Moore Primary School

Moore Primary School Lindfield Close, Moore, Warrington, Cheshire, WA4 6UG

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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 Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  It is a very friendly and welcoming place in which to learn.  Pupils make good progress and achieve well throughout the school. As a result, the proportion of pupils attaining the expected level of attainment by the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics is above average.  Teaching is usually good and some is outstanding. Teachers have good subject knowledge and explain ideas clearly and confidently.  Pupils’ behaviour and their attitudes to learning are outstanding. They say they feel very safe in school at all times.  The curriculum promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development in an outstanding manner.  The headteacher is ambitious for the school and has high expectations of all staff and pupils.  Leaders and governors have worked successfully to maintain and build upon the school’s good performance at the previous inspection.  There are effective procedures for checking the

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

school’s performance and for identifying areas for further development.  Staff show high levels of respect and courtesy for pupils and others.  The governing body knows the school’s strengths and weaknesses and is influential in helping it move forward.  The ability of leaders and governors to carry on making improvements is good.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 There is not enough outstanding teaching.  Pupils are not always given work that matches and challenges their ability.  Teaching assistants are not always deployed effectively to promote pupils’ learning.  There are not enough opportunities for pupils to find things out for themselves.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 14 lessons or parts of lessons taught by nine teachers. Two of these were joint observations with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with the Chair of the Governing Body and other governors, parents, staff, pupils and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors observed the school's work, and looked at school documentation, including that relating to safeguarding, records of meetings of the governing body, assessment information and curriculum planning. Work in pupils’ books and displays around the school were examined. The inspectors listened to groups of pupils read.  Account was taken of the 50 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in carrying out the inspection. Account was also taken of the responses to a recent school questionnaire sent to parents to gain their views about its performance.

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Inspection team

Melvyn Hemmings, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Hilary Ward Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Moore is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  There is a below average proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium. (The pupil premium provides 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.)  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set minimum expectations for attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  There is a privately managed before-and after-school club which is inspected separately and the report published on the Ofsted website, www.ofsted.gov.uk.  The school has gained a number of national awards, including Artsmark and Activemark, and

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What does the school need to do to improve further

 Improve further the quality of teaching by:  ensuring that teachers always provide work that matches and challenges pupils’ ability  deploying teaching assistants effectively to promote pupils’ learning throughout lessons  providing sufficient opportunities for pupils to find things out for themselves.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils start school with skill levels which are as expected for their age. From their different starting points, the proportion of pupils making expected progress is above the national figure. The proportion exceeding expected progress is close to the national figure. The proportion attaining the expected level in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6 is above average. This represents good achievement.  Attainment in reading is above average at the end of Key Stage 1 and by the time pupils leave school. Pupils make good progress in reading because of the strong emphasis on developing their ability to use their knowledge of letters and the sounds they make to read unfamiliar words.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children show much enjoyment in their activities and confidently make choices for themselves. In Years 1 to 6, pupils gain knowledge, develop understanding and learn and practise skills well in different subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ writing is imaginative and holds the attention of the reader. They confidently use a range of styles, including poetry, to express their ideas. Pupils’ handwriting is neat and they use grammar, punctuation and spelling correctly.  In mathematics, pupils have well-developed calculation skills and can use them successfully to solve problems in real-life situations. They enjoy working collaboratively, such as when pupils in Year 6 were exploring the properties of different shapes, including parallelograms, rhombuses and trapezia.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. Their specific needs are identified early and well-targeted extra support is provided to meet them.  The most-able pupils make good progress because the work they are given usually matches their ability and stretches them to do their best.  The funding for pupils eligible for the pupil premium has been used effectively to provide small

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The achievement of pupils is good

group and individual support to improve their literacy and numeracy skills. As a result, the attainment of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, in English and mathematics, matches that of other groups not supported by the pupil premium.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage, adults work well together to provide stimulating and practical activities across the areas of learning. They encourage children to make choices for themselves and to take turns and share resources fairly. The outdoor area is used well to extend learning that has taken place indoors.  In Key Stages 1 and 2, teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and manage classrooms well so that little time is lost in lessons. Praise is used well to celebrate pupils’ achievements and to raise their self-esteem.  Teachers use questioning successfully to find out what pupils know and to deepen their understanding in different subjects. They effectively use information about how well pupils have learned to help them plan future lessons.  Relationships are good and contribute to the good progress that pupils make. Teachers use marking effectively to guide pupils to their next steps in learning. As a result, pupils understand

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The quality of teaching is good

in detail how to make improvements.  The work given to pupils does not always stretch them sufficiently and this slows progress at times. Some lessons are too adult directed and do not give pupils enough opportunity to find things out for themselves. Teaching assistants are not always deployed effectively, particularly during the introductions to lessons when they tend to observe what is going on rather than being actively involved in promoting pupils’ learning.  Outstanding teaching was typified by teachers providing inspirational activities that captured and maintained pupils’ interest and very effectively met their individual needs. Such teaching was evident in a mathematics lesson for children in Reception in which they made excellent progress in identifying numbers to 10 and matching numbers to sets of objects.  Teachers promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well. They

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The quality of teaching is good

encourage pupils to be curious about the world around them and have high expectations of their behaviour. There are many opportunities for pupils to collaborate and learn about cultures different to their own.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ consistently thoughtful behaviour is an outstanding factor in their successful learning and creates a very welcoming and friendly atmosphere throughout the school. Pupils are highly considerate and very supportive of each other in lessons. Behaviour around school is exemplary and pupils encourage others to conduct themselves well.  Parents, staff and pupils are extremely positive about behaviour. Pupils have a comprehensive understanding of the different forms of bullying, such as physical and internet bullying. They say bullying rarely happens and are confident that staff would deal with any incidents quickly if they occurred.  Pupils are highly aware of how to keep themselves and others safe. The curriculum very effectively develops their understanding of the potential dangers associated with roads, railways, water and the use of the internet. Pupils know the action to take if approached by a stranger.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils say they feel very safe in school at all times. Their enjoyment of school is shown by their above average attendance and the way they arrive at school on time. Pupils commented that, ‘We like coming to school because everyone is friendly and adults look after us really well.’  Pupils are very keen to learn, showing a great deal of interest and enthusiasm in all they do. They take great pride in themselves and their school.  There are many opportunities for pupils to take on responsibility, such as being a member of the school council or a peer mentor to ensure pupils get on well with each other. They are very keen to be involved in these roles and carry them out diligently. By doing this they add to the life of the school and give all pupils a voice in how the school develops.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher is highly ambitious for the school and leads by example. Senior leaders and governors work well together to drive forward improvements. They successfully encourage all staff to do their best and morale is high.  The management of staff performance and training of teachers and other adults effectively meets whole-school and individual staff needs. It has ensured that the key issue from the previous inspection of raising attainment in writing has been successfully addressed. There is a clear link between the performance of teachers and their salary progression.  The quality of teaching is checked carefully by leaders. The school’s procedures for identifying priority areas for improvement are good. Leaders regularly check if the action taken to bring about improvement is proving successful.  The school has used the new primary sport funding effectively to improve the quality and breadth of physical education and sport provision. The range of after-school sports clubs has

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The leadership and management are good

been extended and professional coaches employed to improve pupils’ expertise in different sporting activities. There has been increased participation in sporting activities.  The promotion of equality of opportunity and tackling of discrimination is good. Leaders carefully check the progress of individual pupils and groups. As a result, if any extra support is necessary it is identified at an early stage and put into place to bring about improvement.  The local authority rightly has confidence in the ability of school’s leadership to continue making improvements and provides light touch support.  Relationships at all levels are good and contribute to pupils’ learning and development.  The curriculum is well organised and provides effective opportunities for learning. It promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development extremely well. The curriculum is enriched by a wide variety of well attended extra-curricular activities and visits, including

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The leadership and management are good

residential stays for pupils in Key Stage 2.  The ability of leaders and governors to carry on making improvements is good.  The governance of the school:  Governance is good. Governors understand the data relating to the school’s performance and know how the management of performance is used to improve staff expertise, tackle underperformance and reward good teaching. They know the school’s strengths and weaknesses and take part in regular training to maintain their effectiveness. The governing body ensures that safeguarding requirements are met. Governors hold the school to account for the way the funding for pupils eligible for the pupil premium is used to raise their achievement. They manage the budget effectively.

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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 110990 Local authority Halton Inspection number 426233

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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 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 206 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Janet Gould Headteacher Janet MacDonald Date of previous school inspection 25 September 2008 Telephone number 01925 740326 Fax number 01925 740326 Email address head.moore@halton-borough.gov.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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