational needs and/or disabilities is well above average. Most pupils are of White British heritage. A minority of pupils are from a variety of minority ethnic backgrounds; a few speak English as an additional language. The school has gained the following awards: Healthy School (enhanced) status; Artsmark Gold; the Activemark; International Schools (intermediate) and Racial Equality awards.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Main findings

This is an outstanding school. At the core of its success lies outstanding provision for care, guidance and support that ensures pupils feel exceptionally safe. The outstanding curriculum is immensely rich in providing pupils with enjoyable and memorable experiences. As a result, all aspects of pupils' personal development are outstanding. Pupils' behaviour is exemplary, as is their knowledge and understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles. Pupils thoroughly enjoy coming to school, as seen in their well-above- average attendance. Their commitment to making the school happy and harmonious is outstanding. Pupils' good grasp of basic skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT), coupled with their exceptional confidence and inquisitiveness ensures that they are outstandingly well prepared for future success. The rich provision for cultural experiences, especially in music and modern foreign languages,

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Main findings

means that pupils' spiritual, social, moral and cultural development is of the highest order. Good teaching ensures that pupils make good progress and achieve well. Attainment by the end of Year 6 is above average. Teaching is purposeful and makes good use of assessment data to match tasks to the needs and abilities of different groups. Teaching is challenging and varied. However, it does not routinely encourage pupils to solve problems on their own to develop even further their skills as independent learners and thus help them make even better progress. Outstanding teaching for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, especially for pupils in the Small Specialist Class, enables them to make outstanding progress. Good leadership and management provide the school with a clear sense of purpose. Senior leaders are outstandingly successful in providing equality of opportunity, especially

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Main findings

for its most vulnerable pupils. Outstanding governance is both extremely supportive and challenging. It is pivotal in bringing an international dimension to the school's highly successful promotion of community cohesion and in supporting the school's outstanding success in forging effective partnerships. Leadership and management evaluate the school accurately. High on the list of priorities is raising attainment further. To this end, the leaders and managers acknowledge the need to make more effective use of targeted intervention and support for individuals and identified groups of pupils. Since the last inspection, high standards of attainment have been maintained and the overall effectiveness of the school has been taken a stage further. This demonstrates the school's good capacity for sustained improvement.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

 – providing pupils with more opportunities across subjects to engage in solving problems to promote further their skills as independent learners  – developing further the use of intervention and support for individuals and targeted groups of pupils.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Pupils enjoy learning. In lessons they are keen to answer questions. When given the opportunity, they contribute effectively in groups and pairs to share ideas. Pupils' excellent behaviour ensures they remain focused at all times. Pupils take great pride in presenting their work neatly. They settle to work quickly and enthusiastically. Benchmark testing on entry to Year 3 shows that, overall, attainment is broadly in line with national averages. Pupils make good progress as they move up through the school to attain above average standards of attainment by the end of Year 6. Attainment in English is rising significantly because the school has focused methodically and successfully on improving pupils' writing skills. Pupils with a statement of special educational needs for complex learning difficulties and pupils who speak English as an additional language thrive in response to the school's nurturing environment and because of the excellence of the dedicated teaching they

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

receive. Pupils demonstrate excellent knowledge of how important it is to stay healthy. Participation in the very wide range of sporting enrichment activities is exceptionally high. Pupils' excellent behaviour is evident in the respectful attitudes they show to each other and the adults working with them. Pupils enjoy the multitude of opportunities they are given to take on responsibilities. They show their badges of responsibility with great pride. Pupils are very active fund raisers for charities both locally and internationally. Pupils show ingenuity in fundraising, especially to support their partner schools in an impoverished area of India. The cultural life of the school is extremely impressive. The school orchestra and the choir are both valued. Assemblies are hugely successful in promoting spiritual and cultural appreciation. For example, an assembly given by Year 5 pupils, and conducted partly in French and German, simulated an airline flight across European capital cities

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

giving cultural information and time for reflection on cultural diversity.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

Taking into account: Pupils' attainment¹

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 2

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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1

Taking into account: Pupils' attendance¹

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The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4

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How effective is the provision?

Teaching is good overall; some is outstanding. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and use it well to challenge pupils' thinking. Teachers have very good relationships with their pupils; mutual respect is a strong feature in all classrooms. Much teaching makes effective use of pair and group work to promote pupils' skills as independent learners. However, sometimes, teachers do not encourage pupils to solve problems for themselves and this slows their progress as independent learners. In the majority of lessons, assessment information is used effectively to tailor tasks to the needs and abilities of different groups of pupils. Pupils' work is marked regularly. Comments are helpful in showing pupils what they need to do to improve. Teaching assistants are used very effectively to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school is keen to provide more support for other groups of pupils to raise attainment

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How effective is the provision?

further. Provision for pupils with complex learning needs in the Small Specialist Class is skilful, challenging and highly successful in enabling them to make outstanding progress. The taught curriculum provides pupils with a broad and relevant base for learning. It is in the enrichment activities, however, that the outstanding curriculum has huge impact on pupils' positive attitudes to school, their enjoyment and their personal development. The cultural life of the school is outstanding, especially in encouraging pupils' appreciation of music and their participation in performance. French, German and Spanish are taught skilfully to all pupils by specialist teachers, adding vastly to pupils' cultural awareness and

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

linguistic prowess. The weekly options afternoon is immensely popular with pupils. It uses expertise from staff, parents and carers and outside agencies to provide a fantastic range of learning activities in, for example, sports, handicrafts, manual dexterity and gardening. Outstanding care, guidance and support are at the heart of the school's work. Strong links with partner schools ensure pupils settle quickly into Year 3 and that pupils are excellently prepared for secondary school transition. Pupils praise teachers for helping them deal with any problems. Effective links with outside agencies ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive excellent support. The integration of pupils with complex learning difficulties into the life of the school is exemplary.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching 2

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

Good leaders and managers are driving the school forward effectively. They provide a sharp focus on improvement. The governing body provides outstanding levels of support and challenge. There is good teamwork and a sense of pride across the school. Development planning concentrates on priorities that will make the school even more effective. The monitoring of teaching and learning is regular and rigorous. It results in teachers being aware of what they need to do to make their teaching more effective. The school has forged good links with parents and carers. The school works hard to keep them informed about school life and the progress their children are making. Outstanding partnerships with other schools and outside agencies are central to the exceptionally high standards of care, guidance and support the school provides. Excellent promotion of equal opportunities and tackling discrimination enable pupils with

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How effective are leadership and management?

special educational needs and/or disabilities to be integrated seamlessly into the everyday life of the school. All pupils, regardless of background or ability, make at least good academic progress. Their enjoyment of school is outstanding. All pupils feel highly valued as individuals and they know who to turn to if they have problems. Good safeguarding procedures ensure that appropriate checks are carried out on all staff and visitors to the school. Relevant personnel receive regular training to update them on safeguarding and child protection procedures. Risk assessments are carried out on activities and the school buildings and grounds. The school takes care to identify and support pupils who may be at risk. The school accepts the need to tighten up on some minor administrative errors in record keeping. The school's promotion of community cohesion is outstanding. The school's leaders understand the school's context and plans accordingly. They are especially effective in

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

promoting a harmonious school community. The school is very active in its local community and works very effectively with other local schools. Pupils gain excellent first- hand knowledge of other cultures through the close links with its partner schools in India. For example, the recent visit of the secretary of the Hadoti project in India to the school brought home to pupils the challenges faced by deprived children in other cultures. The school is meticulous in evaluating the impact of its actions to promote community cohesion.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for leadership and management

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2

Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning

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Views of parents and carers

Most parents and carers who returned the questionnaire are very pleased with the education being provided by the school for their children. A few parents and carers expressed some concern at the progress their children are making. Inspectors looked closely at this and found that, overall, progress and achievement are good. The school is keen, however, to raise attainment further by making more effective use of intervention and support for targeted groups to improve their achievement even further. A very small minority of parents and carers also expressed concern at how effectively the school is led and managed. Again, inspectors looked carefully at this aspect and judged that leadership and management are good in being knowledgeable, caring and purposeful.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Moorlands Junior School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

The inspection team received 81 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 199 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 55 68 23 28 3 4 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 56 69 24 30 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 29 36 45 56 5 6 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 32 40 39 48 8 10 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 41 51 37 46 2 2 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 31 38 42 52 6 7 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 33 41 43 53 5 6 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 32 40 34 42 6 7 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 28 35 45 56 5 6 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 30 37 41 51 4 5 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 19 23 51 63 2 2 5 6

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 31 38 38 47 6 7 3 4

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 44 54 33 41 4 5 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils' needs.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2009 to 31 March 2010 and are the most recently published data available (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). Please note that the sample of schools inspected during the autumn and spring terms 2009/10 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Secondary school figures include those that have sixth forms, and sixth form figures include only the data specifically for sixth form inspection judgements.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils' work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school's overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

 The school's capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils' attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Moorlands Junior School, Sale, M33 2LP

Thank you for your warm welcome during the recent inspection of your school. It was a pleasure to meet you and see you at work and play. You will be pleased to hear that inspectors judge your school to be outstanding. Your behaviour, attendance and attitudes to school are all excellent – well done! The care, guidance and support your school provides are of the highest quality. The excellent opportunities it gives you in, for example, music, modern foreign languages and during your weekly options afternoons really do help you develop as rounded and interesting young people who are confident and love learning. It was heartening to learn how much you do in your community and how much you do to help those less fortunate than yourselves in far-away places such as India; again – well done! You make good progress and achieve well because of the good teaching you receive. It was especially heartening to see how well the pupils in the Small Specialist Class do and

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Inspection of Moorlands Junior School, Sale, M33 2LP

how well integrated they are into the whole life of the school. In order to help you make even better progress, I am asking the school to do two things:  provide you with more opportunities to solve problems for yourselves in lessons so that you develop even better skills as independent learners  provide more intervention and support for different groups to help you achieve even better. I am confident that you will continue to work hard and help your school go from strength to strength in the coming years. I wish you all every success for the future.

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www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please

telephone 0300 1234 234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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