Moorlands Primary School

Inspection of Moorlands Primary School Kesteven Way, Bitterne, Southampton, Hampshire SO18 5RJ

p.1

Inspection dates: 10 and 11 December 2024

p.1

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 10 and 11 December 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This is an inclusive school. Central to the school’s mission is an ‘endeavour to make the school a happy, lively and caring place’, and this is exactly what inspectors found. The school is a place where pupils feel safe, knowing that the adults care about them. If pupils have worries or problems, they know someone will listen. As a result, pupils are happy here.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations for pupils’ learning. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Pupils achieve highly. Alongside a broad curriculum, there is an effective personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) programme. The school also provides a number of experiences to bring pupils’ learning to life, including a range of clubs, trips, pupil leadership roles, outdoor learning and opportunities to develop citizenship. Consequently, pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know and understand the school’s core values of ‘ready, respectful and safe’. Their positive behaviour shows that they strive to uphold these values. This begins in early years, where children quickly learn routines and settle well to school life. Pupils are respectful of both their peers and adults.

p.2

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

The school has developed an ambitious curriculum that clearly identifies what pupils should know. Content is sequenced logically from Reception to Year 6. This supports teachers to know exactly what to teach and when. Pupils with SEND have their needs identified accurately. For a small number of pupils with SEND, the school has adapted the curriculum thoughtfully and effectively to ensure their success.

p.2

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

Teachers have the subject knowledge they need to deliver the curriculum well. Staff make effective use of resources to explain and model new content. Learning activities are engaging. Teachers adapt learning so pupils with SEND can access it alongside their peers. Pupils achieve well across the curriculum. However, the school’s approach to checking pupils’ understanding is more effective in some subjects than in others. In addition, in some subjects, the school is still developing ways to support pupils to remember what they have been taught over time. As a result, in a small number of subjects, some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge.

p.2

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

The school has prioritised reading. It has selected a diverse range of high-quality texts that link to topics across the curriculum. Pupils enjoy reading to their peers and acting as librarians. They relish receiving rewards for reading at home. Children begin to learn phonics as soon as they start in the Reception Year. The school trains staff to deliver the phonics programme confidently and effectively. Pupils practise reading using books that closely match to the sounds that they have learned. Regular checks are made on pupils’ progress through the phonics programme. Pupils who fall behind are supported by expert staff to catch up and keep up with their peers. As a result, most pupils learn to read fluently and confidently. 10 and 11 December 2024

p.2

3

Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. From the early years onwards, pupils develop confidence, resilience and a desire to learn. The school supports pupils to behave well. The school has established clear routines and ensures that expectations are understood clearly. Behaviour throughout the school and during break times is positive, with pupils showing consideration for their peers.

p.3

3

The school works positively with families and professionals to support them to improve the attendance of all pupils. However, although the majority of pupils attend well, a small proportion are persistently absent. The school recognises that there is scope to further raise expectations to ensure regular school attendance is a priority for all pupils

p.3

3

Personal development is a strength. The school is determined to provide pupils with opportunities that they may not otherwise receive. It offers a range of educational visits, including residential trips, to ensure that pupils see a diverse range of places and people. Through charity events and community links, pupils develop empathy, teamwork and communication skills. The PSHE curriculum teaches pupils how to lead safe, healthy lifestyles. Pupils demonstrate secure knowledge of how to stay safe, particularly online. The school uses visitors, such as the police and fire service, to enhance pupils’ learning.

p.3

3

Leaders at all levels are aligned to the school’s vision. They are reflective and work well together to improve what they do. Governors have an accurate view of the school and a clear vision for future priorities. Staff value leaders’ work to support their workload and well-being and are rightly proud to be a part of the team at this inclusive school.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, but minor improvements are required.

p.3

Safeguarding

The safeguarding culture is positive, and pupils are well looked after. However, at the start of the inspection, the school’s safeguarding policy did not reflect current statutory requirements. The school rectified this during the inspection.

p.3

Safeguarding

Suitable actions are taken to respond to any worries about the safety of pupils but the records of these actions and consequent outcomes are sometimes not clear enough. When discussed during the inspection, the school recognised the potential increased risk to pupils caused by this lack of clarity, particularly in relation to the oversight of severely and/or persistently absent pupils and took immediate and appropriate action. Until the inspection, there was not systematic oversight to ensure that this important work always meets current expectations.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, pupils’ understanding is not checked carefully enough. This means that some pupils develop misconceptions that go unaddressed or are reinforced. The 10 and 11 December 2024

p.3

4

school should ensure that pupils’ understanding is checked accurately and used to inform what they need to learn next.  Most pupils attend well, however, the number of persistently absent remains high. These pupils do not benefit from everything the school has to offer. The school should work to raise expectations for all pupils to attend regularly and improve its approach to evaluating the impact of actions taken to improve attendance.  The school made necessary changes to its safeguarding policy and its recording processes during the inspection. Some minor improvements are now needed to ensure that all of the school’s policies and procedures meet current statutory expectations consistently. The school and those responsible for governance must work to ensure that future updates are made in a timely fashion and the improved processes are maintained.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 10 and 11 December 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 29 January 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 This school is part of the Reach Cooperative Trust. This is a group of schools working together in the local area.  At the time of inspection, the school was not using any registered or unregistered alternative provision.

p.5

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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 10 and 11 December 2024

p.5

6

 This was the first 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.  Inspectors met and spoke with school leaders, trust leaders, staff, pupils, parents, governors and representatives from the local authority.  The inspection team conducted deep dives in these subjects: early reading, English, mathematics, music, science and history. They discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, teachers and pupils, visited lessons, and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire. They also considered the responses to the confidential Ofsted staff survey and the views of pupils gathered throughout the inspection.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

p.6

6

central record; considered 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.  Inspectors considered information about pupils’ attendance, behaviour and wider learning. They also met with the school’s special educational needs and disabilities coordinator.

p.6

6

James Stuart, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

6

Richard Blackmore Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 December 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7