Netherton Moss Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Netherton Moss Primary School Swifts Lane, Netherton, Bootle, Merseyside L30 3RU

p.1

Outcome

Netherton Moss Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Netherton Moss is welcoming to everyone. Pupils attend school regularly. They are enthusiastic learners and they are very proud of their school. Positive relationships between staff and pupils help to make learning fun. Pupils rise to the high expectations that staff have of them. They engage wholeheartedly in their learning. By the time pupils leave Year 6 they achieve well.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and at playtimes. They said that bullying is rare. Pupils said that sometimes there have been incidents of name-calling. They said that adults deal with incidents of poor behaviour quickly and fairly. Pupils know that adults will listen to their concerns.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and cared for in school. Pupils enjoy the range of trips and visits that take their learning outside of the classroom. Many take part in the choir, the drama club and sporting activities. They enjoy the residential visits. Older pupils take on additional responsibilities such as being reading buddies and play leaders.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers appreciate the support and communication from school leaders. They are positive about the care and support provided to pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

p.1

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have planned the curriculum carefully. It enables pupils to learn in a logical way. New learning builds on what pupils already know. Teachers use assessments to help them plan what learning will come next. Teachers ensure that learning challenges pupils, including those with SEND. Governors ensure that leaders have high expectations of all pupils.

p.1

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils have a good understanding of life in Great Britain. They know that they have a 26–27 November 2019

p.1

2

right to be heard. Pupils appreciate that each person is unique. They recognise that they should treat everyone respectfully. Pupils talked confidently about recent trips. These included a visit to a synagogue, a church and a cathedral.

p.2

2

Leaders make sure that pupils build and develop their vocabulary. They promote reading well. Pupils enjoy reading. They appreciate the wide range of high-quality reading materials. Staff are experts in the teaching of reading and phonics due to regular training. The subject leader keeps a close watch on the quality of phonics sessions. She makes sure that all staff are using the school’s agreed approach to the teaching of reading and phonics. Staff deliver regular sessions for pupils who fall behind to help them catch up. Pupils read books that match the sounds they learn in class. This enables them to practise and remember the sounds. They take home books and games to share with their parents. This helps to reinforce the sounds they are learning. A consistent approach to phonics teaching ensures that pupils develop effective early reading skills. This helps pupils to access the curriculum and achieve well throughout school.

p.2

2

Work in partnership with a local mathematics hub has helped leaders plan the mathematics curriculum. Teachers deliver the curriculum effectively. Effective mathematical learning begins in the nursery and continues throughout the school. Subject leaders receive regular training. They share this with the staff. Lessons build well upon what pupils already know. Pupils engage in a wide range of problem-solving and reasoning activities. They take pride in how they present their calculations. Written explanations are typically mathematically accurate. However, they are not well constructed because pupils do not apply their basic writing skills well. Pupils relish the challenges that mathematics presents.

p.2

2

The science curriculum is well planned. Leaders consider the skills and knowledge that they want pupils to learn and remember. They teach lessons in a logical way. They make sure that pupils revisit prior learning. Teachers plan interesting lessons that develop pupils’ ability to plan and carry out experiments. Pupils in Year 6 spoke about the working of the human digestive system. Their writing reflects their strong levels of scientific understanding. They do not apply their basic writing skills well in science.

p.2

2

Staff enjoy working at Netherton Moss. They said that senior leaders support and value them. They said that they have time to complete their jobs. Staff said that leaders are supportive and considerate of their workload and well-being. They listen to their concerns and act upon them.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

Safeguarding

Staff have received relevant safeguarding training. Staff know their responsibilities on how to keep pupils safe. Leaders know the pupils and their families well. They have positive relationships with families. Leaders keep detailed and comprehensive records of their work. This ensures that they remain alert and vigilant in their duties. They work with a range of external agencies. This work enables them to provide support best suited to the needs of families. 26–27 November 2019

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 By the time pupils leave Year 6 they achieve well. However, pupils do not achieve as well in writing as they do in reading and mathematics. Pupils do not apply their writing skills consistently in all aspects of the curriculum. This was evident in science and mathematics. Pupils do not apply basic skills of punctuation, spelling and handwriting. Leaders must consider ways to develop writing further across the curriculum so that pupils are better prepared for the demands of key stage 3.

p.3

Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Netherton Moss Primary School to be good on 20–21 January 2015.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

Further information

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. 26–27 November 2019

p.3

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 20–21 January 2015

p.4

Information about this school

 There have been no significant changes to this school since the previous inspection.

p.4

Information about this inspection

 During this inspection I met with the headteacher and senior leaders.  I spoke to staff about their workload and their well-being.  I met with two members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  I met with a representative of the local authority.  I considered the 11 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire and the six free-text responses. I considered the 24 responses to the staff survey.  I examined records in relation to safeguarding, attendance and behaviour. I scrutinised the single central safeguarding register. I spoke to staff about their understanding of how to keep pupils safe.  As part of the inspection, I explored the school’s approach to the teaching of reading and phonics. I considered how the mathematics and science curriculum were planned and delivered. Together with senior leaders we visited lessons in each key stage. I spoke to pupils and teachers from the lessons I visited. I talked to pupils about their

p.4

5

learning. With subject leaders, we looked at examples of pupils’ work in reading, mathematics and science.

p.5

Inspection team

John Donald, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 26–27 November 2019

p.5

6

regulates and inspects to 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.6

6

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.6

6

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.6

6

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

p.6

6

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6