Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mrs Sarah Sindrey Headteacher Moorhill Primary School Pye Green Road Cannock Staffordshire WS11 5RN

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School

Following my visit to your school on 24 June 2016, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave me and for the time you made available to discuss the actions you are taking to improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in January 2016. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. At its section 5 inspection before the one that took place in January 2016, the school was also judged to require improvement.

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School

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the last section 5 inspection in order to become a good school.

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School

The school should take further action to:

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School

 make sure that teachers and achievement leaders use assessment information to monitor and improve the progress of the disadvantaged and most able pupils  train and develop teachers and support staff to help them pinpoint gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding, particularly in mathematics, so that these can be addressed and learning can move on at a better pace during lessons  make sure that pupils are offered the right level of challenge in mathematics lessons, especially those pupils who are capable of reaching or exceeding age-related expectations.

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Evidence

In addition to visiting lessons and meeting with you and the deputy headteacher to observe teaching and to look through pupils’ work, I met with some parents at the start of the inspection and held telephone conversations with one of the local authority’s commissioning managers for school improvement and a member of the cooperative trust. I met with the chair of the governing body and a consultant headteacher from a local primary school who supports and advises leaders and staff. I checked and evaluated the quality of the school improvement plan and subject action plans for English and mathematics. and considered the school’s self- review of its progress since the inspection in January 2016. The single central record was scrutinised to check the effectiveness of staff vetting and safeguarding procedures.

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Context

An assistant headteacher left the school in May 2016 and the deputy headteacher was redeployed to cover the vacancy in Year 6.

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Main findings

You and the deputy headteacher, together with the governing body, have devised effective plans to sustain improvement. Most parents I spoke to are positive about the school and their children’s progress. The school improvement plan identifies the right priorities to improve pupils’ achievement and teaching. Leaders’ evaluations of the impact of their actions to raise standards are accurate. There are now more rigorous checks on the quality of teaching, pupils’ work and progress.

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Main findings

Monitoring records show that teachers respond well to the guidance and feedback offered from leaders and advisers. Since the inspection in January 2016, there has been a combined effort to tackle underperformance. This is because last year’s national test results show that pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics was too low by the end of Year 6. The teaching is improving although there remain pockets that still require improvement. Current assessments and pupils’ work show that achievement gaps still exist between disadvantaged pupils and others in the school and nationally, particularly in mathematics. The most able pupils should also be doing better. Leaders, rightly, recognise that pupils who have the potential to reach higher standards in reading, writing and mathematics are not always being challenged enough to do so in lessons. You have put in place more routine checks of assessment information about pupils’ learning and progress.

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Main findings

Assessments are now reviewed regularly by achievement teams in each phase of the school. Nonetheless, teachers and leaders are not identifying the reasons why there are gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding during lessons, particularly in mathematics.

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Main findings

The range of monitoring and the support offered to teachers and teaching assistants is proving to be effective. There are early signs of improvement to the quality of teaching and learning in those classes where pupils were previously underachieving. You have, rightly, identified the strengths and weaknesses of teaching and have put in place individualised teaching plans for staff who require the most support.

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Main findings

The governing body is provided with a clear analysis of the standards achieved in each phase of the school. The introduction of achievement teams and leaders in each team has increased the capacity for sustained improvement beyond the senior leadership team since the previous inspection. There is now greater clarity and direction for the school’s improvement. Leaders, governors and staff are in a stronger position than at the time of the previous inspection in January 2016.

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Main findings

Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school has improved well since the previous inspection. Pupils are attentive and engaged in lessons. They try hard and persevere with tasks and activities. Pupils cooperate with other pupils well during class and group discussions.

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External support

Following the inspection in January 2016, the combination of support and challenge commissioned by the local authority and the work undertaken with other schools in the local cooperative trust is helping leaders, teachers and governors to see and share good practice. Effective systems and processes have been put in place to secure accurate evaluations of the school’s work on its journey towards becoming a good school.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Staffordshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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