Moat Primary Academy

Inspection of Moat Primary School Juniper Avenue, Matson, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL4 6AP

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 September 2021

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 14 and 15 September 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils are happy at school. Pupils feel safe. They try hard to use the school’s code of ‘Be Kind, Be Honest, Be Responsible and Show Respect’ in their daily activities. Pupils enjoy taking on roles and responsibilities such as house captains. They want to make a difference to their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders set high expectations for staff and pupils. Leaders are bringing about many positive changes to improve the teaching of reading and the wider curriculum. However, leaders know that the quality of education pupils receive is not yet good. For example, too many pupils have gaps in their phonics knowledge.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour in class is improving. Low-level disruption to learning has reduced over time. However, there are still some incidents of poor behaviour, mostly at playtimes. Pupils are confident that when bullying happens, adults deal with it well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff care about the pupils and their community. There is a strong sense of teamwork across the school. Parents and carers are positive about the school’s work, especially the support offered during the national lockdowns. Several parents commented on the passion and commitment staff showed at a challenging time.

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better?

Leaders are united in their work to improve the quality of education pupils receive. During the last year, leaders have reorganised the curriculum in every subject. Leaders’ plans are comprehensive and ambitious. They identify the important knowledge and skills pupils need to know and remember from Reception to Year 6. However, in some subjects, such as history, teachers are only just beginning to implement these new plans. Consequently, gaps in pupils’ knowledge persist.

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better?

Recent improvements to the reading curriculum are beginning to pay off. Leaders have introduced a new approach to teaching phonics. Staff’s subject knowledge is developing well. Staff make frequent checks on what pupils know. There are regular ‘scoop up’ sessions to help pupils catch up. Nevertheless, too many pupils at the end of Reception and key stage 1 have gaps in their phonics knowledge. This prevents them from reading accurately and with confidence.

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better?

There is a sharp focus on developing children’s language, vocabulary and communication skills. In the pre-school, highly skilled staff expertly support children’s language and communication skills well. They confidently show children how to play, talk and write.

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better?

In mathematics, staff are well trained and make effective use of support and guidance from local experts. Staff use assessment well to identify what pupils know and remember. In Reception, children have lots of opportunities to support their understanding of early numbers. In Years 1 to 6, daily arithmetic sessions help 14 and 15 September 2021

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pupils rehearse and revisit important facts. Consequently, pupils do well in mathematics and enjoy it.

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Leaders’ actions have ensured that pupils understand how to behave appropriately in lessons. Most pupils follow instructions quickly. Staff support pupils who present challenging behaviour well. Pupils told us how behaviour has improved in the last year as ‘the school is a more caring place’. Still, behaviour at playtimes could be better.

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Leaders know the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff are becoming skilled at adapting teaching activities for pupils with the most complex needs. Leaders and teachers check what pupils with SEND know and can do. However, some pupils’ plans do not identify precisely enough the small steps they need to learn well. As a result, some pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they should.

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Leaders prioritise pupils’ physical and emotional well-being. Staff provide pupils with high-quality pastoral support, so they are ready to learn. Pupils appreciate how they can visit ‘the snug’ to discuss any worries or concerns. This makes them feel safe and valued. Pupils understand the importance of keeping physically active. They enjoy taking part in the ‘daily mile’ and sports clubs.

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Pupils know about the school values and why they are important. Leaders ensure that pupils learn about fundamental British values through assemblies and the curriculum. Older pupils can explain how democracy and the rule of law work, but they are not as confident discussing all the British values and what they mean to them.

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Trustees are putting plans in place to improve their understanding of how well leaders and teachers are implementing the school’s curriculum. However, it is early days. As a result, trustees do not yet have a clear enough overview of how well pupils are prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders place significant importance on keeping pupils safe. Staff are knowledgeable about what to do if they are worried about a pupil. Leaders, including the pastoral support worker, are quick to help vulnerable pupils and families access the support they need.

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Safeguarding

Through the curriculum, pupils learn about keeping safe in school and the community. They know some of the risks associated with online safety and drug abuse. There is consensus among parents, staff and pupils that this is a safe place to learn. 14 and 15 September 2021

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Many pupils, particularly at the end of Reception and in key stage 1, have gaps in their phonics knowledge. Pupils are not yet confident and fluent readers. Leaders need to assure themselves that all pupils learn to read accurately and those pupils who have previously fallen behind catch up.  Across the school, many systems and procedures to improve the quality of education are new. Not all leaders, including trustees, understand how well all pupils are learning the intended curriculum. Leaders need to assure themselves that all pupils learn the depth of knowledge they should in all subjects.  Low-level poor behaviour in lessons is reducing. However, there are still several pupils who find playtimes challenging. Leaders need to ensure the current systems are improving pupils’ behaviour, especially at playtimes, so it is consistently good.  Not all pupils with SEND achieve as well as they should. Targets on some

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

individual plans do not identify the small steps that pupils need to succeed. Leaders should ensure that pupils’ targets are precise, are understood and are used by all staff.

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How can I feed back my views?

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

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How can I feed back my views?

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

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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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. 14 and 15 September 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10201009 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Moat Primary School converted to become an academy in June 2017. When its predecessor school, Moat Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged inadequate.  The school is part of The Robinswood Academy Trust, a multi-academy trust of five primary schools in Gloucester.  There have been significant staff changes since the previous inspection. A new headteacher took up post in January 2021. The special educational needs coordinator joined the school in September 2021.  There have been significant changes to the governance of the school. There is no longer a local governing body. A new chair of trustees has been appointed and takes up role in October 2021.  The school has an on-site pre-school provision.  There is a breakfast club for pupils who attend the school. 14 and 15 September 2021

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, headteacher and the extended leadership team. Inspectors spoke with two representatives from the board of trustees and an external school improvement adviser.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of work.  Inspectors listened to pupils from Years 1, 2, 3 and 6 read to an adult.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s safeguarding documentation, including safeguarding checks carried out on staff working at the school. They considered

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Information about this inspection

how well the designated safeguarding leader acts on concerns about pupils’ welfare and safety. Inspectors talked to pupils, staff and trustees about safe working practices.  Inspectors considered six responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including four free-text responses and 12 responses to the survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Dale Burr, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Hilary Goddard Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 September 2021

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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.

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