Morecambe Bay Community Primary School

Morecambe Bay Community Primary School

Address: Station Road, Morecambe, Morecambe, Lancashire, LA4 5JL Unique reference number (URN): 119135

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school offers many experiences to help all pupils. This includes support for those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, aiding their personal development. Pupils understand about different religions and cultures. This helps them to be respectful of others. Pupils learn about democracy through voting for school representatives. They understand the importance of rules and how they help everyone to stay safe. Pupils have opportunities to take on responsibilities around the school. For example, pupils help each other at lunchtime and organise games at playtime. Trips and visits broaden pupils’ understanding of their local community and the wider world. Older pupils look forward to residential visits, which help them develop resilience and independence. These opportunities help pupils to grow in confidence and prepare for life in modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn about keeping themselves safe, including online. They know about the importance of mental and physical health. For example, pupils learn strategies to manage their emotions and support their mental health and wellbeing. They have access to spaces in school that support calm reflection. The school works closely with parents, carers and other professionals to provide more targeted support for pupils' wellbeing, if it is needed. Pupils have a secure understanding of healthy relationships. They understand the importance of consent. Pupils recognise the importance of different types of families. Pupils enjoy a range of clubs after school. There are opportunities for pupils to try new activities and discover what they enjoy. For example, pupils enjoy representing the school on sporting teams or singing in the choir. These clubs help pupils to develop their talents and interests.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils have not achieved well enough over time, including in published outcomes. Disadvantaged pupils, in particular, have underperformed when compared with their peers. Pupils do not have a secure enough foundation in some important areas of the curriculum, such as early reading, writing and mathematics. As a result, they struggle to read fluently, form letters correctly or work accurately with numbers. Pupils with gaps in their learning find it harder to access more complex learning as they move through the school.

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Achievement Needs attention

More pupils are now working at the expected standard than in previous years. Older pupils’ misconceptions and gaps in learning are beginning to close, including pupils who are disadvantaged. Older pupils’ work shows that they are progressing through the curriculum. Pupils who received targeted phonics intervention are improving their reading.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders are taking appropriate action, however, improvement is not consistent. Too many pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, still do not learn as well as they should.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Too many pupils do not attend school as often as they should. This is particularly true for disadvantaged pupils. Leaders are taking action to improve attendance. Their actions have brought about improvements for some pupils. However, the impact of these actions is limited. Persistent absence remains high and too many pupils still miss significant amounts of school. This means these pupils do not learn as well as they should.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupils' behaviour is variable. In lessons, too many pupils lose focus and become distracted. This happens when activities do not build on what pupils already know, making it harder for them to concentrate on learning. There is some variation in how successfully staff address low-level disruption, when it occurs. Some pupils are beginning to benefit from recent changes and more targeted support that promote positive behaviour. At breaks and lunchtimes, pupils behave well and enjoy playing with their friends. Pupils say that staff deal with bullying effectively when it happens.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The quality of teaching is inconsistent. The activities that teachers choose often do not help pupils to build on what they already know. Teaching does not consistently support pupils to address gaps in their prior learning. Adaptations for pupils with barriers to learning are not as effective as they could be. As a result, gaps in knowledge are not successfully addressed.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have designed a well-sequenced curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils. Teachers have a secure understanding of the subjects that they teach. Some use this knowledge effectively to help older pupils tackle gaps in their learning. This is beginning to help these pupils address what they have missed.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders understand the importance of teaching early reading. They have introduced a new early reading curriculum that is helping more children in the early years and pupils in Years 1 and 2 to learn the skills they need to segment and blend sounds to read words. Teachers also help younger pupils to develop new vocabulary and check that they can blend sounds accurately. Despite this, too many children do not read fluently.

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Early years Needs attention

Many children in the early years do not learn to read and write as well as they should. Leaders acknowledge this and have introduced a new reading curriculum. As a result of these changes, more children are now able to read with increasing accuracy. Children are learning the sounds that they need to read words successfully. However, because of the weaker previous curriculum, too many children do not read fluently. Too many children are not ready for Year 1.

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Early years Needs attention

Leaders have introduced an early years curriculum that has helped to improve the activities that adults design and interactions between adults and children. This is helping more children to engage in their learning. For the most part, staff plan activities that help children to develop their language and vocabulary. Staff talk to children as they play and introduce new words. However, staff do not consistently match these activities precisely to children's starting points. This means that, for many children, their gaps in knowledge persist.

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Early years Needs attention

Staff work closely with parents and carers as children join the school. This helps children settle quickly into routines. Children are calm and purposeful in their play.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Many pupils with barriers to their learning do not learn as well as they should. Leaders identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly. This includes pupils in the specially resourced provision and those who join at different points in their schooling. Staff receive training to help them understand pupils' learning needs. However, some of the adaptations that teachers make to lessons or activities do not help pupils to learn more and remember more.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders work with families and external professionals to support pupils. This helps to reduce the barriers that some pupils face. Leaders are beginning to check more carefully how well pupils with SEND progress through the curriculum. They use this information to decide on the support that pupils need.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders use additional pupil premium funding well to support pupils, including those who are disadvantaged. For example, leaders have provided extra help for pupils who need support with their reading. This has helped these pupils read with greater accuracy and fluency.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Some of the actions that leaders have taken, while well intentioned and appropriate, have not brought about the improvements that pupils need as quickly as they could.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have provided extensive training for staff. However, this training has not helped some staff to make consistent changes to their teaching that pupils need. This is because the checks that leaders make are not tightly focused on the impact of their actions. They do not ensure that their actions make a positive difference to pupils' learning, behaviour and attendance.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Despite this, leaders understand the school's context well. They have identified appropriate priorities for improvement. These include improving pupils' early reading and writing skills, as well as ensuring that more pupils attend school regularly.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Staff are positive about what the school does to support their workload and wellbeing. For example, staff appreciate the training and time the school provides for them to carry out their duties.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Governors and leaders understand their statutory duties. They are fully aware of the school's strengths and areas for development. Governors use this understanding to hold leaders to account for the decisions that they make. Governors provide appropriate support to leaders. Leaders and governors make decisions in the best interests of pupils, including those who are vulnerable.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils arrive at school each morning happy and eager to learn. Staff build warm and caring relationships with pupils. Pupils know who to talk to if they have any worries. This helps pupils feel safe. If bullying happens, staff deal with it effectively.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Too many pupils do not learn as well as they should. In the early years, children do not learn to read and write as well as they should. This means that too many children are not ready for Year 1. These problems persist as pupils move through the school. In Years 1 and 2, some pupils do not remember their early writing and mathematics skills. This means they cannot write their letters correctly or work with numbers accurately.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

A number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive helpful support. However, the adaptations that teachers make are not consistently effective across the school. This means that some pupils with SEND do not learn as well as they should.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are beginning to benefit from changes that help them behave well. Nevertheless, in some lessons, too many pupils are distracted and cannot concentrate on their learning. This is because the activities that teachers choose do not help pupils build on what they already know.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Many pupils are attending school more regularly. Their attendance has improved. Despite this, too many pupils still miss too much school. They miss out on important learning and experiences.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils benefit from a range of opportunities that help their personal development. For example, pupils learn about different religions to help them understand tolerance. Pupils take on leadership roles, such as being lunchtime monitors and play leaders. They enjoy trips and visits that help them learn beyond the classroom. These experiences help pupils develop confidence.

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Next steps

• Leaders should ensure that pupils receive the support they need to catch up quickly so that they learn to read well. • Leaders should ensure that teachers design and set activities that will address gaps in pupils' knowledge so that pupils build their knowledge securely over time. • Leaders should increase the rigour in their procedures to ensure that pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils, attend school more regularly. • Leaders should ensure that all monitoring activities have a clear focus on evaluating the impact of the school's work, so that this information can be used to celebrate effective practice and to identify quickly further action that needs to be taken.

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Team inspectors:

Cleo Cunningham, Ofsted Inspector Anna Carroll, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and several other leaders, including the special educational needs coordinator, during the inspection. Inspectors met with representatives of the governing body and local authority. Inspectors spoke with several pupils, staff, parents and carers. They considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

A new headteacher has been appointed since the previous inspection.

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About this inspection

A new chair of governors has been appointed since the previous inspection.

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About this inspection

The school offers before-school provision.

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About this inspection

The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The school has a specially resourced provision for 8 pupils with SEND aged between 4 and 11 years old. The specially resourced provision supports pupils with a specific learning difficulty, visual impairment, other difficulty/disability, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication need, autistic spectrum disorder, social, emotional and mental health need, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulty, severe learning difficulty, and profound and multiple learning difficulty.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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