Moore Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Moore Primary School Lindfield Close, Moore, Warrington, Cheshire WA4 6UG

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Outcome

Moore Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have created a happy and successful school that has strong links with parents, carers and the local community. Pupils enjoy learning and they achieve well. They work hard during lessons and are very supportive of one another. By the time they leave Year 6, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are determined that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), should achieve well. Pupils strive each day to live up to teachers’ high expectations. This is evident in their positive behaviour and the excellent attitudes to learning that they develop from their very first days in the Reception class.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel happy and safe in school because they know that adults care about them. They know that members of staff will always listen to them if they have any concerns. They are confident that staff will deal with the very rare incidents of bullying or name-calling quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide many opportunities for pupils to take part in clubs and activities outside of the school day. Pupils also have the chance to participate in residential visits. All pupils, including those with SEND, are encouraged to join in with these activities.

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious and well-structured curriculum that extends pupils’ thinking and nurtures their curiosity. They have placed reading at the heart of this curriculum, and prioritised the teaching of reading across the school. Children in the Reception class begin to learn about the link between letters and sounds from their very first days in school. As pupils develop their reading knowledge, teachers ensure that the books that pupils read match the sounds that they have learned. Pupils in key stage 1 gain secure phonic knowledge. This helps them to read accurately and fluently. As pupils move into key stage 2 the focus on reading continues. Teachers choose class novels that 7 and 8 February 2023

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introduce pupils to different authors and genres. Pupils value reading highly. Many older pupils are enthusiastic readers, and read widely and often.

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The strengths in reading support pupils’ learning across the whole curriculum. Leaders have thought carefully about the key knowledge that pupils need to acquire in each subject and in each year group. As a result, pupils have access to well-structured curriculums. They enjoy the challenge that learning across a wide range of subjects brings, and achieve well in most subjects. Teachers make regular checks on pupils’ learning. This helps them to identify which pupils need more help or guidance. However, in a small number of subjects, teachers’ use of assessment strategies is less well developed. In these subjects, teachers do not use assessment information well enough to shape future teaching.

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Leaders have high expectations for what pupils with SEND can achieve. They provide expert guidance to help staff identify and meet the needs of these pupils. Adaptations to learning resources or additional adult support help them access the same curriculum as their peers. Some pupils also access programmes led by external partners, such as speech and language therapy.

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Pupils benefit from the strong focus that leaders place on nurture and the steps that they take to support pupils’ welfare and well-being. Leaders are constantly looking for ways to develop and promote pupils’ talents and interests. For example, many pupils learn to play a musical instrument and take part in a range of sporting opportunities, such as cross- country running and netball. Board games also feature in the list of after-school clubs. Older pupils are proud to take on leadership roles, such as being a member of the school council or being part of the ‘Climate Crew’, which has recently been involved in litter picking in the local community.

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Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary in lessons and around the school. They are studious and keen to do well. They are also thoughtful and respectful towards each other and the adults who teach them.

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Governors provide a good balance of support and challenge to the school’s leadership team. They visit the school regularly and talk to parents, pupils and staff. They share leaders’ ambition to continue strengthening the quality of education that pupils receive.

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Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. Many of those who responded to Ofsted Parent View commented on the strong sense of community that leaders have developed. Parents value highly the care and support that staff provide for their children.

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Staff feel valued and well supported. They are dedicated to their roles at the school and are grateful for the consideration that leaders give to their workload and well-being. 7 and 8 February 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure staff receive regular safeguarding training. As a result, staff understand how to respond to any signs of abuse and neglect. Leaders respond swiftly to any concerns that staff raise. They use the strong links that they have developed with external agencies to ensure that pupils and families receive help promptly.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, for example when using the internet or social media. They learn about the risks associated with sharing their personal information and learn what to do if they see something that makes them feel uncomfortable.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, the checks that teachers make on pupils’ learning do not identify whether pupils fully understand what they have been taught. This means that some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and are not able to build future learning securely on what they already know. Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment strategies effectively, to address misconceptions and identify gaps in knowledge.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in September 2013.

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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. 7 and 8 February 2023

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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. 7 and 8 February 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 January 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.

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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 that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other members of the leadership team.  The inspector held a meeting with four governors, including the chair of governors.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. As part of this process, he met with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with pupils, listened to pupils reading and looked at their work in books. The inspector also scrutinised pupils’ work in other curriculum subjects.  The inspector examined safeguarding records. He also spoke with staff about safeguarding and other aspects of their work. 7 and 8 February 2023

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 The inspector spoke to pupils about their experience of school. He also observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and during lunchtime.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View.  There were no responses to the staff survey or the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Paul Tomkow, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 February 2023

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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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