Moor Hall Primary School

Inspection of Moor Hall Primary School Rowallan Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B75 6RE

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 November 2024

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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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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness 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 January 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 12 and 13 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to this caring and welcoming school. Their behaviour is exceptional. They are consistently respectful and kind to each other and to adults. Pupils flourish in the school’s friendly and harmonious atmosphere. They work very hard to reach the high expectations staff have of them. Pupils achieve well and are extremely well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s virtues of achieving, being responsible, healthy and confident are very much in evidence. Pupils are proud to receive rewards for demonstrating the values of a ‘Moor Hall child’. Adults encourage them to be themselves and to let their personalities shine through. Pupils trust adults to help them and know that any worries will be sorted out. Pupils work and play together happily and help each other however they can. Year 6 pupils relish opportunities to support their buddies from Reception.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils broaden their horizons and develop interests through the many trips and visits that take place throughout the year. Older pupils enjoy residential trips where they explore a theme, such as kindness, through dance, drama, and music. Regular enrichment weeks enable the whole school to work together to explore aspects such as culture or remembrance.

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

The school has a highly ambitious and thoughtfully sequenced curriculum which supports pupils to achieve exceptionally well. Well trained staff deliver information clearly and in a way that engages pupils. Teachers accurately check how well pupils understand what they have taught them. Through the curriculum, pupils independently apply what they have learned to unfamiliar problems very well. For example, in a hockey lesson pupils could use skills they learned from other sports to help them to dribble with a hockey stick successfully. Pupils recall information accurately. Their standards of work in French, the school’s chosen foreign language, are particularly impressive.

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

The highly effective provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength of the school. Staff receive bespoke guidance and training so they can identify and meet these pupils’ needs. As a result, pupils with SEND feel well supported by the school. They agree that additional resources and adaptations help them to feel fully included and achieve well.

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

The school promotes a love of reading. There is a well-stocked library that is regularly used. Children start to learn their letters and sounds as soon as they start at school. Adults are experts in teaching early reading. By following the phonics scheme, teachers make rigorous checks to ensure that pupils are keeping up. Pupils fluently read books that match the sounds they know.

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

In the early years, well-trained staff provide meaningful activities. Staff have thought about how the children can develop their character as well as learn the academic curriculum. Staff teach the youngest children to recognise and talk about their emotions. 12 and 13 November 2024

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Adults in early years are expert at using conversations with children to introduce new, ambitious vocabulary. This gives children a wealth of language to talk about their learning. As a result, throughout the school pupils use technical vocabulary and include this in their written work.

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Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. The school has developed clear rules and routines that help to create positive, calm classrooms. Staff use praise to teach pupils the desired conduct. This enables pupils to feel secure and have very positive attitudes towards their learning. The school closely tracks pupils’ attendance and takes highly effective action to address any emerging weaknesses. As a result, attendance is high.

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The school has developed a thoughtful and well-designed personal development programme. This is rooted in the values and virtues of the school. The school provides an impressive range of wider opportunities for all pupils. This includes trips to farms, zoos and places of worship. Pupils have impressive knowledge of fundamental British values which they confidently articulate. They contribute positively to the life of the school by helping each other and taking on a range of responsibilities. Pupils meet with governors to share their views. They feel their opinions and suggestions are valued. There are many opportunities for pupils to engage in a variety of clubs, including drama and football. Older pupils run clubs for younger pupils at lunchtimes.

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The school has created a culture of ambition and continuous improvement for staff and pupils alike. The governing body has effective systems to support and challenge the school to continue to improve the quality of education that pupils receive. Staff are proud to work at the school. They value the teamwork with their colleagues and know that leaders consider their workload and well-being. Parents and carers hold the school in high regard. They appreciate the many opportunities they have to be involved with their children’s education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 12 and 13 November 2024

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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). 12 and 13 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 23 and 24 January 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school operates a breakfast club and an after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 12 and 13 November 2024

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 The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history, and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, curriculum leaders and the special educational needs coordinator.  Inspectors met with the leaders responsible for the early years, disadvantaged pupils, behaviour, attendance and personal development.  An inspector met with governors, including the chair of the governing body. The lead

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inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation, improvement plans, records of governance, and documentation relating to attendance and pupils’ behaviour.  The inspectors spoke with groups of staff and took account of views shared through the staff survey.  During the inspection, the inspectors met with groups of pupils formally and during less structured parts of the day.  The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a familiar adult.  The inspectors took account of responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors spoke informally with parents on arrival to school.

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Inspection team

Corinne Biddell, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

John Bates Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 November 2024

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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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