Moat Hall Primary School

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

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Inadequate 4 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The quality of the provision has improved greatly so that children get a good start in the Nursery and Reception Years and make good progress.  Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics, as well as in art, music and science.  Leaders have successfully improved the quality of teaching and learning so that now the great majority of teaching is good. There are more outstanding lessons than there has been before.  Lessons consistently meet the needs of all the pupils in the class.  Pupils’ good behaviour and improved attendance contribute well to a happy and supportive school.  Pupils enjoy learning a variety of subjects. They particularly enjoy art and music, where they produce work of a very high standard.  Leaders and managers, including the governing body, have been very effective in overcoming the weaknesses identified in the previous inspection. The local authority, together with

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

the staff and headteacher of a local school, has also provided good support.  The school no longer needs much external support because it has a good capacity to improve by itself.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Achievement in writing is not at the same high level as achievement in reading and mathematics.  At times, pupils become distracted from their work and do not pay full attention.  Some pupils have limited experiences and vocabulary. This limits their writing.  When they read books by different authors, pupils do not identify good examples of writing which they can then use when they write for themselves.  Not all subject leaders have observed teaching in their subject to identify and tackle any weaknesses.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors visited lessons in each class and observed 17 lessons, half of which were observed jointly with senior leaders. The inspectors also heard a number of Year 3 pupils read.  Meetings were held with governors, members of staff and groups of pupils. The inspectors spoke with a representative of the local authority on the phone.  There were only two responses to the online questionnaire for parents and carers (Parent View) and these were too few to be available to inspectors. The inspectors took account of comments made by parents as they were collecting their children from school.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s information on pupils’ progress, records of senior leaders’ monitoring of the work across the school and documents relating to safeguarding.  The inspectors also drew on evidence from the previous monitoring visits.

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Inspection team

Michael Smith, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Lucy Maughan Additional Inspector

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Full report

In accordance with section 13 (4) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

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Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is average. This is additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, pupils with a parent in the armed forces and those looked after by the local authority.  Around a tenth of pupils are supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs. A slightly higher proportion is supported through school action. Both of these are around the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  There is an independent breakfast club on the school site, which is inspected separately.  In February 2012, the school was judged to require special measures. The school has received monitoring visits in July 2012, November 2012 and February 2013.  The week before the inspection the school had been flooded, which caused some disruption.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement in writing by:  getting pupils to identify good examples of writing when they read and then using these to improve the quality of their own written work  teachers modelling good use of a wide range of words and phrases in order to extend pupils’ vocabulary  making explicit use of pupils’ work in subjects such as art and music, when they consider emotions and feelings, to enhance their writing.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the capacity of the leadership of the school by ensuring that all subject leaders observe teaching in their subjects, to identify weaknesses and then to support staff to improve their teaching.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start school with skills below those expected for their age. Teachers accurately track children’s progress from the outset. They provide opportunities for children to develop their skills, particularly in language and communication and number. Consequently, children make good progress and are well prepared when they transfer to Year 1.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils read well throughout the school. They enjoy reading and are able to construct words by using the different sounds that letters and groups of letters make (phonics). They can explain why they prefer one author to another.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement in mathematics has improved greatly since the last inspection and is now good. Pupils often have opportunities to investigate mathematical problems and to work out relationships and connections for themselves. This helps them to understand the concepts better, and they can then apply their numeracy skills. Lessons often include opportunities for pupils to develop mathematics as part of their topic work; for example, by looking at how Ancient Egyptians used fractions.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement in writing has improved greatly but it is not yet as high as that for reading and mathematics. Pupils have a good understanding of how to use the correct grammar and punctuation.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils now make good progress in lessons. They have been able to make up for the slower progress they had made in previous years so that attainment is now average in reading and mathematics, although it remains a little below average in writing. Over time, the proportion of pupils who make the progress they should is average. The proportion making better than expected progress has improved greatly and is average in reading and mathematics and close to average in writing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress in art and music, which they thoroughly enjoy. As well as practising skills with practical work, pupils learn how to appreciate art and music. They think about emotions and feelings. However, these experiences are not used as a stimulus to improve their written work.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Good support for disabled pupils and those who have special education needs means that they make good progress. Teaching assistants work well with individual pupils both within class and also when pupils are taken out of class for additional support for their writing, mathematics or reading.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school uses pupil premium funds well to support pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals by giving additional support for reading and number work, when necessary. The school carefully checks how well pupils are progressing. The gaps in average levels between these pupils and others at the end of Key Stage 2 for reading, writing and mathematics have fallen. In 2012, they were almost a year behind other pupils, whereas they are now less than a term behind. This gap is much narrower than that found nationally.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching has improved and is mainly good, with examples of outstanding lessons. Lessons are well planned to take account of the different ages and ability groups. Teachers check how well pupils are progressing and then change pupils’ work, either to support them if they are struggling or to give harder work if they are completing tasks easily.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Well-planned lessons for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage give them opportunities to work well when they are supported by a teacher or an adult and when they are able to decide for themselves what they are going to do. Adults check how well they are progressing and then use this information to improve each child’s learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In reading lessons, pupils read well either to an adult or to themselves. Teachers make sure that pupils tackle any problematic words by using the different sounds that letters, or groups of letters, make. If pupils are falling behind their classmates, they receive good individual or group support to help them to catch up quickly.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have improved their teaching of mathematics so that pupils now make good progress. Teachers sometimes use investigations to help pupils to make connections for themselves; for example, when investigating which numbers have an even number of factors and which have an odd number. Lessons often include real-life problems for pupils to practise their calculation skills, including extended problems which need pupils to work well together. These activities increase pupils’ interest and engagement, as well as their understanding.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils are improving the quality of their writing. Teachers show them how to use correct grammar and punctuation. They also identify how writing can be made more interesting and complex; for example, in using adverbs and adjectives. Pupils also have good opportunities to write as part of their topic work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils often rehearse their writing by talking through what they want to write or by acting out scenes which may be linked to their topic work. However, pupils do not have an extensive vocabulary. They are not given enough opportunities to use the good and imaginative writing that they see in the books they read by different authors to influence their own writing.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of many subjects other than reading, writing and mathematics is good because teachers have very good subject knowledge and they share their enthusiasm and enjoyment with pupils. For example, pupils were observed playing a tune based upon the Morse code using glockenspiels. Pupils are taught how to appreciate art and what they should consider when looking at pictures. Art is also used as part of mathematics. For example, pupils consider symmetry when drawing Rangoli patterns, and use mathematical language to reproduce a Klee painting.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching allows pupils to reflect on how they fit into the world. This, along with religious education and assemblies, helps to support pupils’ good spiritual awareness. For example, making models of the solar system made pupils aware of the expanses of space. Pupils learn about a variety of cultures; for example, the ancient cultures of Rome and Egypt, as well art and music. Pupils enjoy taking part in the choir and many take extra music lessons to learn how to play an instrument

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well and have positive attitudes in lessons, where they enjoy learning. Around the school, pupils are polite and cooperative.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school makes sure that pupils know how to keep themselves and others safe. This includes good information, relative to the pupils’ ages, of the dangers of substance abuse, including smoking and alcohol. They also understand about relationships linked to families and marriage and changes which happen as they grow up.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ moral development is good. For example, the Eco-club makes sure that pupils are aware of issues related to the environment, including building a bug hut to try and help bees and other insects. Pupils develop good social skills by working well together. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children learn to play and to share.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Bullying is rare but pupils are aware it does occur. When this has happened the school has been quick to act and has used the incident to inform all pupils that this is not acceptable behaviour. Pupils understand the different types of bullying, including that associated with disability or about pupils who are new to the country. In discussion, they explained what teachers had done to make sure they knew what to do if there were any incidents using computers.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 On occasions, pupils need reminding of the school’s expectations about how they should behave during lessons.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and other senior leaders have been very effective in supporting staff to bring about significant improvements to the quality of teaching and learning and to raise achievement. The areas identified as inadequate in the previous inspection have been improved so that now the school is judged good.

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The leadership and management are good

 The deputy headteacher has worked very effectively to collect and analyse pupil progress information to inform teachers how well their groups are progressing and also to identify any underachievement. Any variation is identified and then investigated, so that any pupil who is falling behind receives suitable additional support to make up for lost ground. This has given the school a far better understanding of how well it is doing and which areas need improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 There is an effective system to check on the quality of teaching and learning. This is linked to the process by which teachers who meet their targets are suitably rewarded. Teachers have been helped to improve through good professional development opportunities, including observing teachers in the partner school, Gorsemoor Primary . As teachers have become more confident, they have identified which areas they want to improve and have then been supported.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school provides good pastoral care for its pupils. There are good relationships with parents and carers, as well as local residents. Parents and carers spoke very supportively of the school and of its management.

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The leadership and management are good

 Staff plan work for each year group around a theme. Subject leaders check plans to make sure that pupils cover all of the work they need to and advise staff how they can include activities to better engage pupils. Lessons are enhanced with a very wide range of clubs and after-school activities, including a well-attended engineering club. Pupils enjoy competitive sport, including football and cheerleading. They also learn to swim. The school has received a number of awards for its work, including those for eco-schools and the inclusion quality mark. The school has been designated as dyslexia friendly and has healthy schools status.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupil premium funding is used effectively in all years. Funds are used to support pupils with additional reading, writing opportunities or number work. The school carefully analyses the effectiveness of its various interventions and can identify that, for some pupils, they make two terms’ progress with their reading in just one term.  Local authority support, along with that of the Local Leader of Education from Gorsemoor Primary School, has helped the school improve. There has been good support for literacy, mathematics and for the Early Years Foundation Stage. The local authority school improvement adviser is a frequent visitor and has supported the school and governing body to bring about the necessary improvements.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has rightly concentrated on improving the quality of reading, writing and mathematics. Subject leaders for these areas have been successful in supporting staff to improve their practice by observing lessons and looking at work in pupils’ books. Similar opportunities have not been available for the subject leaders of other subjects.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body provides strong support to the staff within the school so that leadership has improved greatly and is now judged good. It now has appropriate information on how well pupils are progressing. This has enabled it to hold the school to account and to identify any areas which appear to be doing less well than others. It also enables it to identify the impact of additional support for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs or those who are supported through the pupil premium. The governing body has ensured that safeguarding systems meet all current requirements. It also checks the arrangements to make sure that teachers who consistently perform well are rewarded. Governors visit the school frequently and work with different year groups or classes to gain a good overview of how well the school is improving and then to report back to the full governing body.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 124191 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 420589

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Maintained Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 385 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Anthea Staples Headteacher Andrew Bramwell Date of previous school inspection 9 February 2012 Telephone number 01922 857005 Fax number 01922 857005 Email address office@moathall.staffs.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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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School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

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. 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

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School details

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

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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