Moorlands Primary School

Inspection of Moorlands Primary School Winchester Road, West Bromwich, West Midlands B71 2NZ

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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 Requires improvement 28 and 29 June 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and parents value the supportive and friendly atmosphere of this school. Leaders and staff want pupils to thrive. Their ambition is reflected in the school motto of ‘Anything is possible’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. Many of them say that the school is like a family. They feel safe at school because staff are attentive to their needs. The well-being of pupils is one of leaders’ key priorities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have high expectations for pupils. They have designed an ambitious curriculum to ensure that all pupils are well prepared for their secondary education. Pupils study a broad range of subjects. Teachers plan learning activities that support pupils’ progress.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils get on well with each other and with the staff. They behave well in lessons and during breaktimes. Pupils know how they are expected to behave. They enjoy getting rewards for good behaviour. They know that staff do not tolerate bad behaviour. Staff also deal well with bullying. Pupils say that bullying is not a problem at the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents appreciate the effectiveness of communication between school and home. They found this to be very valuable during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

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better?

Leaders have redesigned the curriculum to improve outcomes for pupils over the last few years. They have appointed teachers to lead subjects. They have provided training for staff. Learning is organised well to support pupils’ progress.

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better?

In Reception Year, staff support children’s personal, emotional and social development effectively. They develop children’s knowledge of the world around them, as well as their numeracy and literacy skills. They prepare children well for Year 1. In key stages 1 and 2, learning is planned to allow pupils to progress successfully and be ready for key stage 3.

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better?

Teachers make sure that pupils remember what they learn. For example, at the start of mathematics lessons, teachers ask pupils to solve problems using their previous learning. Teachers ask questions frequently to check that pupils have mastered prior knowledge and skills. Pupils acknowledge that this way of teaching helps them to remember what they have been taught.

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better?

Pupils enjoy working with each other and do not disrupt lessons. They say that learning activities are often challenging and interesting.

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better?

The new curriculum has only been implemented in full since last September. The disruption caused by COVID-19 and staffing issues delayed its implementation. 28 and 29 June 2022

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Teachers are not yet implementing the new curriculum consistently across subjects and year groups as they are still developing new ways of delivering some subjects.

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Teachers collect and record information on pupils’ progress in every subject. However, this system is not yet fully embedded. Recording and using information about pupils’ progress is more rigorous in some subjects than in others. Subject leaders are aware of this. They are refining their use of assessment to ensure that it provides information on pupils’ progress across the curriculum.

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Leaders have introduced a new scheme to teach phonics to ensure that children become fluent readers as early as possible. Teachers and teaching assistants received extensive training to teach the new programme. It is already having a positive impact. Children who have difficulties learning to read get effective support to catch up and keep up with their peers. There is also effective support for the few pupils in key stage 2 who still need to be more fluent readers.

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Leaders and staff support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. As a result, pupils make progress and can enjoy all aspects of school life. Teachers make sure that pupils with SEND have the support they need to learn well. The special educational needs coordinator works closely with families and external agencies to ensure that the school always meets the needs of each pupil.

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The school prepares pupils well for their future life. Pupils learn about diversity, democracy and the importance of respecting other people’s beliefs. They have lots of opportunities to develop their skills and interests in the many after-school clubs offered. Older pupils can develop their leadership skills and act as buddies to younger pupils. Relationships education allows pupils to understand appropriate behaviours.

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Leaders and staff enjoy a harmonious relationship. They work closely together. Leaders are mindful of staff’s well-being. Governors know the school well. They provide leaders with the support and challenge they need to keep on improving the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and governors make sure that the school has a strong culture of safeguarding. All staff receive regular training. They are vigilant and report any concerns they may have about pupils.

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Safeguarding

Leaders know how to recruit staff safely. Leaders and governors are confident to deal with allegations about staff. Leaders work well with families and external agencies to help children who are at risk.

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Safeguarding

Staff teach pupils to be aware of risks. Pupils learn how to stay safe in their everyday life, including when they use the internet or social media. 28 and 29 June 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, there are inconsistencies in the way the curriculum is implemented. As a result, pupils do not make as much progress as they could in these areas. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is fully embedded and that it is delivered consistently across all subjects.  Assessment procedures are not used consistently across the curriculum. This means that in some subjects, teachers do not identify and address misconceptions as early as they could. Leaders should ensure that assessment systems are used effectively in all subjects.

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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. 28 and 29 June 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.moorlandsprimarysch.co.uk Date of previous inspection 6 and 7 November 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Several new governors have been appointed since November 2018.  There is provision for 3- and 4-year-olds on the school site which is managed by the governing body.

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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 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, who is also the designated safeguarding lead (DSL), and the deputy headteacher, who is also the special educational needs coordinator. The lead inspector spoke with the chair of the governing body and four governors. The lead inspector also met with a representative of Sandwell local authority. 28 and 29 June 2022

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 The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, science, mathematics and geography. 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.  The inspectors checked safeguarding arrangements and school records. They discussed safeguarding policies and case studies with the DSL. They talked to teachers and other staff about the safeguarding training they had received and how they put this training into practice.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during breaktimes and lunchtimes, talked informally to groups of pupils and talked to parents at the start and end of the school day.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, the online inspection questionnaire, including written responses. They also considered responses from

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staff to their online inspection questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Patrick Amieli, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Anna Smith Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 June 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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