Moortown Primary School

Inspection of Moortown Primary School Shadwell Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS17 6DR

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since November 2011. 19 and 20 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Moortown Primary School is a special place to learn. It is both academically ambitious and deeply caring. The school nurtures pupils’ talents and interests. It fosters high levels of respect and tolerance within the school and beyond. Pupils cooperate and achieve exceptionally well. The school has established a foundation for lifelong success amongst its pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff motivate pupils to be curious and resilient. They approach new challenges with enthusiasm. Leaders have created an ambitious and inspirational curriculum. It helps pupils to understand important issues in the world today. Pupils are motivated, listen well and ask meaningful questions. They love to learn. Pupils behave exceptionally well. Bullying is rare. The school teaches children from the early years onwards to speak up, challenge inequality and show ‘courageous activism’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe. Caring and knowledgeable staff support them. The school is a happy and healthy place to learn. Younger children know how to identify risks in their environment. They appreciate what is safe and what is not. Older children are passionate about the environment, animals and their local area. They have worked with local councillors to increase the number of litter bins in the local area, and with the police on road safety.

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better?

The school’s curriculum meets the needs of all pupils extremely well. It is broad and ambitious. Pupils study Latin, computer programming and learn about the work of artists and musicians. Leaders ensure that pupils revisit important knowledge and skills over time so that they are deeply embedded. Links between different subjects are strong. For example, pupils use their knowledge of computing to perform tasks in music, art and design, design and technology, and geography. Pupils develop a deep and rich understanding of the school’s intended curriculum.

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better?

The curriculum is skilfully taught with precision. Staff select appropriate activities and ask meaningful questions that help pupils to achieve highly. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff use assessment well to identify gaps in pupils’ skills and knowledge. They take swift action so that no pupil is left behind. The school continuously reviews the curriculum to ensure it is exciting, engaging and relevant for all pupils.

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better?

Reading is the foundation of everything the school does. Leaders have thought carefully about how to inspire a love of reading among all pupils. Reading is a priority in all curriculum subjects. Children in the early years begin learning to read quickly. Their learning environment has many and varied opportunities for reading and writing. The school’s approach to teaching phonics is highly effective. Pupils who need extra help to keep up and catch up, receive the support they need from a phonics champion. Pupils read confidently and enthusiastically. 19 and 20 March 2024

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Pupils with SEND are quickly identified, assessed and supported at the school. These pupils, who have a variety of SEND, receive the specialist help they need. Staff know the barriers that pupils with SEND face. The school provides regular training related to children with SEND and understand how to meet their needs. The work that the small number of pupils with SEND produce is of a high quality.

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The school has created a curriculum which meets the needs of children in the early years exceptionally well. The school’s curriculum carefully considers what the youngest children need to know. Skilled staff work in the early years and know exactly how to get the best out of children. Interactions between adults and children are of a high quality. Learning activities are carefully planned to develop children’s skills, vocabulary and knowledge. Children learn and play in harmony.

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Pupils are rarely absent from school. Rates of persistent absence for all groups of pupils are low. The school rewards good attendance and encourages punctuality. As a result, very little learning is lost at the school.

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The schools’ approach to nurturing pupils’ personal development is exceptional. Pupils meet the Lord Mayor, go on residentials, speak to authors and have talks from a range of role models such as female engineers. Because the school inspires and motivates pupils, they are ambitious for their futures. The curriculum highlights the wide range of careers pupils might follow. The ‘Living and Learning’ lessons pupils take part in embed important school and British values among pupils. Pupils develop their character by focusing on giving and receiving compliments, solving problems and debating global issues.

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Leaders are exceptionally skilled, highly motivated and well informed about their school. The excellent education and pastoral care in place for all pupils shows their commitment and vision. Professional development for all staff is exemplary. Leaders have planned high-quality training. Each decision leaders make is carefully made. Governors support and challenge leaders in equal measure. They ensure funding is available to support vulnerable pupils. They fulfil their statutory duties effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 19 and 20 March 2024

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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' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school's pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 19 and 20 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 and 24 November 2011

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Information about this school

 Several senior leaders are new to the school since the previous inspection.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school runs breakfast and after-school clubs.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above average.  The proportion of pupils entitled to receive the government’s additional pupil premium funding is well-below average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is well-below average.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school's education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 19 and 20 March 2024

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pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. The lead inspector also spoke with members of the governing body.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and computing. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with some pupils and teachers and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector also met with curriculum leaders for physical education and art and design.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive

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culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in a range of situations, including in corridors, at breaktimes, at lunchtimes and in lessons. The inspectors also spoke to pupils about behaviour and bullying. The inspectors spoke with leaders, teachers and pupils about the school’s programme of personal development.  The inspector considered the responses from parents to Ofsted Parent View. This includes the comments submitted via the free-text facility. The inspector also considered responses to Ofsted’s online pupil and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

John Linkins, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Ashworth Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 March 2024

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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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