Moresby Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Moresby Primary School School Brow, Moresby Parks, Whitehaven, Cumbria CA28 8UX

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Outcome

Moresby Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to Moresby Primary School. Pupils get on well together. They make everyone feel welcome. They have adults in school whom they can talk to about any worries that they may have. This helps pupils to feel safe. Leaders deal with any incidents of bullying quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ learning and behaviour. They share these frequently with pupils and help them to understand how they can rise to them. Pupils embrace leaders’ vision that ‘together everyone achieves more’. They are kind and empathetic. They work hard and try their best. This helps most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the broad range of opportunities that leaders provide beyond the academic curriculum. Pupils are encouraged to participate in a wide variety of clubs, such as cookery, robotics, dance, football, gymnastics, gardening, arts and crafts and geography. Some pupils are in the school choir and band. They perform to parents and carers, and the wider community, in shows and music festivals. These extensive experiences help pupils to develop new talents and interests. They also help them to build confidence and self-esteem.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum, from the early years to the end of Year 6. They have identified the important knowledge that pupils should learn. They have also thought carefully about how the curriculum is sequenced in the mixed-age classes. This helps pupils to build knowledge logically over time.

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

Pupils with additional needs are identified as early as the Nursery Year. Leaders ensure that teachers use a range of strategies to help these pupils to learn the same curriculum as their classmates. 18 May 2023

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Teachers have the knowledge and expertise that they need to teach the curriculum well. They present information clearly and check what pupils know before moving on to new learning. They use this assessment information well to inform future teaching. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders have not ensured that staff deliver the curriculum to mixed-age classes as effectively as they could. This hinders some pupils, including those with SEND, from knowing and remembering more of the curriculum in these subjects.

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Leaders have prioritised reading across the school. They acted swiftly to address the weaknesses in the reading curriculum highlighted in the previous inspection. They worked with the library service, staff and pupils to develop a welcoming library area. A librarian and pupil librarians keep this space well stocked and easy to use. Pupils enjoy the range of books in the library and draw inspiration for their reading choices from staff and from their friends. Most pupils read widely and often. Leaders have established a successful phonics curriculum, which starts from the beginning of the Reception Year. The books that pupils read contain the sounds and words that they know. Any pupils who struggle to keep up with the phonics curriculum are supported well to catch up. This helps pupils to become confident and fluent readers.

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Leaders have created a calm and happy environment. Pupils are polite and respectful. They enjoy the different activities that staff organise for them at breaktimes. Pupils move around the school safely and sensibly. Staff establish clear routines from the early years, and children follow these well. Pupils enjoy their learning. Their lessons are rarely interrupted by negative behaviour.

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Leaders have ensured that there are opportunities outside the academic curriculum to enhance pupils’ wider development. A number of pupils carry out their responsibilities as ambassadors, prefects and members of the school council. Leaders have established close links with local businesses and projects. For example, pupils have won an award for starting a business and raising money for the school and other charities. Leaders have invited members of different religious communities into school to share their beliefs and faith with pupils. For example, visitors have led sessions to help pupils to deepen their knowledge of Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. These experiences help to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain.

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The school is well led and managed. Governors know the school well. They use this information to hold leaders to account effectively for the school’s performance. Leaders have prioritised staff’s well-being. They have also taken positive steps to reduce staff’s workload. Staff feel valued and enjoy working at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have ensured that staff have the training that they need to understand their safeguarding responsibilities. Staff know how to identify pupils who may be at risk of harm. Leaders have established a clear system for staff to report any concerns that they 18 May 2023

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may have. They act swiftly to help vulnerable pupils and families. Leaders also access additional help from other agencies.

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Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including when online. Leaders work with police and other agencies to teach pupils about keeping themselves safe in the community. For example, pupils learn how to administer first aid.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, leaders have not ensured that all staff are supported to deliver the curriculum as effectively as they could. This means that pupils, including those with SEND, do not learn the curriculum as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that staff receive further training and support to deliver the curriculum consistently well.

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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 June 2014.

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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. 18 May 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. 18 May 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body David Brocklebank

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School details

Date of previous inspection 9 May 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not use 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During this inspection, inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders in school. They also spoke with a range of staff.  The lead inspector spoke with four governors, including the chair of the governing body. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also considered the responses from the Ofsted surveys for staff and pupils.  The lead inspector examined a range of safeguarding documentation. She also checked records of staff’s safeguarding training. Inspectors spoke to staff to check how well they understand safeguarding procedures. 18 May 2023

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktimes, in lessons and around school. They also spoke to pupils about their experiences at school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and art and design. They met leaders and teachers and visited a sample of lessons. Inspectors spoke with pupils about their learning in these subjects. They also looked at examples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector observed pupils reading to a trusted adult.

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Inspection team

Sally Timmons, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Cleo Cunningham Ofsted Inspector 18 May 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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