Moorside Primary School

Moorside Primary School Bowerham Road, Lancaster, Lancashire, LA1 4HT

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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.  Pupils make good progress and achieve well throughout the school.  Standards by the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics are above average.  Teaching is consistently good, with examples of outstanding practice. Good relationships and the way teachers organise their classrooms help pupils to learn well.  Staff show high levels of respect and courtesy for pupils and others.  Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary and their attendance is above average. They say they feel very safe and secure in school.  The curriculum is enlivened by a wide range of enrichment activities.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development in an outstanding manner.  The care and well-being of pupils are at the heart of the school’s work.  The headteacher is an inspirational leader who has high expectations of all staff and pupils.  Leaders and governors have worked successfully together to consolidate and build

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

upon the school’s good performance at the previous inspection.  There are effective procedures for checking the school’s performance and for identifying areas for further development.  The governing body is supportive of the school and effectively holds senior leaders to account for its performance.  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:

 Not enough teaching is outstanding and when it is, the excellent practice is not shared systematically with other staff.  In some lessons there is not enough time provided for pupils to work things out for themselves.  In Key Stage 1, the activities provided in mathematics do not always match pupils’ different abilities and there are limited opportunities for pupils to solve problems in real-life situations.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 20 lessons or parts of lessons taught by 14 teachers. Two of these were joint observations with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with the Chair of the Governing Body and other governors, 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 73 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 Gillian Burrow Additional Inspector Doreen Davenport Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Moorside is larger 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.  The school has a small number of pupils in its Strategic Educational Resource Facility (SERF) for the hearing impaired.  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 by the local authority.)  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below average. Although there are a wide variety of languages in school most pupils speak English well.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set minimum expectations for

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Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  There is a privately managed pre-school and after-school provision on site which is inspected separately and the report published on the Ofsted website.  The school has gained a number of national awards, including the Basic Skills Mark, and holds Healthy School status.

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What does the school need to do to improve further

 Further raise pupils’ attainment in mathematics by the end of Key Stage 1 by: - making sure that teachers always provide work that matches pupils’ different abilities - increasing opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical calculation skills to solve real-life number problems.

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What does the school need to do to improve further

 Improve further the quality of teaching by: - sharing with staff the outstanding practice evident in school - maximising the time that pupils have to work things out for themselves.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children’s skill levels on entry to school are generally as expected for their age. They make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage, with increasing numbers reaching and exceeding a good level of development by the end of Reception. Children gain knowledge, develop understanding and learn and practise skills well.  From their different starting points the proportion of pupils making expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics 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 Year 6, they read widely and show much enjoyment in doing so.  Pupils write imaginatively to express their ideas. They use grammar, punctuation and spelling

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The achievement of pupils is good

accurately and take care with their handwriting.  In mathematics, attainment at the end of Key Stage 1, though above average, is not as high as in reading and writing. This stems from pupils not always being given work that matches their different ability and limited opportunities to solve number problems in real-life situations.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, including those in the SERF with hearing impairment, make good progress because well-targeted extra support is provided to meet their specific needs.  The most-able pupils make good progress because the work they are given is matched well to their ability and brings the best out of them.  The funding for pupils eligible for the pupil premium has been used effectively to raise their attainment in English and mathematics. It has been used to provide small group and individual support which is successfully narrowing the gap between pupils known to be eligible for free

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The achievement of pupils is good

school meals and other pupils in school. As a result, their attainment in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6 is close to that of other groups not supported by the pupil premium. This demonstrates the school’s successful commitment to equality of opportunity.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage, adults work well as a team to provide stimulating activities that effectively meet children’s needs. There is a good balance between activities led by adults and those chosen by children.  In Years 1 to 6, teachers expect the best from their pupils who respond positively by getting on well with their work. Teachers manage classrooms well so that lessons run smoothly and little time is wasted. Questioning is used well to find out what pupils know and to deepen their understanding.  Teachers have secure subject knowledge and so are able to explain and demonstrate new ideas and techniques clearly and confidently. They have improved their use of marking since the previous inspection, particularly in writing. As a result, pupils are clear about what they have achieved and what they need to do to improve further.  In some lessons, pupils are not given sufficient time to work things out for themselves.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants are deployed well to support all pupils, particularly disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium.  Teachers ensure that the most-able pupils are given work that stretches them and challenges them to do their best.  In the best lessons, pupils were given highly motivating activities that captured and maintained their interest and very effectively met their individual needs. This was evident in an English lesson for pupils in Year 5, in which they made excellent progress in planning a character that fits a set story, using powerful verbs.  Teachers promote pupils’ spiritual and moral development very effectively by encouraging them to think about the wonders of the world around them and by providing opportunities to discuss the impact of their actions on others. They foster pupils’ social development by giving them

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The quality of teaching is good

opportunity to work collaboratively. Teachers effectively use the diverse nature of pupils’ backgrounds to promote pupils’ cultural development.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Whether working independently, as part of a group or in whole-class lessons, pupils consistently show a love of learning. Pupils’ attitudes are equally high in all classes and across subjects. They show a great deal of interest and enthusiasm in all they do.  Behaviour in and around school is exemplary and creates an extremely welcoming and friendly atmosphere in which to learn. Pupils are highly considerate and very supportive of each other in lessons.  Parents, staff and pupils are extremely positive about both behaviour and safety. Pupils are fully aware of the different kinds of bullying, such as cyber- and physical bullying. They say there is no bullying in school and are very confident that staff would deal with it if there was.  There is a thorough understanding among pupils of how to keep themselves and others safe. The curriculum very effectively develops their knowledge and understanding of dangers

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

associated with roads, railways, water and the use of the internet. Pupils are very clear about the action to take if a stranger approaches them.  Pupils say they feel very safe in school at all times, saying that ‘teachers and friends always look out for you.’ They are proud of their school and show much enjoyment in all aspects of school life. Pupils’ attendance is above average and they arrive on time so there is no time wasted in beginning activities.  Pupils willingly take on a variety of responsibilities, such as being a school councillor or a playground buddy. They carry out these roles diligently and, in so doing, enhance school life.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has a clear view of how successful the school can be. Leaders and the governing body are ambitious for the school and show determination in driving forward improvements.  The role of middle leaders has been improved since the previous inspection. As a result, they have a clear understanding of the school’s performance and the action to take to bring about further improvement.  There are rigorous procedures for checking the quality of teaching. Outstanding practice has been identified but is not shared systematically with other staff in order to further develop their expertise.  The management of staff performance and training of teachers and other adults successfully meets whole-school and individual staff needs. There is a clear link between the performance of teachers and their salary progression.  There are thorough procedures for checking the school’s performance and in identifying areas

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The leadership and management are good

for further development. The targets set for improvement are challenging and measurable in terms of how successful they are proving.  The promotion of equality of opportunity and tackling of discrimination is good.  Leaders and governors place a strong emphasis on pupils’ care and well-being. They work successfully with a variety of agencies to provide strong support for those pupils whose circumstances might put them at risk.  The local authority provides ‘light touch’ support as it rightly has confidence in the ability of the school’s leadership to continue making improvements.  The school has used the new Primary School Sport funding successfully to improve the quality and breadth of physical education and sport provision. The range of after-school sports clubs has been extended and professional coaches employed to further the expertise of staff in teaching a variety of sports. There has been increased pupil participation in sporting activities.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum provides well-organised, imaginative and effective opportunities for all groups of pupils. It promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development in an outstanding manner. It is enhanced by a variety visits, such as to Lancaster Museum as part of their work in history about the Romans.  The governance of the school: - Governors know the school’s strengths and weaknesses and systematically challenge senior leaders about its performance. They understand the data relating to the school’s performance and know how the management of performance is used to improve staff expertise and reward good teaching. Governors have an accurate view of the quality of teaching and ensure that safeguarding requirements are met. They hold the school to account for the way in which the funding for pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is used to raise their achievement. Governors have a good understanding of how leaders are using the new Primary

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The leadership and management are good

School Sport funding to improve sports provision. The governing body ensures the efficient management of financial resources.

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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 119273 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 426253

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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 4-11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 413 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sarah Dodd Headteacher Roger Shone Date of previous school inspection 3 October 2008 Telephone number 01524 66516 Fax number 01524 848837 Email address office@moorside-pri.lancs.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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