Moreland Primary School

Moreland Primary School Moreland Street, Goswell Road, London EC1V 8BB

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 This school is very well led by the executive headteacher and head of school. Together with support from the local authority and governing body, they have improved teaching and outcomes since the last inspection.  All groups of pupils achieve well in a school that places the needs of children at its core.  Governors have used their considerable skill in ensuring that leadership has had a marked impact on improved outcomes for pupils. They have worked hard to ensure that the school has made rapid and sustained improvements.  Teaching has rightly focused on improving pupils’ skills in English and mathematics. These and other subjects promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.  Pupils are able to demonstrate both caring and mature relationships with each other, as well as with adults at the school. They have developed a thirst for learning, try very hard and behave superbly.  Pupils are very fond of their school. They both

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This is a good school

recognise and appreciate the improvements made since the last inspection.  Teachers know the pupils very well. Teachers are effective in delivering exciting lessons that capture the interests of all groups of pupils, so they do well.  Good provision in the early years means that children progress rapidly and are very well prepared for Year 1. Children in the school’s two- year-olds’ class make an excellent start to learning.  Pupils in all year groups are making good progress. The benefits of the improvements in teaching are clearly being seen across the school.  Helpful provision for pupils who have special educational needs and those who are disadvantaged means they make good progress that helps them catch up with their peers.  Parents are confident that the school keeps their children safe and ensures that they make good progress.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The school’s approach to teaching is not always as beneficial as it could be, such as in the use of homework and marking.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of the leadership of teaching still further, by: using the skills of the school’s teaching staff to refine the school’s innovative approach to learning ensuring that the school’s marking policy is implemented in a way that matches the school’s approach in all subjects checking that homework tasks help pupils to learn independently.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Since the previous inspection, leadership capacity has increased significantly, as the federated leadership structure has gained in momentum. The executive headteacher, supported by the head of school, has led this school with vision, courage and compassion. Their drive to improve teaching and outcomes for all pupils has proved highly successful.  The school is now a high-achieving place of learning where all staff have high expectations of pupils. The strong focus on developing pupils’ core skills in reading, writing and numeracy has accelerated their progress and enables them to succeed. Staff have developed an active, problem-solving approach to teaching that places speaking and listening uppermost within all lessons. This results in high-quality discussions that enable pupils to fully comprehend what is expected of them and strive to do their very best work. Parents and pupils hold very positive views about the school and its staff.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Middle leaders are both skilled and enthusiastic. They hold a clear view of how the developments that they have put in place link directly into improved outcomes for pupils. They are rightly proud of their work and take responsibility for their areas of the school. A good example of this is the successful work to introduce and rapidly embed a new approach to the teaching of mathematics throughout the school. This energy for change has been helpful in making significant improvements in teaching and rates of progress in this subject in Key Stages 1 and 2.  The executive headteacher and head of school share a common passion for success by striving for all teaching at the school to be of the very best quality. They have nurtured the skills of an enthusiastic work force, and morale among the staff is very high. The school’s motto that, ‘Mrs Dwulit says I can do this’, is seen at both the staff and pupil levels.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Pupil premium funding is used effectively to support disadvantaged pupils through a range of activities to support their learning in English and mathematics. Funds are also used well to support pupils on an individual basis through the work of the school’s qualified learning mentor. This not only ensures that they make good progress but also enhances their personal well-being.  The primary physical education and sport premium is carefully spent. Specialists are employed to lead lessons and to pass on their expertise to school staff, such as a professional actor working on music and movement. Pupils take advantage of the wider options available. As a result, teaching and learning in physical education lessons has improved and pupils benefit from a good range of sports activities such as martial arts and dance.  The school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. These

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

skills are successfully carried into all areas of the school’s planned curriculum that is carefully planned into themes that interest the pupils. Moreland’s wider curriculum such as residential trips, visits, clubs and visitors goes a long way to support pupils’ academic progress and personal development that provides them with a memorable primary education.  Pupils gain a good understanding of British values, including democracy, through activities such as the work of the school council. Through assemblies, lessons and the wider curriculum, pupils are taught to be tolerant and to challenge discrimination. All of this contributes to pupils leaving the school well prepared for life in modern Britain.  The school has received invaluable support from the local authority. Since the last inspection, local authority staff have provided a wide range of helpful consultancy and advisory support. This has also led to local

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

authority investment to rebuild the school premises on an adjacent site.  The governance of the school Governors are highly effective. They have been extremely diligent about how they make use of the assessment information provided by the school to both support and challenge. They have rigorously ensured that school leaders have improved teaching so that improvements can be seen in the outcomes of pupils. Their work has been instrumental in securing improvements at the school. Governors have a wide skill set and use this to good effect. They visit the school regularly to gain secure, first-hand information. They keep a very close eye on the management of teachers’ performance, making sure that senior leaders and teachers are accountable for pupils’ progress. They manage the finances very well and seek assurances that additional funding, for example, for disadvantaged pupils and for sports, is used well.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The arrangements for safeguarding are highly effective. School leaders have ensured that all members of staff are trained in child protection procedures. All staff have an acute awareness of the need to ensure a child’s safety above all other considerations. A strong culture of safety exists in the school where key staff engage with parents, carers and other stakeholders to ensure that all pupils are supported and safe.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Since the previous inspection the quality of teaching at the school has improved. Teaching is now at least good and much is outstanding in both Key Stages 1 and 2.  Teachers have extremely high expectations of the quality of work they expect from pupils in all subjects, and no time is wasted in lessons. Pupils remain focused on their learning because teachers remind them to try hard to do their best work and to challenge themselves wherever possible.  The school has a very clear approach to the way pupils’ work is marked. This is mostly well done at the school and is particularly helpful in writing, though at times is not consistent across all subjects. Pupils respond well and use it to make further improvements to their work.  Since the previous inspection, leaders have worked hard to develop pupils’ attitudes towards learning. This has resulted in pupils showing a love of the challenge of learning and seeking out opportunities to deepen

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

their knowledge.  Reading is taught well throughout the school. The school has placed a love of reading high on its list of priorities and has developed a useful reading programme in Key Stages 1 and 2. This approach successfully promotes a deep understanding of the text far beyond literal meaning and supports high achievement and understanding in all subjects.  Teachers have good subject knowledge and, together with the school’s unique approach to teaching, have created a thirst for learning that permeates the school. Teachers’ questioning ability is very good and they are able to draw all pupils into lessons and tackle any misconceptions.  Homework is set in line with the school’s policy. Though some of this consolidates, its quality does not match that of the work pupils do in school.  Teaching in mathematics and English is good because teachers make the lessons challenging for pupils. For example, pupils challenged themselves by deliberately stretching themselves to improve their numeracy

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

skills in a Year 3 mathematics lesson seen. The teacher had carefully structured the class so that she was able to target her teaching to those who needed the most help. This meant that most-able pupils were able to deepen and consolidate their knowledge.  The school is fortunate to have a well-trained body of support staff, both in classes and occupying other positions in the school. They make an invaluable contribution to not only supporting pupils but also in enlivening the school’s ‘can-do’ culture.  Parents speak very positively about the school and its teachers. A group of Key Stage 1 parents said that, ‘This is a great school’, while remarking how teachers have kindled a real interest in developing reading. Parents are united in praising the work of the senior leadership team for the work it has done in improving teaching at the school.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. Through the hard work of staff at the school, pupils show great confidence and awareness about how to be successful learners. Pupils say that they feel safe and understand where to turn to for help should they need it.  The school has invited into school a host of inspirational speakers from the world of work to talk to the pupils about the virtues of working hard to achieve their dreams. As a result, pupils have a good understanding of how education can prepare them for the next stage of their lives.  The staff actively promote positive messages about how to tackle and respond to bullying. Some pupils recalled a small number of bullying incidents in the past, though inspectors found no evidence of this and they appear to be related only to some misunderstandings among pupils that were followed up by staff.  Leaders have strengthened the pastoral support available for pupils. The learning mentor, additional support

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Personal development and welfare

staff and other key staff work very well with external agencies to ensure that all pupils are well-cared-for at the school. All members of the school community are committed to a fair, open and caring ethos as exemplified in ‘The Moreland Way’ which sets out a collective responsibility to ensure everyone is safe and happy.  Pupils are well aware of the need to be careful when using modern communication technology. They are alert to cyber bullying, for example, and understand how the school’s referral system works to protect them.  In discussions, and in their survey responses, parents were overwhelmingly positive about the way the school ensures their child’s safety.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils are confident but friendly, with excellent attitudes to school life and are proud to form part of the school community.  Through work on developing an enquiry-led curriculum, the pupils are able to debate and discuss issues in a considered way, such as in a Year 4 class seen who were discussing whether it is possible to have a friend who is a robot. Pupils conduct themselves extremely well in lessons and around the school.  Teachers ensure that pupils know that their best behaviour is required and that they should try hard in their lessons. Pupils have a thirst for learning and show great respect for one another at all times. They are very adept at taking an interest in each other’s opinions. Their very sensible approaches to working cooperatively together, whether in groups or in pairs, have made a marked difference to the rates of progress now in the

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Behaviour

school.  Very good relationships with staff and pupils underpin the very positive attitudes seen in lessons and throughout the school. Pupils show respect for adults and are helpful and friendly to visitors, staff and their classmates.  The school is a very happy and calm place; pupils want to come to school every day, with many now deliberately choosing the school because of its growing reputation. Therefore, attendance rates in all year groups are very high compared with that seen nationally. Rates of persistent absence have declined markedly since the last inspection.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils’ achievement has risen significantly since the last inspection. This is because the improvements made in the quality of teaching in all year groups are embedded successfully. All pupils make good progress from their different starting points.  The standard of pupils’ work in all years is rising so that a higher proportion of pupils are producing work that is at or above expectations. Inspection evidence matches the school’s assessment information; this indicates that, currently, pupils are on course to at least match progress seen last year. This is the result of improved teaching and learning over time.  Pupils develop a good understanding of the way letters link to the sounds they make (phonics) because this early reading skill is taught well. As a result, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected level in the Year 1 national screening check is now well above the national average. The school builds on this work in Key

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Outcomes for pupils are good

Stage 2 by developing work of greater complexity and providing challenging texts appropriate to the pupils’ ages and interests.  Pupils in all key stages work hard and with success to improve their reading, writing and mathematical skills. Lessons are pitched to ensure that pupils pay close attention to the teaching. For instance, in a challenging mathematics lesson seen with a group of most-able pupils in Year 6, the clear emphasis on success led to pupils not only getting the correct answer but also in being able to explain their reasoning.  In all years, pupils’ workbooks show a good coverage of the curriculum with high standards typically expected by teachers. In particular, the presentation of work is a particular strength of the school and demonstrates a sense of pride. This is true of all the other subjects as well as English and mathematics.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability make very good progress; this is due to the school’s

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Outcomes for pupils are good

staff working to ensure that all pupils succeed, including those who need additional support to catch up with their peers.  Additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is used effectively to support their learning. For example, it is used to fund specific support to increase pupils’ self-esteem and provide access to extra-curricular activities. As a result, these pupils make at least the same good progress as their classmates and, in some years, better progress. For current pupils, there is no discernible gap in attainment, and in some cases, the historical gap has been reversed.  Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education when they leave the school at the end of Year 6. The school is well placed to sustain the good progress pupils are now making because systems for improvement are thorough, consistent and extremely rigorous.

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Early years provision is good

 When children join the school in the early years, their skills and knowledge are below those typical for their age. The school wastes no time in getting a good all-round understanding of the skills and interests of the children in order to plan work and playful activities that capture their enthusiasm. As a result, they get off to a very good start with their education.  Children are very well prepared for moving up to a more formal teaching approach in Year 1 as they have already developed a very positive attitude to school life and love coming to school. The school’s approach to the teaching of early reading skills gets off to a solid start in the Reception class with many children already reading at abilities most often seen in Key Stage 1.  The three classes are well resourced and staffed so that adults can support many groups of children at the same time and encourage them to explore the activities that are provided for them. Children are enthusiastic

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Early years provision is good

and work well together, clearly enjoying the activities which take place both indoors and outside.  Routines are very well managed and great care is taken to ensure that children are involved in daily routines such as setting out and tidying up at the end of sessions. Staff in the Reception and Nursery classes provide a clear learning structure while at the same time allowing children to explore the bounds of their own learning in a lively and fun way. Relationships between the children and adults in the provision for two-year- olds is exceptionally warm, and this creates an atmosphere of nurture, enabling these youngsters to thrive.  Teaching in the early years is good and sometimes outstanding. Staff take into account children’s interests. For example, children learn about where the main parts of the body are located as they study a topic about ‘ourselves’, while others are keen to look at the human world of work through creating a building site in the

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Early years provision is good

sand pit. Staff are respectful of these different interests and encourage the children to flourish within clear boundaries.  The early years staff have developed effective and close working partnerships with parents, who are welcomed into all the classes at the start of the day. They help settle the children and get the day off to a smooth start.  Parents can access useful progress information about their children through the internet as well as paper records which are compiled into ‘learning journeys’ which are given to parents at the end of the Reception Year. Parents contribute to the records the school keeps, creating a link between home and school.  The indoor classrooms are well organised and space is used well, even when quite limited. The classrooms are well resourced with different work areas matching different aspects of the curriculum. All the rooms are complemented by easily accessible outside spaces. The main outside space has been improved since the

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Early years provision is good

previous inspection and now provides a good range of activities for children. Though working in a smaller space, adults working with two-year-olds are making excellent use of the facilities they have.  Leadership and management of the early years provision are outstanding and have made a significant difference to the provision. The early years leader has worked tirelessly to improve provision while at the same time instilling an ethos that places the needs of the children at its heart.

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School details

Unique reference number 100415 Local authority Islington Inspection number 10001985

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Maintained Age range of pupils 2–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 230 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair David Forsdick Headteacher Ann Dwulit (executive headteacher) Lynsey Young (head of school) Telephone number 020 72538144 Website www.moreland-islington.co.uk Email address admin@moreland.islington.co.uk Date of previous inspection 17–18 December 2013

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than most primary schools. The majority of pupils are from minority ethnic groups. They are mainly from Other White backgrounds and Black African heritages. The proportion speaking English as an additional language is above average. The proportion who join or leave the school during term time is also above average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability supported through a special educational needs statement or an education, health and care plan is above average. The proportion receiving special educational needs support is also above average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is about three times the national average. The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for

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Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school is part of a federation with another local school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in samples of lessons in all year groups throughout the inspection, several of which were visited jointly with the executive headteacher, head of school or the early years leader.  The inspection team heard some of the school’s pupils read, and looked at samples of work throughout the inspection.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents, including the school improvement plan and records of pupils’ behaviour, safety and attendance. They also looked at information on individual pupils’ progress, anonymised records of teachers’ performance, and records of meetings of the governing body.  Inspectors met with pupils and teachers and spoke to parents, both informally and in one formal meeting. A meeting was held with three members of the governing body. A meeting was also held with a representative of the local authority.  The views of parents were obtained through 12 responses to the online Parent View survey as well as

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Information about this inspection

informal discussions, which were held with parents of pupils at the school on both days of the inspection.

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Inspection team

Tim McLoughlin, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector John Parr Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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