Moorside Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Moorside Primary School Holdsworth Street, Swinton, Greater Manchester M27 0LN

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Inspection dates: 29 and 30 September 2021

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Outcome

Moorside Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils arrive at Moorside Primary with a smile on their face. They receive a friendly greeting from their teachers. Pupils and staff enjoy warm relationships. Staff know their pupils well and encourage them to aspire towards the Moorside aim ‘to be the best that we can be’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils get on well together. They are considerate towards each other and understand what makes a good friend. They told inspectors that bullying is very rare. Pupils explained that if bullying does happen, their teachers deal with it swiftly. Pupils told inspectors that if they ever have any worries, staff will always listen to them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ learning and behaviour. Pupils understand this and conduct themselves accordingly. They behave well. They strive to earn ‘class smileys’ for their positive attitudes to learning. One pupil explained that when enough smileys are collected, they are rewarded with an ‘ice-cream afternoon’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are passionate for all pupils to have a wide range of experiences. Staff plan regular trips and activities. Pupils are grateful for the many clubs that they can take part in, such as mountain biking and gardening. Pupils relish their roles in schools, such as pupil governor or eco-council member.

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

Leaders have designed a broad and balanced curriculum. They are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Curriculum content is well ordered so as to help pupils build on their learning over time. Leaders in the early years ensure that the curriculum prepares children well for their learning in Year 1 and beyond.

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

Leaders are keen to ensure the curriculum is meaningful to pupils. For example, in history, teachers’ plans ensure that pupils learn about the events and changes that have taken place in 29 and 30 September 2021

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their own local area of Swinton and Salford. This is helping pupils understand that history is all around them. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes are well supported with their learning. They use their knowledge of science to explain changes in the seasons and why flowers need water. Staff promote and encourage the use of subject-specific vocabulary to help children in the early years develop their language skills.

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In some other curriculum subjects, teachers do not always recap the content that has been previously taught. This means there are missed opportunities to further reinforce pupils’ prior learning. As a result, some pupils are unable to recall key knowledge.

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Leaders have promoted a love of reading throughout the school. They have substantially invested in high-quality reading books and resources. Leaders ensure that communication and language are prioritised as soon as children enter the Nursery class. Staff are well trained in the delivery of phonics knowledge. They ensure that books carefully match the sounds that pupils know. Staff regularly check pupils’ progress in phonics. Any pupils who are falling behind are given additional support to help them catch up quickly. This effective support is helping pupils develop as fluent readers.

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Leaders ensure that the focus on reading continues for older pupils. Teachers thoughtfully select books to support the reading curriculum. Pupils also use their class libraries to access texts from a wealth of different authors. As a result, pupils enjoy reading and understand its many benefits. As one pupil explained, ‘Reading helps my writing become more imaginative.’

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The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works with staff and parents and carers to ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are quickly identified and met. She liaises with outside agencies to secure specialist support where required. The SENCo supports teachers to ensure that pupils with SEND are included in the same learning as everybody else.

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Pupils throughout the school are unfailingly polite and they work hard in their lessons. Leaders have ensured that there are many opportunities to enhance pupils’ personal development throughout the curriculum. They learn about other religions and cultures and understand the importance of respecting others, regardless of their background.

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Governors want the best for all pupils. They provide valuable support and challenge to leaders in their drive to achieve this. Staff are proud to work for ‘Team Moorside’. They feel valued by leaders. Staff are grateful for the positive impact that leaders’ actions have had on workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff receive regular safeguarding training. This means that staff are well equipped to spot any signs of abuse. Leaders encourage all members of staff to report any concerns they may have, no matter how small. Leaders take swift action to ensure that pupils and their families receive the help that they need. 29 and 30 September 2021

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Teachers recognise the risks that pupils may face in their daily lives. Teachers use the curriculum to help pupils understand the dangers of gang culture and how to stay safe online. Pupils are taught about the dangers of drugs and how they can keep themselves safe in a variety of everyday situations.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils are not always able to recall the key knowledge in some subjects. This is because teachers do not always provide opportunities to recap what pupils have previously learned. Leaders need to ensure that all teachers are systematically recapping and assessing pupils’ prior learning. This will enable teachers to more effectively build on what pupils know and remember.

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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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 23 and 24 June 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 29 and 30 September 2021

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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. 29 and 30 September 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199883 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 23 and 24 June 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Two deputy headteachers have been appointed and one has left the school, since the previous inspection.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The governing body manages the before- and after-school club provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, history and science. This involved visiting lessons with subject leaders, discussing curriculum plans, looking at pupils’ work and talking to pupils and teachers.  An inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult. An inspector also held discussions with the leaders for physical education and modern foreign languages. 29 and 30 September 2021

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 Inspectors monitored the behaviour of pupils in lessons and at lunchtimes and breaktimes. Inspectors also met with pupils to hear their views about Moorside Primary.  Inspectors considered the 41 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, and 26 parents’ free-text responses. They also spoke to parents and carers at the start of both school days. Inspectors reviewed 78 responses to the pupils’ survey and 21 responses to the survey for staff.

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Inspection team

John Tomlinson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ian Young Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 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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