Moorlands Primary School

Inspection of Moorlands Primary School Church End Lane, Tilehurst, Reading, Berkshire, RG30 4UN

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 March 2020, and 21 and 22 September 2021

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 11 and 12 March 2020, and 21 and 22 September 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school is a strong, supportive community. Staff and pupils work hard for each other, which helps pupils learn well. Everyone is included and feels like they belong. Pupils respect and seek to understand people with different backgrounds and beliefs. The wide range of national flags hanging in one of the outside spaces reflects how cultures are valued and celebrated here. From the beginning of early years then throughout the school, pupils learn to discuss and debate in constructive ways. They listen to each other and are interested in others’ opinions and ideas. Summing up the views of many, one pupil said: ‘We don’t judge anyone here, we are all equal and important at Moorlands.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kind to each other as they play and learn together. Teachers care for them well and keep them safe. Children learn important routines and expectations in the early years that grow into pupils’ good behaviour as they get older. When pupils are occasionally less considerate of others, adults help to sort out any problems quickly. Pupils enjoy school and attend regularly.

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better?

Leaders make their ambition that ‘no child is left behind’ a reality. Reading plays a central role in this. Children begin to learn to read effectively as soon as they begin school, whether this is in Nursery or Reception Year. Well-structured phonics teaching in key stage 1, focused on meeting pupils’ particular needs, builds on the solid foundation laid during the early years. Pupils read books that help them practise what they have learned. If pupils need extra help with reading, leaders ensure that they get it. This continues into key stage 2, so that all pupils learn to read before they leave at the end of Year 6. Pupils experience a wide, rich range of books in class, carefully and expertly chosen by leaders. This inspires pupils in their own personal reading.

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better?

Pupils enjoy learning a wide range of subjects and achieve well overall. This starts with a strong curriculum in the early years. Leaders and teachers think carefully about what is taught in each subject to make sure that pupils learn the right knowledge. Leaders invest heavily in training teachers so that they have expertise to help them teach different subjects. While improving, this is further ahead in some subjects than in others.

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better?

Teachers’ expectations are high for all pupils. Pupils generally concentrate well in lessons. Teachers check what pupils have learned, making well-judged adjustments to what they teach next. They are rightly tackling any learning that pupils have missed because of the disruptions of the last 18 months. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn well because they are identified accurately and get effective support in lessons. In some subjects, like mathematics and reading, this is especially strong. This means pupils with SEND achieve particularly highly. Pupils also get extra help outside of lessons when appropriate. 11 and 12 March 2020, and 21 and 22 September 2021

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Pupils’ wider development is supported by a range of meaningful opportunities. These include interesting trips and visits, for example to the local museum, looking after the environment and a wide variety of after-school clubs. Pupils told inspectors how much they enjoy clubs as different as gardening, fencing, choir and dodgeball. They feel activities like litter-picking in the community and raising awareness about plastic pollution are hugely worthwhile and important.

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Pupils talk confidently about ways in which they demonstrate the school’s values in practice. They learn about positive character traits in assemblies and throughout the curriculum. They have a good understanding about healthy relationships and how to look after themselves. Pupils are proud to hold leadership roles, for example on the school council, and work purposefully with staff to raise funds for local charities and organise collections for the local food bank.

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Governors have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and priorities. They make sure that any additional funding is used to improve pupils’ learning. Governors operate in an organised way to support and challenge leaders. They evaluate the school’s effectiveness, working efficiently and with focus.

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Leaders have high ambitions for children, from the early years through to the end of Year 6. Parents recognise and value this. While leaders expect staff to work hard and do their best for pupils, they also support staff well-being and workload. Staff feel that leaders strike the right balance, particularly appreciating leaders’ collaborative approach. There is a real team ethic.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding processes and policy are strong and up to date. Records are well organised and timely. Because of effective training, teachers know the signs to look out for that might indicate concerns. Pupils say that they feel safe. They are confident about what to do if they need to talk to an adult. Leaders handle issues swiftly and sensitively. They work well with external agencies and families to support pupils’ safety, well-being and mental health. The family worker plays a key role in this. Governors maintain a sharp oversight. Parents trust the school to keep their children safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

◼ While effective overall, provision for pupils with SEND is particularly strong in certain subjects. Consequently, the achievement of pupils with SEND is especially good. Leaders should ensure that pupils with SEND are supported consistently well in all subjects so that pupils achieve highly across the curriculum. 11 and 12 March 2020, and 21 and 22 September 2021

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◼ Particular strengths in teachers’ subject knowledge typically relate to the focus of training that leaders have provided, for example in reading and mathematics. Leaders should continue to develop teachers’ expertise in all subjects to help maximise pupils’ progress through the planned curriculum.

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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. 11 and 12 March 2020, and 21 and 22 September 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10122222 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Nicola Browne (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 24 – 25 May 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

◼ The school has much higher-than-average proportions of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.

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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 of the school to be completed 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.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors first visited the school on 11 and 12 March 2020 and carried out a second visit on 21 and 22 September 2021 to complete the inspection. The delay in completing the inspection was due to restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the second visit, inspectors gathered additional evidence and reviewed all the evidence gathered during the first visit. The following bullet points describe the evidence gathered during the second visit. 11 and 12 March 2020, and 21 and 22 September 2021

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◼ Inspectors met with the executive headteacher; heads of school; other leaders; four governors, including the chair of the governing body; and a representative of the local authority. ◼ Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, science, geography and mathematics. 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 pupils’ work. ◼ Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects. ◼ Inspectors met with safeguarding leaders, including the family worker, looked at records, policies and processes relating to safeguarding and talked to pupils, staff and governors about this aspect of the school’s work. Inspectors also reviewed the school’s checks on the suitability of staff to work at the school. ◼ Inspectors met with many pupils to discuss their views of the school and took into

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consideration 24 responses to the pupil survey. ◼ Inspectors also met with a wide range of staff, including support staff, taking into account the 36 responses to the confidential staff survey. ◼ Inspectors reviewed and scrutinised a range of the school’s documentation, including leaders’ plans for improving the school, their evaluation of how well the school is currently performing, minutes of governing body meetings, and records of attendance and behaviour incidents. ◼ Inspectors met with some parents and considered 24 responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s confidential parental questionnaire, including 19 free-text responses. Inspectors also considered the parental survey that the school conducted during the summer term 2021.

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Inspection team

Matthew Haynes, lead inspector September 2021 Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Louise Walker Her Majesty’s Inspector Clare Morgan, lead inspector March 2020 Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Becky Greenhalgh Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 March 2020, and 21 and 22 September 2021

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