Moorside Primary School

Moorside Community Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 108492 Local Authority Newcastle Upon Tyne Inspection number 367381 Inspection dates 5–6 May 2011 Reporting inspector Alison Thomson

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 464 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rev Richard Deadman Headteacher Ms June Foster Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected School address Beaconsfield Street Newcastle-upon-Tyne Tyne and Wear NE4 5AW Telephone number 0191 2720239 Fax number 0191 2261635 Email address j.foster@moorside.newcastle.sch.uk

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Age group 3–11 Inspection dates 5–6 May 2011 Inspection number 367381 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 123 4234, 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 123 4234 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 four additional inspectors. The inspectors observed 16 teachers and 20 lessons, and held meetings with members of the governing body, staff and groups of pupils. They observed the school's work and analysed 175 questionnaires from parents and carers, 100 from pupils and 32 from staff. The team also looked at documents and policies, including those relating to the safeguarding of pupils, information the school had collected about the pupils' progress and the school's records of its monitoring of the quality of teaching. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.  Current attainment and progress, particularly the progress different ethnic groups of pupils make and that of higher-attaining pupils.  In lessons, how effectively teachers challenge pupils and involve them in assessing how well they are learning.

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Introduction

 How effective middle leaders are in monitoring and evaluation.

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Information about the school

Moorside Community School is much larger than average for a primary school. The proportions of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those from minority ethnic groups, including those who speak English as an additional language, are much higher than average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average. Currently, there are no pupils with a statement of special educational needs. Since September 2009, the school has been in a hard Federation with Westgate Hill Primary School. The school has a new leadership team with a part-time executive headteacher, a full-time head of school and two assistant headteachers. The school manages a breakfast club. The school has many awards, including Healthy School status for the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. The number of pupils who enter and leave school during the school year is very high and increasing. Separate childcare provision shares the

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Information about the school

school site, but this is not managed by the governing body and is subject to a separate inspection.

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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

Moorside is an outstanding multi-cultural school with excellent community cohesion. Outcomes for pupils are outstanding because their achievement is good and many aspects of their personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, feeling safe, understanding of a healthy lifestyle, contribution to the community and behaviour, are excellent. The school is very highly regarded in the local community and staff and pupils are very proud to belong to the school. Parents and carers are extremely positive about all aspects of the school and the following comment sums up the views of many: 'I have been so lucky to have my children taught at Moorside Primary'. Since the previous inspection, outstanding outcomes have been maintained and many aspects have improved, particularly in respect to pupils' personal development. Safeguarding is outstanding with first-rate quality assurance and risk assessment systems.

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Main findings

This, along with exemplary care, guidance and support, contributes strongly to pupils feeling extremely safe and well looked after. Pupils are known well as individuals and there is a strong focus on respect, resulting in superb relationships and behaviour which impact very well on learning. Equality of opportunity for all pupils is outstanding, aided by an extremely rich curriculum. Teaching has improved considerably and is good overall, although occasionally there is some lack of challenge and during lessons pupils do not always receive enough guidance on how to improve. Nevertheless, the combination of a stimulating curriculum and effective teaching ensure pupils from all ethnic backgrounds and all abilities make good progress and are closing the gap towards the levels expected for their age. Members of staff are particularly skilled at helping those who enter partway through the year, many of whom do not speak English as their first language. As a result

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Main findings

of excellent individual and small-group support, these pupils soon make up lost ground and progress well. Such is the case for all pupils who are in danger of falling behind. A focus on higher-attaining pupils ensures that their progress is also good, in line with their peers. The dynamic executive headteacher and her strong leadership team are central to the success of the school. Subject leadership is improving, especially in the monitoring of progress and identification of priorities. Although the monitoring of teaching is stronger it is not always sharply focused on previously identified areas of improvement or on pupils' learning to ensure all teaching is consistently of the high standard that this school expects. Engagement with parents and carers is excellent leading to strong improvements in attendance, which is now average. However, there is still too much absence due to a very small minority of families having extended visits abroad.

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Main findings

The school's very accurate self-evaluation has led to outcomes being maintained at a high level or improved upon. This, along with the highly cohesive drive and ambition of the

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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

staff and the well-focused support of the governing body, indicates that the school has a good capacity for further improvement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment and accelerate progress by: increasing the amount of outstanding teaching by ensuring pupils are always sufficiently challenged and actively involving them in assessing how well they are learning observing lessons with a closer focus on learning and previously identified areas for improvement.  Further raise attendance to be above average by: convincing all parents and carers of the detrimental effect on their children of extended absences.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Pupils' outstanding behaviour plays a major part in their learning. This was seen to very good effect in a Year 3 science lesson on light and electricity, where pupils cooperated very well with each other to build real and virtual circuits. This also illustrated well their particularly good information and communication technology (ICT) skills. Improved performance of higher-attaining pupils was exemplified in a Year 6 mathematics lesson where pupils thoroughly enjoyed calculating percentage price reductions on a virtual shopping trip. The learning and progress of all groups of pupils are good, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who speak English as an additional language and those who enter partway through the year or are only in school for a relatively short time. This is because they have well-targeted support and the work is matched well to their individual needs. Although attainment overall is generally slightly

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

below that found nationally at the end of Year 6 it is rising in reading, writing and in mathematics, with more pupils reaching higher levels. This represents good progress from levels of skills which are mainly well below what is expected on entry to the school with many having very limited skills in speaking English. Pupils enjoy and embrace the many opportunities provided for responsibility, such as Young Leaders, helping to support younger children at breaks and lunchtimes, including promoting healthy lifestyles by leading their play. They said how much they enjoyed helping to prepare healthy meals in the school's community café, some of whose customers are from the local community. The school council has a very influential voice and councillors take their role very seriously. They are very proud of their involvement in designing a remembrance garden in the school grounds for a former member of staff.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Pupils' basic skills, including strong ICT and involvement in many enterprise activities, such as selling fruit at playtimes, prepare them well for their future. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Pupils are extremely courteous and thoughtful and say that they know so much about other cultures because they have so many friends of different ethnicities. They told the inspectors that they like school the way it is and wouldn't change anything. When asked to describe their school, one pupil said, 'It's just a really good place to be.'

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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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2

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?

A key strength of the school is the way it looks after its pupils as individuals, particularly those who are most vulnerable because of their circumstances, right from the start of the day at the breakfast club. Planning to meet individual needs, including those with specific learning difficulties and those who speak English as an additional language, is robust and the pupils' progress is carefully monitored. Those pupils who join the school beyond the normal starting points are quickly integrated into the life of the school, so that they make similar progress to others. This is aided by the competent and confident support given by learning support assistants, both in class and in small groups. The school is rigorous in following up absences and this has contributed significantly to the pupils' improved attendance, although there are still some absences due to extended visits abroad. Links with the neighbouring secondary schools are very strong, enabling pupils to make a

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How effective is the provision?

smooth transition and quickly settle into their new schools. The excellent quality curriculum is very effective in supporting pupils' personal development, as well as their academic achievement. For example, the wide range of enrichment activities in sports and the arts provide stimulation and enjoyment as well as laying firm foundations for the future. Residential trips to places such as Wooler are very much looked forward to and help pupils to become confident young people. Pupils told the inspectors how much they enjoyed visiting the Centre for Life in Newcastle and learning

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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

about the stars and planets. The taught curriculum meets individual pupils' needs particularly well and basic skills, including ICT, are firmly embedded throughout. Good and occasionally outstanding teaching is characterised by interesting activities and brisk pace. Teachers are enthusiastic and relationships are excellent. In a Year 5 design and technology lesson to design eco-friendly bird boxes, pupils were successfully encouraged to discuss ways of improving their designs. Role play is used well to enhance learning. In a Year 2 English lesson, pupils were encouraged to use persuasive descriptive language to convince Mr Twit, the puppet, of various facts. Teachers usually assess pupils well throughout the lesson, but sometimes pupils find it difficult to say how well they are learning as this has not been made sufficiently clear to them. This limits pupils' ability to accelerate their progress. Marking is thorough and helpful and shows the next steps pupils

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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?

A highly cohesive leadership and management team is driving the school forward and is expertly steered by the executive headteacher and the head of school. Leaders and managers at all levels are providing the school with a very clear vision and direction that has had a significant impact on maintaining and improving on already excellent outcomes. The whole staff shares a clear commitment to raising achievement, team spirit is robust and everyone's contribution is valued. Self-evaluation is extremely rigorous and incisive. Any previous gaps in performance, such as those of White British pupils and higher- attaining pupils have closed rapidly. This, along with the cohesive and harmonious nature of the school community and the school's zero tolerance to racism, indicates that equality of opportunity is outstanding. The school clearly knows its strengths and what to do to improve even further very well. High expectations can be seen in the determination to be

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How effective are leadership and management?

more incisive than at present in monitoring teaching and learning to extend excellence in teaching and so increase progress. Safeguarding is excellent and the school is held as a model of best practice in the local authority. Checks in all areas are thorough and up to date. Engagement with parents and carers is first class and there are very effective lines of communication, aided by the parent link workers. Effective partnerships have raised achievement as can be seen in science with the support of a local engineering firm. The school has helped to raise the effectiveness of the partner school in its federation and has also benefitted itself in many ways, including its ICT provision.

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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

Community cohesion action plans, following an incisive evaluation, are embedded very well and impact is substantial. The school hosts many events for the community and has extensive links with other schools in the United Kingdom and internationally, that reflect different socio-economic and ethnic make ups. All this impacts very successfully on pupils' contribution to the wider community and to their understanding of other cultures. Governance is good. Members of the governing body are knowledgeable, hold the school to account well and are helping to drive it forward. The school provides excellent value for money.

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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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1

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

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children enter nursery with varying skills, but generally are much lower than those expected, especially in communication, language and literacy and in mathematical development. Effective welfare arrangements and close relationships with parents and carers ensure children feel safe and secure and settle quickly. Most children develop very good attitudes to learning, socialise well together and share activities. They quickly learn routines, for example the nursery's 'magic train,' when they line up to move to another part of the school. Children who speak English as an additional language do exceptionally well in learning to communicate in English and to accept and respect differences in their cultures. Throughout their time in the Early Years Foundation Stage children gain much in confidence and make outstanding progress in many aspects of their personal development, including dispositions and attitudes. Literacy and numeracy skills are not as

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Early Years Foundation Stage

well developed, particularly so in reception. However, progress is good for the majority and they enter Year 1 with improved skills in these areas, but below the levels expected for their age.

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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

There are many exciting opportunities for purposeful play, especially indoors although occasionally there are missed opportunities outdoors to promote and support reading, writing and mathematics. This is especially true of activities to stimulate and challenge boys' creative development. There is a good balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities and in the nursery there are some excellent links between the different areas of learning. Children were seen building on their recent farm visit, with a variety of activities that included singing 'Old MacDonald had a farm' and making animal biscuits. Staff carry out high quality observations regularly to assess what the children know and can do. These assessments indicate good progress although information is not always used effectively to plan next steps in individual learning. Management is good and adults work effectively together as a team and know what is needed to make provision even better.

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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 Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

Nearly 40% of parents and carers returned the questionnaire. They were very positive about all aspects of the school's work, particularly the extent to which the school keeps their children safe, the good quality of the teaching and the extent to which their children enjoy school. The inspectors judged that the extent to which pupils felt safe is outstanding. The enjoyment of the children was very evident. A few parents and carers did not agree that the school dealt well with unacceptable behaviour or sought and acted upon their views. Inspectors followed up these concerns and felt that the school manages behaviour extremely well and that it was outstanding. Inspectors also found much evidence that the school does respond very well to requests from parents and carers, for example in providing seating outside and bike racks.

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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 Moorside Community Primary 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 175 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 464 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 108 62 62 35 4 2 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 109 62 66 38 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 66 38 90 51 12 7 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 78 45 82 47 11 6 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 87 50 80 46 3 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 76 43 82 47 10 6 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 80 46 90 51 4 2 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) 62 35 94 54 8 5 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 62 35 94 54 7 4 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 62 35 86 49 16 9 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 52 30 91 52 15 9 2 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 65 37 96 55 6 3 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 87 50 81 46 6 3 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 2010 to 31 December 2010 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 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. Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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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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5AW

Thank you for warm welcome you gave the inspectors when we visited your school recently. We really enjoyed talking to you and we are very grateful for the excellent contribution you made to the inspection. Your school is an outstanding one. Your behaviour is exemplary and you work well together in lessons. You have an excellent understanding of a healthy lifestyle and you make a first rate contribution to your school and the local community. We enjoyed seeing the beautiful remembrance garden that you helped to design. You told us that you feel very safe in school and that adults look after you very well. We have asked your headteacher to make the school even better by:  always giving you work that challenges you and makes you think  making it clear to you what it is you should be able to do in each of your activities so that you can always tell if you are learning well  making sure that when other adults are observing your lessons they look more

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5AW

closely at how well you are learning  convincing your parents and carers of the importance of coming to school regularly. You can help by letting your teachers know if you do not know if you are learning well. You can also help by all coming to school as often as you can. We would like to wish you all the best for the future and hope that you continue to enjoy your time in school.

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

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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