Two Moors Primary School

Two Moors Primary School Cowleymoor Road, Tiverton, EX16 6HH

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Early years provision Good 2

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Pupils’ levels of attainment in reading, writing and mathematics in national tests at the end of Year 6 have not improved since the last inspection and remain below the national average.  The achievement of most groups of pupils is not good enough. In particular, pupils’ basic literacy and numeracy skills are not well developed.  Teaching is not consistently good enough. This is because pupils are not always challenged and stimulated at the level needed to secure their good progress.  Teachers do not check pupils’ understanding sufficiently to ensure that pupils know what they need to do to improve and how to achieve this.  Over time, actions taken by the headteacher to improve teaching have been hampered by continuing staff change. As a result, they have not always been effective in raising pupils’ attainment quickly enough.  Strengthened leadership, including by governors, has not been functioning long enough to secure

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

consistently good or better teaching across the school.

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The school has the following strengths

 The headteacher, senior staff and governors provide effective team leadership that is now sustaining a faster pace of improvement in teaching and pupils’ achievement.  Pupils’ positive attitudes to learning and good contributions in lessons are key elements in improving their progress.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils are well cared for and know how to stay safe.  The school is a welcoming place where excellent relationships and pupils’ good behaviour strongly promote the pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development.  Children are taught and achieve well in the Nursery and Reception classes.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning during 28 lessons and other activities oustide classrooms. They observed some lessons jointly with the headteacher and deputy headteacher.  The inspectors observed pupils and spoke with pupils during morning and lunch breaks. They also observed two assemblies and the school’s breakfast club, and visited the ‘Forest School’ outdoor learning activity.  Meetings were held with two representative groups of pupils. Specific groups of pupils read to an inspector and other pupils were spoken to during the inspection.  The lead inspector met with a group of governors. He also met with a representative of the local authority.  A number of parents were spoken to by the inspectors as they brought their children to school. The inspectors also took account of the 36 parents’ responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, in planning and undertaking the inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 School staff, mostly senior leaders, were interviewed. The inspectors considered 41 questionnaires from staff.  The inspectors examined all aspects of the school’s work, including teaching, learning, safeguarding and leadership. Inspectors looked at a number of documents, and these included the school’s own information about pupils’ progress, and the planning of lessons and quality of teaching and learning.  Inspectors consulted records relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance. They checked the school’s safeguarding policy, procedures and practice.  The inspectors considered the school’s primary sport funding action plan.  The inspectors also examined the school’s work in updating procedures for checking pupils’ progress within the new National Curriculum.

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Inspection team

Alexander Baxter, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is much larger than the average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupils attending the school are of White British heritage.  One in five of the pupils in the school is a disabled pupil or has special educational needs. This proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above the national average and varies significantly from year to year across the school.  One in four of the pupils in the school is supported by the pupil premium. This is additional government funding provided to give extra support to disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for free school meals or who are looked after. This proportion of disadvantaged pupils is slightly below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Children in receipt of Early Years provision attend the school’s Nursery on a part-time basis and transfer

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Information about this school

on a full-time basis into two Reception classes. Other pupils in the school are taught within single-age classes.  Before- and After-school clubs are in operation in the school each day, but they are managed independently from the school and not included in this inspection.  The school has experienced several changes in leadership and teaching staff since the previous inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make sure that teachers in reception record the next steps that children need to make so that all staff and parents have a clearer picture of how to promote even better progress.  Secure consistently good or better teaching across the school to improve pupils’ achievement by ensuring that all teachers:  set work for all pupils that is at the right level of difficulty and stimulates their interest so they are fully challenged and enthused to attain the standards they are capable of reaching  consistently check that pupils understand what is expected of them and how to improve their work .  Improve the progress and attainment of all groups of pupils in English and mathematics, especially by the end of Year 6, by:  improving pupils’ punctuation, spelling and grammar skills  developing pupils’ knowledge of basic number facts in order to increase their ability to calculate.

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The leadership and management are good

 Determined leadership by the headteacher is encouraging all staff, pupils and, increasingly, parents to support the drive to secure more consistently good teaching, pupils’ behaviour and achievement. This is now improving the school at a much faster pace than in previous years.  Leaders, at all levels, including governors, work as a team and are committed to sustaining recent improvements in the quality of teaching to raise pupils’ achievements.  One parent commented, reflecting the views of others who spoke with an inspector, ‘There is a positive change of attitude in the school that is moving the school forward.’  Leaders and staff ensure that pupils are safeguarded well. Checks on staff and of the risks to pupils that might occur in all parts of the school and during trips are completed extremely thoroughly.  Leaders sustain strengths in supporting disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. Staff

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The leadership and management are good

work well in teams to provide good pastoral care for the pupils. All who work in the school make sure that pupils are treated equally and that discrimination is not tolerated.  The headteacher ensures that leaders at all levels play an effective role in checking the quality of teaching and its impact on pupils’ progress. As a result, assessments of pupils’ achievements across the school are accurate and lead to the right areas for improvement being identified.  Improved leadership roles and additional training and support also ensure that subject and other middle leaders make effective contributions to improving teaching and raising standards. For example, leaders hold teachers to account for the progress of pupils in their classes. The headteacher also promotes improvement by ensuring that teachers’ performance and movement through pay scales are considered alongside the impact they have in raising pupils’ achievement.

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The leadership and management are good

 These actions are quickening pupils’ progress, but they have not been applied long enough to fully raise pupils’ attainment and establish their good achievement. Consequently, leadership is not yet outstanding.  Even so, the pupils’ above average attendance, good behaviour and contributions to learning in response to more good teaching reflect the impact of improved leadership and teaching. Continued strengths in Early Years classes and the better progress that pupils now make across the school also show the capacity to improve in the future.  The school uses additional government funds effectively to help disadvantaged pupils and this is raising their achievement so that it is much closer to that of other pupils. For example, ‘Forest School’ outdoor learning boosts pupils’ interest in learning and activities during the breakfast and lunch time clubs enrich pupils’ confidence and social skills.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders ensure that additional funding for physical education is used well to to improve the quality of teaching, lift pupils’ skills, and increase their health and well-being. For example, specialist coaches lead staff training and support activities such as gymnastics, handball and ‘Frisbee golf’. These developments have led to an increasing number of pupils, currently about half the school, taking part in at least one sports club. Pupils have also been trained as ‘Play Leaders’ to organise team activities at break times and this is raising interest in sport.  The school provides a curriculum that is suitably broad and balanced, and there is an effective emphasis on sports and the expressive arts. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong, with local, national and international aspects of the human and natural world woven carefully across the range of subjects. Links with a school serving a diverse community in London and assembly

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The leadership and management are good

themes, which promote tolerance, help to develop pupils’ readiness for life in modern Britain.  The local authority has supported the school effectively in addressing the right areas for improvement and in strengthening teaching to quicken pupils’ progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body has welcomed new members and has updated training to significantly widen and strengthen the range of skills that now enable them to hold staff to account. For example, governors ensure that additional government funding, such as the pupil premium and the primary school sports funding, are spent effectively. Governors have reorganised their procedures and fulfil all their statutory obligations, including safeguarding pupils. Governors know how to examine information about pupils’ progress and understand that it does not compare well enough with data on pupils’ progress and attainment nationally. As a consequence, governors visit the school regularly to rigorously check its work and talk to pupils and their parents to ascertain their views. Governors manage and check the headteacher’s performance accurately and also question staff carefully about the quality of teaching and

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The leadership and management are good

its impact on pupils’ learning. Governors develop a good understanding of how underperformance is tackled and ensure that good teaching is rewarded. By these means, governors contribute effectively to school self-evaluation and assist well in identifying the right priorities and quickening the pace of improvement.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils behave well in class, and their improved and willing contributions in lessons and positive attitudes to learning are playing a key role in quickening their progress.  Pupils’ behaviour in the playground and around school is good; they are friendly and polite, show respect, and relate well toward each other and to adults.  School records show that the few pupils with behavioural and emotional needs are well supported and helped to improve quickly.  Behaviour is not yet outstanding because at times, when teaching fails to enthuse or challenge them sufficiently, a few pupils lose interest and need help from staff to pay more attention to their work.  Pupils’ attendance is above average. This reflects the determined work of the headteacher in working supportively with parents and with pupils to promote the importance of regular attendance.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Staff diligently implement health and safety guidelines and procedures to safeguard pupils.  Currently, due to staff changes, further training in child protection for some non-teaching staff is planned to take place later this spring term. Pupils feel safe at school and say, ‘There is always someone to talk to or willing to help.’  Pupils know how to stay safe, for example older pupils trained as play leaders work diligently to help other pupils enjoy a refreshing break time.  Pupils know about the different forms of bullying including cyber-, verbal and physical bullying. They say that if bullying happens, it is much less frequent now and is dealt with well by staff.  The majority of parents who responded in the questionnaire, and most who spoke to an inspector, say that behaviour is much improved. The vast majority of parents also value the way staff care so well for

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Safety

their children, and some were very appreciative of the personal support they have received.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because not enough has been of the good quality needed over time to secure pupils’ consistently good progress through Years 3 to 6.  Continued staff changes since the previous inspection have also had an adverse impact on some of the school’s efforts to improve teaching and to overcome gaps in pupils’ previous learning in Key Stage 2.  On occasion, staff do not check pupils’ understanding regularly or swiftly enough. Consequently, pupils’ confidence slips, especially those with less ability, and pupils do not cover as much ground as they should. At times, the levels of challenge given to pupils and the way learning activities are presented fail to stimulate their interest. As a result, some pupils, especially some of the most able, lose focus and do not cover as much ground as they should.  Over time, these aspects have disrupted the development of pupils’ basic literacy, reading and numeracy

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

skills. These basic skills are still not emphasised strongly enough in all classes.  Recently, senior leaders and subject leaders have worked more effectively with teachers to improve the quality of their teaching. Staff have also raised their expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving. Many pupils are realising this and striving to do better. This is now evident in the way pupils have significantly improved their handwriting and are presenting their work more neatly.  Senior leaders have also worked closely with the teachers to ensure that checks of pupils’ developing skills are accurate. This has helped teachers to improve their planning and to make sure that the work set for the pupils takes learning forward and more consistently quickens their progress.  Most teachers question pupils effectively during lesson introductions to promote their thinking and engage them in learning. The teachers are also encouraging pupils to apply themselves more rigorously in their

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

learning. This was seen to good effect when Year 3 pupils responded enthusiastically and imaginatively to lively questioning about the character of ‘The Iron Man’.  Teachers are also improving the guidance they give to pupils when they mark their work. Pupils receive good information about the accuracy of their work and increasingly about where improvement is needed. However, pupils are not always given enough information about how to set about making these improvements and, at times, this is limiting their learning.  Teaching assistants make positive contributions to pupils’ learning, especially to disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. Over time, the quality of pastoral support has been more consistent than the help given to develop pupils’ academic skills. This has improved in recent terms, evident for example, in the better planned and more effective teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds they make,) which

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requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because over time pupils’ progress has fluctuated between the year groups throughout Key Stage 2. Too few pupils across all ability groups from Years 3 to 6 have made enough progress. This has led to the continuing below average levels of pupils’ attainment in national tests at the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils’ responses in lessons, work in books and school and national checks of their developing skills show that most pupils make good progress in the Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 classes.  Over time, the picture of pupils’ progress through Years 3 to 6 is not as good. In particular, pupils’ spelling and punctuation skills, and their ability to use grammar and calculate accurately, have not been developed well enough.  School records show that during the past academic year new leadership and teaching began to improve pupils’ progress. Additional changes in leadership and teaching implemented since September 2014 has

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requires improvement

significantly quickened pupils’ progress.  School checks now show that an above average proportion of pupils make good progress from their differing starting points in reading, writing and mathematics. This is most clearly seen in the much improved quality of pupils’ work in books, particularly the way it is carefully set out and presented.  Pupils in all parts of the school also demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. The pupils’ good speaking and listening skills are also contributing well now to their better progress.  However, the weaknesses in pupils’ basic literacy and numeracy skills, which stem from previous slow learning, show that pupils’ skills in Year 6 are still not high enough to represent good achievement. For example, the difficulty that some pupils experience in spelling and punctuating their work accurately and in using number to calculate restrict them from attaining higher standards.

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requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs continue to benefit from good personal support. Over time, as other pupils, the academic achievement of those with special educational needs requires improvement. Increasingly, pupils with such needs are now receiving more effectively planned activities and support and are making better progress in extending their literacy and numeracy skills.  In recent terms, the school has strengthened the way it uses additional funding for disadvantaged pupils. As a result, the gaps in attainment between these pupils and others are closing rapidly across the school.  Currently, the school’s own checks of pupils’ developing skills show that the attainment of disadvantaged pupils is about one and a half terms’ progress behind their classmates in the school in reading and writing. Their attainment is about half a term’s progress behind other pupils in the school in mathematics. Their

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requires improvement

attainment in these subjects represents close to three terms’ progress below pupils of their own age nationally. Even so, this shows that when compared with results in national tests in 2014, the gap in Year 6 has been halved in English and reduced by a third in mathematics.  The most-able pupils are also making better progress now. For example, Year 4 pupils were able to fully explain mathematical calculations. Currently, this level of challenge is not yet the norm in all classes and some of the most-able pupils are not always attaining the standards of which they are capable.  Over the past year, the school has improved the teaching of phonics. This is reflected in the above average proportion of pupils who reached the required standard in the Year 1 phonics check in 2014.  Pupils are now taught phonics until Year 5, consequently, more pupils say they enjoy reading and that this is helping them to learn, ‘because it helps us to find things out’. School checks also show that this is

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requires improvement

rapidly raising pupils’ reading skills and quickening their progress through the school.

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is good

 Leadership and management of the early years provision in Nursery and Reception classes are good. Leaders ensure that safeguarding procedures are implemented effectively and checked carefully to keep children safe.  All early years staff cultivate close links with parents and work effectively to boost the children’s self- confidence and settle the children quickly. One parent commented, reflecting the very positive views of others, “Staff ‘bend over backwards’ to help.” As a result, the children make a good start to their education in the early years.  Children generally join the school with skills that are lower than those typical for their age. In particular, some of the children have weak language skills when they enter their Nursery and Reception classes.  Staff promote supportive relationships and help the children to develop good personal and social skills. As a result, children behave and cooperate well and show interest in each other’s ideas. For example, when

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is good

working in the outdoor area, children in Reception helped each other to count pebbles and to describe their different shapes.  Staff operate as teams in the Nursery and Reception classes. They plan their teaching and support together, and this helps to sustain consistently good teaching. As a result, all children across the range of abilities and starting points make good progress in all areas of learning.  Adults question the children effectively to extend their learning and to encourage thinking. In response, children demonstrated good listening and concentration skills. For example, adults in the Nursery seized upon the children’s interest in the way the sun’s rays were casting shadows and questioned the children effectively to develop their speaking skills.  Teachers and teaching assistants check the children’s skills accurately and gain a good understanding of their differing needs. They use the information gathered well to make sure that children are provided with

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is good

enriching experiences that encourage their contributions to learning. Exploring nature during ‘Forest School’ activity, for example, also greatly boosts the children’s interest and enjoyment in learning.  By the end of the Reception Year, most children reach a good level of development. This represents good achievement from their starting points and shows that they are well prepared for the next stage of learning in Year 1.  Currently, teachers are not always recording the next steps that children need to make to improve so that all staff and parents have a clearer picture of how to promote even better progress.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 113341 Local authority Devon Inspection number 453706

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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 Foundation Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 435 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Paul Hunt Headteacher Caroline Buckley Date of previous school inspection 13–14 February 2103 Telephone number 01884 253006 Fax number 01884 253607 Email address admin @twomoors.devon.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 and 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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