Setting

Mrs Sofina Islam Executive Headteacher Moor Green Primary School Moor Green Lane Moseley Birmingham B13 8QP

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Moor Green Primary School

Following my visit to your academy on 8–9 July 2015, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions which have been taken since the academy’s previous monitoring inspection.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Moor Green Primary School

The inspection was the third monitoring inspection since the academy became subject to special measures following the inspection which took place in September 2014. The full list of the areas for improvement which were identified during that inspection is set out in the annex to this letter. The monitoring inspection report is attached.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Moor Green Primary School

Having considered all the evidence, I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Moor Green Primary School

The academy is making reasonable progress towards the removal of special measures.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Moor Green Primary School

I strongly recommend that the academy does not seek to appoint NQTs.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Moor Green Primary School

This letter and monitoring inspection report will be published on the Ofsted website. I am copying this letter to the Secretary of State, the Chair of the Governing Body, and the Director of Children’s Services for Birmingham.

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Her Majesty’s Inspector

Serco Inspections Colmore Plaza 20 Colmore Circus Queensway Birmingham B4 6AT T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0121 679 9169 Direct email : mathew.mitchell@serco.com

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place in September 2014

 Improve teaching and learning by ensuring that all teachers: - check learning carefully, clear up any misconceptions and move pupils on quickly to the next task - ask questions skilfully to improve the range and quality of pupils’ spoken responses in lessons - make sure that pupils behave well in all lessons - provide the most able pupils with work that makes them think hard and learn as quickly as they can.

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place in September 2014

 Raise pupils’ achievement and enjoyment, especially in writing and mathematics, by ensuring that: - pupils develop their multiplication skills securely - pupils present and write out their calculations neatly and accurately - weaknesses in pupils’ use of punctuation and spelling are tackled effectively - pupils are given good opportunities to write on a range of topics and for different purposes - effective support is provided for boys, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs - disadvantaged pupils make consistently good progress so they catch up with other groups - attendance improves to at least the national average.

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place in September 2014

 Improve leadership and management by ensuring that: - procedures for collecting, organising and sharing data about pupils’ performance are effective, and assessment information is used well to improve pupils’ achievement - all staff apply the school’s behaviour policy effectively - rigorous systems for managing staff performance are established and used effectively to identify training needs, and to improve teaching, leadership skills and the quality of self-evaluation - governors rapidly improve their capacity to hold leaders firmly to account - partnership work between the Trust and the academy is effective.

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place in September 2014

An external review of governance, to include a specific focus on the academy’s use of the pupil premium, should be undertaken.

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Evidence

Her Majesty’s Inspector observed the academy’s work, scrutinised documents and met with the executive headteacher, the head of school, the deputy headteacher, teachers with responsibility for different aspects of the academy’s work, the Chair of the Governing Body and two other governors. Telephone conversations were held with representatives from the current academy sponsor and the new academy sponsor. The inspector spoke informally with pupils and parents during this monitoring inspection. All of the lessons were observed jointly with either the executive headteacher, the head of school or the deputy headteacher.

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Context

Three class teachers have left the academy since the previous monitoring inspection in March 2015. They have been replaced with temporary teachers. Some classes in the academy have had frequent changes of class teacher since September 2014.

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Context

Since January 2015, the headteacher of Stanton Bridge, who is also a National Leader in Education, has been supporting the head of school and the deputy headteacher. In April 2015, the headteacher of Stanton Bridge became the executive headteacher of Moor Green. Teachers from Stanton Bridge have continued to support and work with teachers at Moor Green.

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Context

REAch2 were intending to replace the current sponsors, Headteachers, Teachers and Industry Trust (HTI), by the end of the summer term. This has been rescheduled. REAch2 are now expected to become the sponsors at the start of the autumn term.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

Standards in writing and mathematics, although still below age-related expectations, are continuing to show signs of improvement. Work in pupils’ books shows that they are making better progress than in the past, and some are making good progress. This is especially the case in Year 4, where teaching is particularly effective. In some classes, such as in Year 3, the achievement of all groups of pupils has been hampered by the number of changes of class teacher.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

Although disadvantaged pupils and disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are making better progress, they are still not achieving as well as their peers across the academy. The deputy headteacher has responded promptly to the recommendations in the external review of the spending of pupil premium funding. In partnership with other leaders, he has identified the precise gaps in pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills in English and mathematics. This information has been used to organise tailored support for disadvantaged pupils. This work is recent and the impact has yet to be seen. The executive headteacher acknowledges that the additional support for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is not as well organised. Her plans for addressing this are appropriate.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

In mathematics, pupils are continuing to develop their addition, subtraction, multiplication and division skills. They are also getting better at recording their calculations with increasing accuracy. Nevertheless, not all pupils are given the chance to use their existing knowledge to solve a range of complex problems. This is preventing pupils from deepening and extending their mathematical understanding.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

Pupils are writing more regularly. They are expressing their ideas with confidence and using a range of vocabulary in order to make their writing more interesting for the reader. However, weaknesses remain in pupils’ spelling and their use of punctuation and grammar. This is because teachers do not emphasise these aspects enough when teaching writing.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

In the Reception classes, rates of progress are variable. Staff ensure that children write frequently and learn about numbers. However they do not make sure that children learn enough about other aspects, such as weight and time. Consequently, children’s learning gains in mathematics are not as strong as those in writing. Additionally, some of the activities that children complete on their own are too easy. They do not sufficiently extend children’s learning.

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The quality of teaching

Teaching is improving. Senior leaders recognise that teaching remains inconsistent and that further work is required to ensure that it is good over time across the academy. Some of this inconsistency is as a result of instability in staffing.

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The quality of teaching

Teachers have benefited from the support provided by staff from Stanton Bridge, the deputy headteacher and some of the middle leaders. There are common strengths in teaching. Teachers ask a range of questions in order to check what pupils already know. They also promote pupils’ speaking skills by asking questions that encourage pupils to give reasons for their responses. Teaching assistants take an active part during lessons and provide suitable support for individuals and groups of pupils.

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The quality of teaching

A few teachers are getting better at planning activities that cater well for the particular learning needs of the most-able pupils and disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. In one example, the most-able pupils were required to use their existing knowledge to find the area and perimeter of different shapes. The questions varied in complexity and involved pupils completing several calculations before arriving at the correct answer. In another instance, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs were provided with a range of suitable resources to help them write about their visit to Cadbury’s World. Nevertheless, there are still teachers who do not always make sure that activities are suitably challenging for pupils of different abilities in English, mathematics and other curriculum subjects.

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The quality of teaching

Teachers follow the academy’s guidance and make sure that they acknowledge pupils’ achievements when they mark pupils’ work. They also identify the ‘next important thing’ for pupils to improve. Pupils were keen to explain how their teachers’ marking was helping them to improve their work.

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The quality of teaching

The presentation of pupils’ work remains poor in many classes. Pupils are allowed to scribble, reverse numbers and form letters incorrectly. There are a few exceptions. Pupils in Year 4, for instance, have to present their work neatly in all lessons.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils’ behaviour continues to improve. Pupils told the inspector that behaviour is better now because teachers expect them to behave well and to listen carefully. This was evident in most of the lessons seen during the inspection. There were a few occasions when pupils did not concentrate on their work and became distracted. This was the case when their activities were too easy or they did not interest them.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Most pupils walk around the academy calmly and take the time to greet each other and adults. A few run through corridors when they think that an adult is not watching. Behaviour in the playground is variable. Pupils appreciate taking it in turns to use the netball and football areas. They said this is the fairest way of giving everyone a chance to play these games. When pupils have access to playground equipment, they play together well. However, when they have nothing to do, the playground becomes a little boisterous. Pupils stated that incidents of name-calling have reduced and are now rare. Academy records confirm this to be the case. They also told the inspector that they feel safe and that adults respond quickly to any issues that arise.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Senior leaders are analysing behaviour incidents and using this information to arrange relevant support for pupils. They have recently identified a small group of pupils who, at times, find it difficult to behave as well as they should. These pupils are now receiving support with their behaviour from a member of staff.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Senior leaders and staff are working more closely with external agencies and with the families of pupils that do not attend the academy regularly. Pupils’ attendance, although lower than the national average for primary schools, has improved and is 1% higher than at the same time last academic year.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The executive headteacher is working with determination to tackle the remaining weaknesses in teaching. With the head of school and the deputy headteacher, she is taking appropriate action to further strengthen teaching and improve pupils’ behaviour.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

When they observe lessons, senior leaders are placing a greater emphasis on the impact of teachers on different groups of pupils. This is enabling them to identify teachers’ training needs and to identify the specific actions teachers need to take to help pupils make faster progress. However, leaders do not focus enough on the achievement of different groups of pupils when reviewing pupils’ work. Consequently, their feedback to teachers following checks on pupils’ work is less precise. Senior leaders acknowledge that, once actions are agreed with staff, they do not make sure that staff respond to these promptly. This is contributing to the continuing variations in teaching.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The teachers with responsibility for specific aspects of the academy’s work have started, alongside senior leaders, to check the work of teachers. Some of these subject and other middle leaders are helping to improve teachers’ practise by planning activities with them and by supporting them in the classroom. The teachers that spoke with the inspector were particularly complimentary about the support they have received from the teacher with responsibility for mathematics.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

Most of the parents that spoke with the inspector were positive about the improvements taking place. The head of school has continued to produce regular newsletters that acknowledge pupils’ achievements and provide helpful information about the academy. A few parents offered suggestions for further improving communication. The inspector shared these suggestions with senior leaders.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The Chair of the Governing Body and other governors are continuing to provide an effective level of support and challenge. Regular meetings with senior leaders and visits to the academy are enabling governors to check the difference senior and middle leaders are making to pupils’ achievement. The head of school has refined the way in which information about the standards attained by pupils in different year groups is presented. This has helped governors to identify where further improvements are required. Governors have now asked for information about the progress of different groups to be presented concisely so that they can check the impact of pupil premium funding on eligible pupils. In order to ensure a smooth transfer from HTI to REAch2, the Chair of the Governing Body has continued to share relevant information about the academy.

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External support

The headteacher of Stanton Bridge is continuing to provide the leaders of Moor Green with effective guidance. Staff from Stanton Bridge are continuing to provide teachers and teaching assistants with a suitable range of training. This combined support is helping to strengthen teaching and leadership. REAch2 are planning to write their own statement of action indicating how they intend to help the academy improve.

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