Moorgate Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Moorgate Primary Academy Moorgate, Tamworth, Staffordshire B79 7EL

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this initial (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a full inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a full (section 5) inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Moorgate Primary Academy feel happy and enjoy school. They say the school ‘is amazing!’. Staff and pupils get on well together and treat each other with kindness and respect. This starts in the early years when adults teach pupils how to take turns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is calm and orderly. Pupils told the inspector that bullying does not worry them. They say that if children are unkind to each other, adults sort it out quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for pupils. Staff encourage and expect pupils to work hard and do their best at all times. They prepare pupils for life outside school well. Adults do this by teaching pupils how to behave responsibly, for example by raising money for charity or by taking on roles of responsibility in school. These roles include being a well-being warrior or a playground buddy. Pupils speak with pride about these roles.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils can take part in many activities beyond the classroom. For example, leaders recently hired a transportable, full-size, outdoor swimming pool for pupils to use. For many pupils, this was the first time they had been swimming. Pupils can choose to join a range of sports clubs. Trips in the past have included London, Tamworth castle and local restaurants. Pupils value these experiences.

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

Leaders have thought carefully about the subjects that pupils learn. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), follow a broad curriculum. Most subjects are well planned and sequenced. For example, in mathematics, pupils can remember what they have learned in the past. They use this knowledge effectively to help them build on their learning. Adults use a variety of methods to check pupils’ learning and identity any gaps. This includes feedback in pupils’ books. When pupils respond to this 29 and 30 March 2022

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feedback it helps them to reflect on their mistakes and understand how to improve. However, this does not always happen. Leaders know there is more to do to ensure that teachers use assessment consistently well to help pupils learn, across all subjects.

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Pupils with SEND say they enjoy school. Adults take good care of them. Teachers create pupil passports for most pupils with SEND. The plans describe what the pupils need help with. However, they are not precise enough in identifying what staff need to do to help pupils with their work or manage their emotions.

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Leaders have prioritised reading. The school library is warm and inviting. Every classroom has a reading space. Leaders have put an effective reading programme in place. They have high aspirations for what pupils can achieve in reading. For example, adults introduce pupils in Reception to vocabulary they will need when they study traditional texts. Leaders check regularly on how well pupils are learning to read. Staff provide effective extra help to those that are falling behind. Consequently, most pupils are developing into confident, fluent readers.

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In the early years, adults use resources well to support pupils’ learning in mathematics. This focus on number continues into key stages 1 and 2. Pupils say they enjoy mathematics lessons.

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Adults have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. This starts in Reception. Adults teach pupils to use their ‘magnet eyes’ to show they are listening to the teacher. As a result, pupils concentrate well in class and listen attentively in lessons.

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Leaders promote pupils’ personal development well. In mathematics, for example, adults teach pupils to learn from their mistakes. This helps to build pupils’ resilience.

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Staff talk positively about the opportunities leaders give them to develop their professional interests. This includes additional training. However, some staff feel that leaders do not consider their well-being or workload enough. Although staff enjoy working at the school, some do not feel respected by leaders. Members of the local academy council recognise that they need to give more consideration to staff’s well-being.

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In discussion with leaders, the inspector agreed that looking at how well assessment had been embedded across all subject areas and considering how pupil passports were being used more effectively to meet pupils’ needs may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Adults take pupils’ welfare seriously. When they report a concern, they know that leaders will deal with it effectively. This includes making referrals to external agencies when necessary. This means families get the help they require when they need it.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide staff with regular training. This includes information about potential risks 29 and 30 March 2022

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pupils may face in the local area. Leaders complete appropriate checks on all adults who work at, or visit, the school. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online through the curriculum and assemblies. This includes not sharing any personal information. Consequently, all pupils say they feel safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders and staff do not use assessment well enough across all subjects. They do not use it effectively to check gaps in pupils’ understanding. This means that pupils cannot remember what they have learned before. Leaders need to ensure that effective assessment is embedded in all subjects so that pupils remember long term the content they have been taught and can successfully use this knowledge to build on their learning.  Not all pupils with SEND have a pupil passport. For those that do, they do not provide staff with clear and precise information about how best to support pupils with SEND. Leaders need to ensure that staff are provided with the appropriate support and training they need to enable them to plan and deliver additional support for all pupils with SEND.  Some staff feel that leaders do not give enough attention to supporting their well-being or consider their workload. Some staff do not feel respected by leaders. Senior leaders

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

and members of the local academy council need to ensure that they work with all staff to consider their well-being and workload so that all staff feel respected.

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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 in April 2017.

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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. 29 and 30 March 2022

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

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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. 29 and 30 March 2022

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School details

Website www.moorgateacademy.co.uk/ Date of previous inspection 26 and 27 April 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, there have been significant changes to the senior leadership team. In 2018, a new leader for mathematics was appointed. In 2019, a new deputy headteacher, a new leader for English and a new special educational needs coordinator were appointed. In 2021, a new early years leader was appointed.  The headteacher is currently seconded to the role of deputy director of education for the trust for two days a week.  The school runs a before- and after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken this into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, other leaders, staff, members of the local academy council, including the chair, trustees, including the chair, and pupils. The inspector spoke to the acting chief executive officer and proprietor of an alternative provision used by the school on the telephone. 29 and 30 March 2022

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also listened to pupils read to familiar adults.  The inspector also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in science.  The inspector talked to pupils at unstructured times during the day.  The inspector evaluated a range of school documents and looked at information on the school’s website.  The inspector checked the single central record and met with the school’s safeguarding leaders.  The inspector reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire and considered the responses to the online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Lesley Yates, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 March 2022

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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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