Moston Lane Community Primary School

Moston Lane Community Primary School Moston Lane, Moston, Manchester, M9 4HH

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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.  Achievement is good. Since the last inspection senior leaders have improved aspects of teaching and this has accelerated the rate of pupils’ progress across the school.  Children start Nursery with levels of skills and understanding that are well below those typically expected nationally. The majority that continue through school leave at the end of Year 6 with standards close to those expected nationally. This represents good progress for pupils in all groups.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. They show good attitudes to learning in the classroom and caring attitudes towards each other, staff and visitors outside the classroom. Pupils feel that school is a very safe place to which they enjoy coming to learn and this is reflected in the improvement in their attendance.  The headteacher and senior leaders are clearly focussed on improving standards within the school. Pupils’ progress is now much more

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

closely tracked and monitored, and pupils who fall behind are more quickly identified and their progress addressed. This continued commitment to improving pupils’ achievement shows the leaders’ ability to make the school even better in the future.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils’ progress in writing, particularly that of the more able, is not as good as in reading and mathematics because the work set does not always meet the needs of this group sufficiently well.  When marking pupils’ books, teachers do not always give consistent guidance on how to improve.  Senior leaders do not always use data on pupils’ performance as effectively as they could to improve pupils’ achievement over time.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 21 lessons and parts of lessons taught by 19 teachers. Joint lesson observations were undertaken with the headteacher. The inspection team also listened to pupils from Years 1, 2 and 6 read, and examined the quality of work in the books of pupils from across the school.  The inspection team held meetings and had discussions with pupils, senior leaders, members of the school staff and members of the governing body, and held a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority.  The inspection team had informal discussions with 22 parents at the start of the school day. They also took into account the views of 25 parents who made their views known through the on-line questionnaire (Parent View).  Twenty four members of staff also made their views known to the inspection team.  The inspection team studied health and safety documentation, teachers’ curriculum planning,

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Information about this inspection

documents relating to the procedures to check the performance of staff and the school’s system for checking pupils’ progress.

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Inspection team

Marian Thomas , Lead inspector Additional Inspector Adrian Martin Additional Inspector Sheila Mcloughlin Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Moston Lane Community Primary school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Pupils who attend come from a diverse range of backgrounds. Approximately two thirds of pupils are from families of White British heritage. Around one third are from minority ethnic groups including African and mixed heritage as well as a small number from Eastern European and Traveller backgrounds. A small number of pupils are from refugee families.  Almost three times the average proportion of pupils is eligible for the pupil premium. (The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children that are looked after.)  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs supported through school action is more than twice the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special

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Information about this school

educational needs is smaller than the national average.  The school meets the current floor standards set by the government for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Over the last three years 22% of the school’s population has been made up of pupils who have entered the school at times other than at the beginning of the school year.  The school has a range of awards and accreditations including Healthy Schools Gold status, Arts Mark and Leading Aspects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching from good to outstanding and improve the outcomes in writing, particularly for higher attaining pupils, by:  ensuring that work set for pupils meets their needs accurately and is neither too hard nor too easy  improving the quality of marking and feedback to pupils so that they are clear about the next steps to improving their work.  Ensure that senior leaders use data on pupils’ achievement to plan the next steps for improving the school’s performance.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The vast majority of pupils start school with skills that are well below those typically expected for their age. Many also start school at times other than the beginning of a school term. Those that remain in school until the end of Year 6 leave with attainment that is broadly in line with that expected nationally in English and mathematics. The majority of those that arrive midway through the school year also make good progress once they have settled in to school routines. This represents good achievement overall.  Year 6 pupils are currently making good progress and are on course to improve on last year’s national test results despite their very low starting points at the end of Year 2. However, progress in writing is not yet as rapid as in mathematics and reading particularly for the group of higher attaining pupils.  Nearly all children who join Nursery start with social, language and numeracy development well

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The achievement of pupils is good

below that typically expected for their age. They make good progress during their time in the school’s Nursery and Reception classes and leave with skills and knowledge closer to those expected nationally. Staff are skilled at recognising children’s needs and they provide a diverse range of interesting activities, both inside and through outside play, which engage children well. This good start is clearly recognised by parents some of whom have joined the school’s parenting classes even before their children start at the school. This early input ensures that children settle quickly and understand what is expected before they come to school.  Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 were low last year. This was because of a higher than usual number of pupils leaving and joining the school at different points during the year. School records show that this downward turn has now been reversed and pupils are set to reach levels

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The achievement of pupils is good

that are in line with those nationally at the end of Key Stage 1 this year.  Although many pupils often have yet to reach age-related expectations they make good progress in Key Stage 1 in English and mathematics because of the good teaching they receive. Slightly fewer Year 1 pupils than the national average achieved the expected performance in the phonics screening check, which tests pupils’ ability to link letters to sounds. However, the vast majority of those that did not, have now reached the expected standard.  Reading is well promoted across the school and pupils say how much they enjoy reading. The school recognises that for many pupils there are difficulties in practising their reading skills at home and this has often been a key to why they have not made sufficient progress. A well- organised reading volunteer scheme has now been set up which supports pupils’ reading in school and has boosted pupils’ reading scores significantly.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment for the two thirds of pupils who are eligible for free school meals was lower than for others nationally in the tests at the end of Year 6 in 2012 by approximately one term. Attainment was also lower in comparison to others in school. Current tracking information shows attainment for this group has improved and is closer to that expected nationally.  The recent improvement made by this group is because school leaders have been effective in their use of pupil premium monies to support pupils. For example, the school has identified the needs of individual pupils new to English and has used a computer-based translation programme and further staff to support and accelerate their progress across the curriculum.  School staff are good at identifying and providing for the extra needs of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs and this group makes equal progress in English and

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The achievement of pupils is good

mathematics to others in the school.  Parents spoken to feel that the school values all its pupils equally. They commented on how quickly they and their children felt part of the school community. This highly supportive approach ensures that all groups make equally good progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Progress observed in pupils’ books and in lessons observed during the inspection confirmed that teaching is good overall and in a small number of classrooms it is outstanding.  While teachers make learning fun and enjoyable for pupils, they are also sensitive to the needs and previous experiences of pupils. An example of this sensitivity could be seen in a Year 6 lesson on drug awareness. At the start of the lesson pupils were asked to undertake a confidential assessment which enabled staff to evaluate the levels of understanding and experience of pupils around the use of drugs. This highly thoughtful approach allowed staff to plan for the needs of individual pupils.  The majority of teachers are good at using information about how well pupils are doing to plan future lessons. However, learning is not always as well planned, particularly in writing, for more- able pupils and work set can be too easy. This is recognised by pupils themselves who

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The quality of teaching is good

commented that sometimes ‘work can be boring because it is too easy and we finish it too quickly’. When this happens higher achieving pupils do not always make as much progress as they should.  Parents of children who attend Nursery and Reception classes feel that the school gives their children a very good start. One parent’s comment summed up the feelings of many, ‘Both my child and I love coming here. The staff have helped both of us to feel welcome’. Teaching is lively and interesting and staff work exceptionally hard to give children wide and varied opportunities to learn.  Strong working partnerships between teachers and support staff are evident across the school. This leads to good quality provision for all pupils and particularly those with disabilities and special educational needs, whose additional needs are well supported in classrooms.  All teachers mark pupils’ work diligently. However, feedback offered to pupils on how to improve

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The quality of teaching is good

their work is not always sufficiently clear and as a result pupils are unsure of what is needed to improve. This slows pupils’ progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Learning is rarely interrupted by incidents of difficult behaviour. Pupils say that school is a safe and happy place. Parents feel that the school is harmonious and welcoming and that any incident of bad behaviour is dealt with effectively by staff.  Pupils feel valued as members of the school community and a comment made by one summed up the feelings of many new to the school, ‘You are only new here for one day’. Those spoken to during the inspection said that staff, ‘treat everyone the same no matter what language you speak, just like one big happy family’.  Pupils spoken to know how to stay safe and were clear about the different forms bullying can take. They feel this is helped by posters on display in school reminding them of what constitutes bullying behaviour and also through the good quality advice and guidance given by staff, for example, in the school’s internet safety policy.  Attendance has improved since the last inspection and is now above the average expected for

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

primary schools. A consistent approach is taken by all staff and much importance is attached to regular attendance and punctuality in school. Pupils take pride in belonging to the class with the highest attendance, as evidenced by one parent’s comment, ‘My daughter was ill last week, but was disappointed at not being able to come to school as she didn’t want to spoil her class’s attendance score for the week’.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s leadership team has a clear understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement within the school. The headteacher, deputy and assistant headteacher work very closely together and have a clear vision of how to make the school more successful. With support from the governing body they have continued to maintain and build upon the school’s performance since the previous inspection.  A determined approach has led to a marked increase in the progress made by pupils from low starting points. This success demonstrates the ability of school staff to bring about further change and improvement.  Although school leaders carefully track and monitor pupils’ progress they do not yet successfully use this data to plan school improvements. For example, school leaders are not always successful at extracting data on the progress of different groups and using it to plan successfully how to bring about improved outcomes for these pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teaching is effectively monitored across the school and effective action is taken by the headteacher through the management of staff’s performance to improve areas of weakness. As a result, the quality of teaching has continued to develop since the last inspection. However, further improvement is needed in a small number of classes if teaching is to become outstanding overall.  School leaders ensure that performance targets for staff link directly to pupils’ achievement and targets within the school’s development plan. Checks on the performance of staff are undertaken rigorously and the headteacher uses this information to make decisions on teachers’ pay.  The school’s curriculum is good. A residential visit undertaken by Year 6 pupils to an Outward Bound centre was described by one pupil as, ‘Amazing because I did things I never dreamed I would have the chance to do’. These experiences increase pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and

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The leadership and management are good

cultural understanding well.  The local authority feels the school is well led and managed and has, since the last inspection, offered light-touch support to the school.  The governance of the school:  School governors bring a broad range of skills and experience to the governing body. In partnership with senior leaders they have developed an effective system for checking the performance of all staff which rewards good teaching and addresses any underperformance. They manage pupil premium funding prudently and this careful management has enabled them to give valuable support to eligible pupils and increase their rate of progress. They have yet to undertake further training in analysis of pupil achievement data but they offer school leaders sufficient support and challenge in all other areas of the school’s performance. Safeguarding procedures and policies within school are undertaken to a good standard. The

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The leadership and management are good

health and safety committee carries out regular inspections and has ensured that safeguarding procedures meet current requirements.

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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 105428 Local authority Manchester Inspection number 411944

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 444 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Hazel Rock Headteacher Judy Kerton Date of previous school inspection 18 May 2010 Telephone number 0161 2053864 Fax number 0161 2057721 Email address j.kerton@mostonlane.manchester.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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