Mowmacre Hill Primary School

Mowmacre Hill Primary School Tedworth Green, Leicester, Leicestershire LE4 2NG

p.1

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

p.1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

p.1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and governors have brought about significant improvements since the previous inspection. Standards are rising and pupils are increasingly well prepared for their next steps.  Leaders, governors and staff have successfully created an inclusive, positive and aspirational culture.  Staff feel valued, are highly motivated and support each other well.  The Discovery Schools Academy Trust has made an effective contribution to the school’s improvement. Staff benefit from a range of training and development which has improved their practice.  Teachers encourage pupils to work hard, believe in themselves and do their best.  Reading is promoted and taught well throughout the school.  Pupils show compassion and empathy for other people. They are proud of their school, behave well and feel and are kept safe.  The early years is well led and managed. Teachers plan learning effectively to meet children’s needs. An increasing proportion of

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

children are well prepared for Year 1.  Parents and carers do not contribute consistently well to their children’s learning in the early years.  Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not attend as well as others.  The curriculum promotes learning in English and mathematics well. However, the coverage of topics in the wider curriculum is less well planned.  Pupils do not achieve as well in writing as they do in reading and mathematics.  The most able pupils are not consistently well challenged by their work.

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the curriculum in subjects such as geography and history so that pupils study topics in greater depth.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, and outcomes in writing and for the most able pupils, by ensuring that all teachers: – provide the most able pupils with more challenging tasks – insist on the same quality of pupils’ work in different subjects – encourage pupils to use and develop their spelling, punctuation and grammar skills across a range of subjects.  Improve pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare by: – eradicating the remaining incidents of low-level disruption – reducing the proportion of pupils, especially those who are disadvantaged and those with SEND, who are persistently absent from school.  Improve the early years by: – increasing the level of parental engagement and involvement in their children’s learning – increasing the proportion of children who achieve a good level of development.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders have successfully united staff behind their vision for the school. Leaders and staff at all levels live out the school’s values of fortitude, unity, aspiration and innovation. In so doing, they provide effective role models for pupils.  Leaders have created a positive, welcoming and inclusive school culture. A typical comment from pupils summed up the school’s ethos well, ‘We are all just one big Mowmacre family.’  Staff are highly motivated and feel valued for the work they do. They are keen to keep improving by inviting feedback on their practice and sharing what works well with their peers, in this school and in others in the trust.  The trust has provided the school with effective support and challenge. The director of primary education and the trust improvement partner have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses.  Leaders and staff alike have benefited from opportunities in the trust and through the

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

Affinity Teaching School alliance to develop their practice. Several leaders have completed accredited leadership courses and, as a result of the skills and knowledge they have acquired, they have gained promotion. Leaders successfully develop the staff’s skills to take on new responsibilities, thereby creating further capacity to improve.  The pupil premium funding has been used well to improve the attendance, well-being and achievement of disadvantaged pupils. Leaders evaluate its impact closely, looking carefully at what works well, what does not and whether it provides good value for money. They have a good understanding of the particular barriers pupils face and ensure that funds are targeted at removing these barriers.  The provision for pupils with SEND is well led and managed. Leaders and staff work together effectively to ensure that their assessment of pupils’ needs is accurate and is used well to improve pupils’ achievement.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The curriculum promotes pupils’ learning in English and mathematics well. Since the previous inspection, improvements to the teaching of and the curriculum for reading have led to significant improvements in pupils’ outcomes in this subject. However, the wider curriculum is less well planned. Pupils learn about a range of topics in history, geography and science but their work does not always lead to a thorough and deep understanding of these subjects.  Leaders and staff encourage pupils to take part in the full life of the school through the extra-curricular activities on offer. During the inspection, pupils were eagerly preparing for the ‘Mowmacre’s Got Talent’ competition, while, in an assembly, different year groups vied with each other to be the best singers.  Sports and physical education (PE) are well promoted in the school. The primary school PE and sport funding is used effectively to increase pupils’ participation in a range of

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

different sports and to develop teachers’ skills. Leaders are committed to improving pupils’ health and well-being.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is well developed. Pupils show a mature ability to empathise with the difficulties that others face and to reflect on their own learning. They learn how to respect and get on with all different types of people, regardless of their cultural, religious or family background. The school is a harmonious community.  The school environment is bright, vibrant and welcoming. Displays are used to full effect to reinforce positive messages of encouragement and aspiration and to showcase pupils’ learning, for example about the slave trade. One particularly attractive display reminds pupils to ‘unite, stand together, be a team’. Pupils told inspectors how much they value their school environment.  The school is successful in enabling pupils to overcome whatever barriers they may

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

encounter to believe that they can achieve and play a full part in British society. British values are well embedded into the school’s curriculum.

p.4

Governance of the school

 Governance is provided by the local advisory board.  Members of the local advisory board bring a range of skills and experiences to their role. They have been instrumental in raising standards in the school.  Governors understand their statutory responsibilities well. For example, they hold leaders to account for how well additional funding is used and ensure that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose.  Governors are not afraid to challenge leaders when necessary. For example, they felt that leaders were being overly prescriptive in the approach they were asking teachers to take and worked with them to amend this strategy.

p.4

Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders promote a strong safeguarding culture. They have established effective systems to report and manage concerns and they ensure that any concerns that are referred to external agencies are swiftly followed up.  Staff know and understand their responsibilities well because they are well trained and are kept well informed about safeguarding matters.  Leaders and staff work well together to promote pupils’ well-being and keep them safe. The school’s designated safeguarding leads know what the local risks are and are skilled in putting the right support in place before problems escalate. Pastoral staff work closely with parents and local agencies, and have won recognition locally for their work on early help.  Pupils feel safe in school and confirm that the school teaches them how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations.  All the appropriate checks are made to ensure that adults are suitable to work with

p.4

Safeguarding

children. The record of these checks meets requirements.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teachers have good subject knowledge. They use this well to explain learning clearly to pupils and to check, through questioning, whether pupils have fully understood what they have learned. For example, in a Year 4 science lesson, the teacher carefully probed pupils’ understanding of materials that would, or would not, conduct electricity.  Pupils enjoy warm and trusting relationships with their teachers. Teachers know pupils well and plan learning which meets their needs, engages their interest and promotes their progress.  The teaching of reading has much improved since the previous inspection. There is now a consistent and successful approach to teaching early reading skills, which continues as pupils move up the school. Pupils become increasingly confident in tackling new words and texts. The focus on reading, including through the ‘reading corners’ in each classroom, has been effective in encouraging pupils to read widely and

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

frequently.  Teachers manage pupils’ behaviour consistently well. When pupils do lose focus, teachers are swift to intervene and get them back on track.  Classrooms support learning well. The displays are used effectively to remind pupils of common spelling rules, for example, and the expectations for pupils’ work.  Teachers’ expectations for what pupils can achieve are increasingly high. For example, they remind them of the need to make their work ‘SHINE’ (straight lines, handwriting perfect, in pencil only, no rubbers, excellence every time).  The most able pupils are not consistently well challenged by their learning. In some classes, these pupils enjoy tackling more difficult work or learning about a topic in greater depth but this is not consistently evident across the school.  The quality of pupils’ learning is not equal across all subjects. In subjects such as history and geography, teachers do not consistently place the same high expectations

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

on what pupils are able to achieve or ensure that pupils apply their ability to use accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar.  The teaching of writing, while improving, is not of a consistently good quality across the school.

p.5

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils increasingly show positive attitudes to their work and are keen to do well. They understand the importance of making the most of the opportunities available to them. They use the resources in classrooms, as well as their teachers’ feedback, to improve their work.  Pupils are becoming increasingly skilled in reflecting on their own work, using the learning journeys in each classroom to think about how well they have understood their learning. Most pupils enjoy talking about and showing visitors their work but a few lack confidence and can be somewhat reticent to do so.  The pastoral support for pupils is highly effective in helping them to manage any difficulties they may be experiencing. As pupils put it, ‘Sometimes, when you feel angry or you have anger issues, teachers help you to stay calm.’  Pupils show a mature understanding of the difficulties others can face. They support

p.5

Personal development and welfare

and encourage each other and show compassion for those less fortunate than themselves. They have raised considerable sums of money for various charities.  Pupils enjoy the positions of responsibility they have, whether on the school council, as playground leaders or as ‘eco warriors’. They are proud of their school, describing it as ‘amazing’ and ‘helpful’.  The curriculum teaches pupils to stay safe in a range of different situations. Pupils understand the different types of bullying and the reasons for them. They agree that pupils of different backgrounds get on well and staff are quick to resolve any issues which might occur.  Pupils appreciate the breakfast club. They enjoy having breakfast with each other and their teachers, as well as the sports and other activities they can do in this time. As they said, ‘Breakfast club helps to develop our social skills.’  Pupils do not consistently apply the same effort and pride to their learning in topic

p.6

Personal development and welfare

work as they do to their work in English and mathematics. Not all of their work is well presented.

p.6

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are friendly and polite, greeting visitors warmly and holding doors open for each other and for adults.  Pupils conduct themselves well around school. They move in an orderly way between lessons and to break and lunchtimes and respond well to teachers’ instructions.  Attendance has risen and is now in line with that seen nationally. The proportion of pupils who are frequently absent from school has been too high in the past but is reducing. The proportions of disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND who are persistently absent are also reducing but remain higher than that seen for other pupils.  There are occasions when learning is interrupted by poor behaviour. As pupils put it, ‘We’re good, but we’re not perfect.’

p.6

Outcomes for pupils Good

 Outcomes for pupils have improved since the previous inspection. By the end of key stage 2, pupils are increasingly well prepared for secondary school.  Overall, pupils make secure progress in English and mathematics. Across the school, an increasing proportion is working at the standards expected for their age. However, pupils do not attain as well in writing as they do in reading and mathematics.  Pupils’ progress in topic work is less secure because they are taught too wide a range of subjects in too little depth.  The proportion of pupils in Year 6 who achieved the combined expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics rose in 2018 to be above that seen nationally.  Attainment at key stage 1 was below national averages in 2018. However, pupils’ attainment is improving, with a higher proportion of pupils now working at age-related expectations.  Too few of the most able pupils achieve the higher standard, or work at greater depth,

p.6

Outcomes for pupils Good

across the school. Some year groups are seeing an increase in the proportions of pupils who achieve these higher benchmarks but this is far from consistent.  Disadvantaged pupils are now making better progress than was previously the case. For example, by the end of key stage 2 in 2018, these pupils’ overall progress in reading, writing and mathematics was above that seen nationally for other pupils.  Pupils with SEND make secure progress because their needs are assessed accurately, and learning is well planned to meet their needs.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language make similar progress to their peers. They are well supported in class and benefit from a range of strategies and resources that help them to develop their language skills.

p.7

Early years provision Good

 The early years is well led and managed. Through a period of transition, leaders have ensured that the quality of teaching, learning and assessment remains consistently good.  The early years is a calm and purposeful environment. When children’s attention wanders, staff gently, but firmly, bring them back to the learning. Well-established routines mean that children know what is expected of them and respond well to these expectations. They cooperate well with each other and behave well.  Children form trusting relationships with the adults who care for them. The early years provides a safe environment in which children learn and play.  A wide range of activities support children’s learning, both indoors and in the outdoor provision. For example, children were observed working in the garden area, developing their writing skills and working in the constructive play area. Children are confident to

p.7

Early years provision Good

try new activities and talk about their ideas and their learning.  Teachers in the early years frequently check on how well children are learning and adjust the learning to meet their needs. For example, one teacher worked effectively with two children on the same task, ensuring that one produced a simple sentence and the other focused on the finer details of full stops and capital letters.  Children start the early years with skills lower than those typically expected for their age. Good teaching and a well-resourced area ensure that they make secure progress across all areas of their learning.  Almost all the children begin the provision with speech and language difficulties. Staff make the most of opportunities to develop children’s language skills by listening and responding to children carefully, and encouraging children to use a rich vocabulary and develop their ideas. Additional support is effective in ensuring that children are able to

p.7

Early years provision Good

express themselves increasingly well.  The early years environment successfully promotes enjoyment and progress in reading. Children have access to a wide range of reading materials, while display areas are used effectively to present common words and encourage a love of reading. Children listen attentively to stories and enjoy talking about what they have read.  Children successfully use their phonics knowledge to write words and simple, and sometimes more complex, sentences. One such example was, ‘The bee won’t come because he is sad.’  The proportion of children who achieve a good level of development remains below that seen nationally but is rising steadily. Children are increasingly well prepared for their learning in Year 1.  Children enjoy developing their understanding of the world and their part in making it better. Children advised, ‘Recycle things and water the plants’, when reflecting on how

p.8

Early years provision Good

to improve the environment.  There are some differences in how well children achieve in the early years. Those children who do not attend the Nursery provision do not progress quite as well as others.  Parents speak highly of the early years provision and of the positive relationships they and their children develop with the staff. A typical comment was that the help they received had improved their parenting skills. An increasing proportion of parents are involved with and support their children’s learning. However, a significant minority do not.

p.8

School details

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

p.9

School details

Appropriate authority Local advisory board

p.9

School details

Website www.mowmacrehillprimaryschool.co.uk/

p.9

School details

Email address office@dsatmowmacrehill.org

p.9

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.9

Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Approximately one half of all pupils are disadvantaged. This is much higher than the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is higher than that seen nationally.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language make up approximately one quarter of all pupils.  The school provides a daily breakfast club.  The school’s governance is provided by the advisory board, which includes members of the academy trust.  The early years provision provides for children of Nursery age, who attend for morning or afternoon sessions, and for children of Reception age, who attend full-time. Currently, there is no provision for two-year-olds.

p.9

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning across a wide range of subjects and in all classes. They looked at the work in pupils’ books and talked with pupils about their learning. They observed an assembly and listened to pupils read.  Inspectors held meetings with senior and middle leaders, representatives from the trust, including its chief executive officer, pastoral staff and a group of teachers. They spoke formally with three groups of pupils and informally with others at breaks and lunchtimes. They also spoke with parents as they brought their children to school.  Inspectors looked at samples of work from all age groups. They talked with pupils about their work during lessons and listened to pupils read. Inspectors also held meetings with groups of pupils.  A range of documentation was considered, including the school’s self-evaluation and planning documents, information about the performance of current pupils and

p.10

Information about this inspection

information relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.  Inspectors took account of parents’ written comments, although there were very few responses to the Parent View survey. The school’s survey of parents’ views was taken into account. There were no responses to the staff or pupil surveys.

p.10

Inspection team

Deirdre Duignan, lead inspector Senior Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.10

Inspection team

Karen Lewis 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 .

p.10

Inspection team

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

p.11

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.

p.11

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 .

p.11

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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.11

Inspection team

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 .

p.11

Inspection team

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, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.11

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.11

Inspection team

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

p.11