Moorlands Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Moorlands Primary School Church End Lane, Tilehurst, Reading, Berkshire RG30 4UN

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Outcome

Moorlands Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy, welcoming and inclusive school. Relationships are warm and nurturing. The school’s ‘RESPECT’ values underpin all aspects of the school’s work. From the beginning in the early years, children settle quickly into routines and cooperate well together. Children thrive in this positive environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils achieve well across the subjects they study. The curriculum is broad and stimulating. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive highly effective support when they need it. The school’s additional resource provision, ‘The Nest’, ensures that pupils follow a carefully designed curriculum which is well suited to their needs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kind to each other. They behave well in lessons and around school. Older pupils make a tangible contribution to the life of the school. They relish taking up responsibilities such as those of school council representatives and playground leaders, acting as role models for their younger peers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from participating in the wide range of clubs and activities the school offers, including chess, football and ‘forest club’. The school provides rich opportunities for pupils to learn musical skills. Pupils practise singing together in assemblies, participate happily in choir performances and learn to play wind instruments in Year 3.

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

The school’s curriculum is ambitious. It has been carefully designed to give pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils, the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life. It is logically ordered so that it builds on secure foundations right from the start. Children in 10 and 11 June 2025

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the early years are supported effectively to develop their communication, language and understanding of numbers. The curriculum supports pupils’ writing development well. Pupils build fluency in writing through practice of foundational knowledge, including handwriting and spelling.

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The school has made reading a priority. In Nursery, staff use rhymes and songs to help children understand the sounds that letters make. In Reception, children learn to read skilfully using phonics. Staff ensure that the school’s reading programme is delivered consistently. Pupils at the early stages of reading gain confidence and fluency. The school checks that pupils are on track with the reading programme and gives them the support they need to read with increasing independence. The school promotes a love of reading throughout pupils’ time at school. Pupils benefit from author visits and develop an appreciation of a range of high-quality, diverse books.

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Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They explain ideas and concepts clearly, addressing any misconceptions pupils may have. They ensure that activities are purposeful and designed to deepen pupils’ understanding. Staff check carefully that pupils with SEND can access the curriculum and make adaptations where needed. Occasionally, teachers do not ensure that all pupils have consolidated their knowledge as fully as they need to, before moving on. This is because some aspects of curriculum practice are not embedded across all subjects. Staff have received helpful high-quality training, though aspects of this are at the earlier stages.

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The school ensures that there is swift identification of pupils with SEND. It communicates this information helpfully to staff. Pupils in the nest follow a well-sequenced curriculum, enabling them to learn an appropriate range of subjects. Staff benefit from working with the specialists from a special school and the local authority. This ensures that pupils who attend the nest are supported effectively.

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Staff have consistently high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils are courteous and keen to do well. When pupils struggle with managing their emotions or behaviour the school provides swift and helpful support. Attendance is a high priority at the school because this has been below that of other schools nationally. The school has taken a range of effective actions to raise attendance and reduce persistent absence. Most pupils attend well. Staff work closely with families and external agencies to make sure that pupils’ welfare is supported.

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The school’s personal development programme is extensive. Pupils benefit from taking up the many roles and responsibilities they are offered. For example, older pupils help younger pupils practise their reading through the school’s reading ambassador scheme. Pupils are keen to learn more about different subjects through meaningful experiences beyond the school. For example, pupils in Year 6 deepen their scientific understanding of how the heart functions by visiting an industrial laboratory.

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Governors share the high ambitions of staff for pupils to achieve well. They have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They ensure they fulfil all their statutory duties and hold leaders to account for the school’s 10 and 11 June 2025

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effectiveness. Parents and carers are extremely positive about the education their children receive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some aspects of the school’s curriculum are not as well developed. In a small number of subjects, implementation does not always match the school’s ambitious plans. This means that, on occasion, pupils do not consistently secure the knowledge they need ready for the next stage of their learning. The school should ensure that that all staff have support to deliver the curriculum effectively, checking the impact of actions taken.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in September 2021.

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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. 10 and 11 June 2025

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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.

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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). 10 and 11 June 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 March 2020, and 22 and 23 September 2021, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There is nursery provision for children aged three and four years old.  The school has an additional resource provision which caters for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties. At the time of the inspection, eight pupils attended this provision.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.

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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 second 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. 10 and 11 June 2025

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 During the inspection, the inspector held meetings with the executive headteacher, head of school and other senior leaders. The inspector met with governors and representatives from the local authority.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to a selection of pupils about their learning and looked at some of their work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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 inspector gathered the views of pupils, parents and staff through discussions and responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Russell Bennett, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 10 and 11 June 2025

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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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