St Mary's CofE Primary School Moston

St Mary's CE Primary School Moston Inspection report

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Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 29–30 May 2012 Inspection number 377261 Unique Reference Number 105545 Local authority Manchester Inspection number 377261 Inspection dates 29–30 May 2012 Lead inspector Robert Birtwell

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 231 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Joyce Roberts Headteacher Maureen Curley Date of previous school inspection 17 November 2008 School address St Mary's Road Moston M40 0DF Telephone number 0161 681 0407 Fax number 0161 682 7949 Email address head@st-maryscofe.manchester.sch.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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Introduction

Robert Birtwell Martin Pye Additional Inspector Additional Inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Inspectors observed nine teachers and visited 14 lessons, including one joint observation with the headteacher. In addition, they listened to pupils read and visited an assembly. Meetings were held with groups of pupils, staff and members of the governing body. Inspectors observed the school's work, and looked at the school’s self-evaluation evidence, school improvement plans, safeguarding documents and records of internal and external monitoring of the school. Inspectors also analysed questionnaires completed by 39 parents and carers and those completed by pupils and staff.

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Information about the school

St Mary’s is an average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above the national average. The majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds, although the proportion coming from minority ethnic groups is increasing. There are few pupils who speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average. The school meets the current floor standard, which is the government’s minimum expectation for attainment and progress. The school holds Healthy School status and an Extended School award. 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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Key Findings

 This is a satisfactory school. Pupils are well cared for, feel safe, behave well and enjoy the many opportunities provided to participate in school life. It is not yet good because there are inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and learning which lead to variations in the progress made by different groups of pupils. Schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Key Findings

 Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Throughout the rest of the school, pupils make satisfactory progress, so that by the end of Year 6, attainment is average in both English and mathematics.

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Key Findings

 The impact of teaching on pupils’ learning over time is satisfactory. Some good teaching was observed during the inspection, especially in the Early Years Foundation Stage, but this is not consistent across the school. At times, teachers over-direct learning leaving too little opportunity for pupils to work things out for themselves or develop their independent learning skills. The quality of marking is inconsistent. It generally helps pupils to improve their work, but often does not give precise enough information about how well they are doing.

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Key Findings

 Behaviour is good. Pupils are welcoming and polite and have positive attitudes to learning. They show responsibility for others through schemes such as the Friendship Squad. They feel safe and enjoy school. This is shown by their attendance which is above average and improving.

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Key Findings

 Leadership and management are satisfactory. Leaders have managed the performance of teachers satisfactorily and teaching overall has improved since the previous inspection. However, information from the monitoring and tracking of pupils’ progress is not used as effectively as it might be in order to identify trends over time and sharply focus priorities for improvement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate progress and raise attainment, especially in writing and for middle ability pupils by:  focusing more on improving pupils’ skills in spelling, punctuation, grammar and sentence construction  providing more opportunities for writing across the curriculum.   Improve teaching so that it is at least good or better by:  ensuring that assessment information is used consistently to plan lessons that challenge all pupils  providing more opportunities for pupils to develop independent learning skills  ensuring that teachers’ questions enable pupils to develop their answers fully  ensuring that all pupils know how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that leaders and managers at all levels make better use of monitoring information so that development planning is more sharply focused on raising standards.

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Achievement of pupils

Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that are typically low in relation to the expectations for their age. During their time in the Early Years Foundation Stage, they make good progress in most areas of learning. In lessons, progress in reading is faster because staff pay close attention to the development of early literacy skills. By the time children are ready to move to Year 1 most are reading at the level expected nationally.

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Achievement of pupils

Attainment at Key Stage 1 dipped in 2010 to below average overall. In 2011, it improved and was average in reading, writing and mathematics. By the end of Year 2, attainment in reading is broadly average. At Key Stage 2, attainment in English and mathematics has been broadly average for the last three years. Inspection evidence of pupils’ current learning and progress and the school’s data show that attainment in Year 6 continues to be average, including in reading. Pupils’ progress is in line with that expected given their starting points showing that they make satisfactory progress. Achievement in mathematics is slightly stronger than in English. This is because pupils attain less well and make less progress in writing than in reading. While the teaching of reading and phonics is well organised, there is insufficient focus on improving pupils’ skills in spelling, punctuation, grammar and sentence

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Achievement of pupils

construction. Pupils are not provided with enough opportunities to develop and practise their writing skills across all subjects. The achievement of more-able pupils has improved well since the previous inspection. Middle ability pupils make satisfactory progress but in comparison with the more-able their overall achievement is not as strong. This is because they are not always challenged sufficiently. In a Year 6 science lesson , for example , the teacher demonstrated irreversible changes and pupils recorded their observations. However, there were missed opportunities for middle ability pupils to experiment and discover things for themselves. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs learn and make the same progress as their peers because of well-planned support and intervention. Most parents and carers who returned questionnaires believe that their children are well taught and are making good progress at the school. Inspectors found that this is not

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Quality of teaching

Teaching is satisfactory and there are examples of good practice. No inadequate lessons were seen. Inconsistencies remain, however. The use of prior assessment information is inconsistent and not all activities in class meet pupils’ individual learning needs closely enough. More-able pupils are adequately challenged, but this is not always the case for middle ability pupils. In a Year 4 mathematics lesson, for example, more-able pupils were asked to devise their own classification for sorting shapes which involved them in a thorough discussion of different techniques for sorting, while middle ability pupils were not always challenged. Good planning and well-targeted support for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs ensures that they are involved fully in lessons. Good relationships between teachers and pupils are a strength of the school and most pupils engage well in their learning.

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Quality of teaching

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, there is a good balance of adult-led and child-initiated tasks, and indoor and outdoor activities. Children are provided with plenty of opportunity to investigate, explore and make choices. As a result, there is much meaningful discussion and conversation that helps children to develop communication skills.

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Quality of teaching

The best teaching challenges pupils by a fast pace and ample opportunity to develop their independent learning skills by solving problems, discussing and working things out for themselves. This was seen during a Year 5 history lesson, when pupils talked with a partner to investigate questions about historical research and Florence Nightingale. Lessons such as this also promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively.

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Quality of teaching

Where teaching is satisfactory the pace of learning is slower. Teachers talk for too long and over-direct learning activities. Pupils are not always challenged to find things out for themselves. They remain passive for too long and questioning does not allow them to develop answers sufficiently. In such lessons, some pupils become restless and progress slows.

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Quality of teaching

There are inconsistencies in the marking of pupils’ work. At best there are detailed comments telling pupils how to improve via ‘moving on comments’ or ‘two stars and a wish.’ However, there are fewer comments to tell pupils how well they have done and the level at which they are working. Pupils say that they are generally told how to improve their work, but they are less sure about how well they are doing.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils enjoy school and behave well. They are polite, courteous and most are keen to learn and show positive attitudes in lessons and around school. Incentives, rewards and behaviour management strategies are applied consistently across the school and pupils have a very clear understanding of what is expected of them, and what is right and wrong. Attendance has improved steadily due to the school’s determined actions and is now above average. There are good relationships between pupils and adults, and pupils mix freely and play well with each other. Almost all parents and carers agree that behaviour is good. A small number expressed concern about disruption in some lessons, but inspection evidence shows that behaviour is typically good in lessons and learning flows smoothly.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils say they are ‘definitely’ safe, and all parents and carers who returned questionnaires agreed that their child feels safe in school. Pupils develop a good awareness of how to keep themselves safe and what constitutes unsafe situations. For example, they know about ‘stranger danger’ and are taught how to keep safe on the internet. They value visits from the police and fire service, which help them to have a better understanding of road safety and the dangers of fireworks. Pupils have a good knowledge of different types of bullying, including cyber-bullying and bullying as a result of prejudice. They say that there is very little bullying, but that when it happens it is quickly sorted out.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

A strong feature of the school is the opportunities pupils have to take on responsibility. For example, the Urban Crew help to look after the school environment and the Gardening Club manages a vegetable garden. This gives them a better understanding of sustainability issues. Pupils in the Friendship Club help younger children so that the younger children feel more secure and the older children develop responsibility. They apply to become members and are interviewed by other pupils. This makes a good contribution to their spiritual, moral social and cultural development.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Very good behaviour was seen during an extended assembly presented by one class to the rest of the school. The presentation was impressive and included child-led dance, drama and reading. It was very well received by the pupils and parents and carers present who clapped and laughed loudly in appreciation. The whole occasion was enjoyed by everyone.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher and senior leadership team have a clear vision which is communicated effectively and shared by all staff. There is a concerted approach to school improvement and a determination to do the best for all pupils. One parent commented that ‘all staff are friendly and helpful and committed to the best possible future for each child.’ School leaders, in conjunction with the governing body, promote equality of opportunity satisfactorily and tackle discrimination effectively. While development planning identifies key priorities for improvement it is not focused sharply enough on raising pupils’ achievement. Information from monitoring and tracking of pupils’ progress is analysed but this is not done rigorously enough to ensure all pupils make the best possible progress. Middle leaders are beginning to play a more prominent role in the monitoring and evaluation of performance and influencing improvement.

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Leadership and management

Since the previous inspection, the school has been successful in raising the achievement of more-able pupils, increasing attendance and improving outdoor provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage. This reflects the school’s satisfactory capacity to sustain improvement.

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Leadership and management

Although teaching is satisfactory, effective performance management and continuing professional development have led to an increased proportion of good teaching across the school. The school has used external partners, including links with a local teaching school, to increase teachers’ awareness and improve their practice. This remains an important priority for the school. The curriculum is broad and balanced. There is a good range of after-school clubs and activities which pupils enjoy. A variety of trips and visits extend pupils’ learning experiences and awareness of other faiths and cultures. For example, recently there have been visits to a Jewish museum and a Buddhist centre.

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Leadership and management

The school is a harmonious, inclusive community which values each individual. As a result, pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strongly promoted throughout their time in the school.

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Leadership and management

Parents and carers appreciate the efforts the school makes to keep them informed and engage with them. For example, before children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage they are visited at home to discuss their child’s start in school.

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Leadership and management

The governing body supports the school well and is becoming increasingly effective in challenging the school to improve. Members are linked to key subject areas and assist the school in various ways such as listening to pupils read or helping to improve the school environment. They ensure that all safeguarding and child protection policies and practice meet requirements.

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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. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. 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

Nursery schools 54 42 2 2 Primary schools 14 49 32 6 Secondary schools 20 39 34 7 Special schools 33 45 20 3 Pupil referral units 9 55 28 8 All schools 16 47 31 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The data in the table above are for the period 1 September to 31 December 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ).

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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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

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school's efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils' punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and 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

Floor standards the national minimum expectation of attainment and progression measures

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and 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.

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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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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils' freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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

findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of St Mary's CE Primary School, Moston, M40 0DF

I would like to say a big thank you for making us so welcome when we visited your school recently, especially to those who spoke with us at lunchtime on the first day. As we left the school one pupil asked me how well you had done. We think that pupils behave well. You are polite, keen to learn and get on very well with each other, your teachers and other adults in the school. You help the school in so many different ways and told inspectors that you feel safe and enjoy school a lot.

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Inspection of St Mary's CE Primary School, Moston, M40 0DF

We think that St Mary’s is a satisfactory school. All the adults work hard for you and look after you carefully. You make satisfactory progress in your work. You do your best work in mathematics and we have asked your school to help you improve your writing. We want you to be challenged more in your lessons because we know that you can reach even higher standards in your work. We have asked the teachers to give you more opportunities to be independent and work things out for yourselves, and to tell you how well you are doing more often.

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Inspection of St Mary's CE Primary School, Moston, M40 0DF

We know that you want to achieve the best you can and you can help to make your school better by continuing to work hard.

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Inspection of St Mary's CE Primary School, Moston, M40 0DF

Thank you again for helping us with the inspection. We wish you all the very best for the future.

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Inspection of St Mary's CE Primary School, Moston, M40 0DF

Robert Birtwell Lead Inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted's website: 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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