Moorside Primary School

Moorside Primary School

Dates of inspection : 4 th – 7 th October 1999

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Moorside Primary School

Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.

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Moorside Primary School

Under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 and the Education Act 1993, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Moorside Primary School] - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address : Holdsworth Street Swinton Manchester M27 0LN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection : January 1996 Moorside Primary School] - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mrs A Waters, Registered Inspector Science Attainment and Progress Leadership and Management Mrs J Madden, Lay Inspector Equal Opportunities Attendance Support, Guidance and Pupils’ Welfare Partnership with Parents and the Community The Efficiency of the School Mrs C Evans, Team Inspector English The Curriculum and Assessment History Geography Mrs K Campbell, Team Inspector Special Educational Needs Attitudes, Behaviour and Personal Development Mathematics Art Mrs D New, Team Inspector Under Fives Teaching Physical Education Pupils’ Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development Religious Education Mr T Watts, Team Inspector Design and Technology Staffing, Accommodation and Learning Resources Information Technology Music

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Nord Anglia School Inspection Services Strathblane House, Ashfield Road Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 1BB Tel. No: 0161 282 2982

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints which are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway Moorside Primary School] - 5 London WC2B 6SE Moorside Primary School] - 6

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MAIN FINDINGS

What the school does well Where the school has weaknesses How the school has improved since the last inspection Standards in subjects Quality of teaching Other aspects of the school The parents' views of the school

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

Characteristics of the school Key indicators

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school 6 - 28

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Attainment and progress Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Attendance

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Teaching The curriculum and assessment Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Support, guidance and pupils' welfare Partnership with parents and the community

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The management and efficiency of the school 70 - 91

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Leadership and management Staffing, accommodation and learning resources The efficiency of the school

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

Areas of learning for children under five 92 - 99

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

English, mathematics and science 100 - 137

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PART C: INSPECTION DATA

Summary of inspection evidence 187 - 188

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What the school does well

The quality of teaching is almost always good and in 39 per cent of lessons it is very good enabling pupils of all levels of ability to make consistently good progress during their time in school. • . English, mathematics and science are well taught particularly at Key Stage 2 and pupils’ attainment compares favourably with that of pupils nationally and in similar schools. • . The school makes very good provision for the children under the age of five who make good progress. • . The school provides a very good curriculum and monitors pupils’ performance closely to set targets for attainment. • . There is good support for pupils with special educational needs. • . The pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development is promoted very successfully. • . Teachers provide very good support and guidance for the pupils. • . The school promotes good standards of behaviour, good attitudes to work and good relationships.

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What the school does well

• . There is a very positive ethos that provides an effective atmosphere for learning, staff are very hard working and committed and there is a strong sense of community in the school. • . The school is very well led and managed and there is an obvious commitment to continuous improvement. • . The school functions very efficiently; Financial planning, control and administration are very good and the school makes very good use of all its resources to provide a good quality education for its pupils. • . A very good partnership has been established with parents and the community. • . The school provides a good variety of extra curricular activities. • . The school provides very good value for money.

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

The school has responded well to its previous inspection in January 1996 and has taken action on all the key issues identified and has continued to improve. Information technology standards have improved and the subject makes a good contribution to the core curriculum areas of English, mathematics and science. Pupils’ work in design and technology is now at an appropriate level. There is an improvement and greater consistency in the quality of teaching, brought about by the regular monitoring of both teachers’ planning and their work in the classroom. The headteacher and governors have made valiant efforts to address the issue concerned with the exterior fabric of the school but through no fault of their own, have met with little success. All attempts to secure improvements through specific grants or central funding have been unsuccessful. Nevertheless, despite these difficulties and disappointments the school has maintained and further improved the high quality of its ethos, with a strong emphasis

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

upon social responsibility and good citizenship, good behaviour and supportive relationships. The school has a clear view of its strengths and has identified targets for improvement areas for future development. With the level of commitment and driving force of the headteacher and senior staff and the support of the governing body, the school is well placed to continue to move forward and has a good capacity for future improvements. Moorside Primary School] - 8

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Standards in subjects

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds in 1998 based on the National Curriculum tests:

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similar schools

well above average A above B average C below D

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similar schools

well below average E English B B Mathematics B C Science B B

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similar schools

This table shows that the school’s performance is above average in English, mathematics and science compared with all schools. In English and science it is above average compared to schools with pupils from similar backgrounds. In mathematics it is broadly average. The results of the 1999 National Curriculum tests are similar in English and science but a larger proportion of pupils reached the higher levels in both subjects than in the previous year. Standards in mathematics in 1999 show a marked improvement. No firm comparisons can be made until the national results are published.

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similar schools

Evidence during the inspection shows that pupils make good progress throughout the school and that attainment is above average by the end of both key stages in English and mathematics. In science it is above average in Key Stage 1 and well above average in Key Stage 2. The majority of the present Year 2 and Year 6 pupils are on course to attain the national expectation in English, mathematics and science by the end of each key stage, and a similar proportion as in previous years is likely to exceed this. Pupils’ competence in information technology is close to the national expectation at both key stages and pupils make satisfactory progress. In religious education, pupils make good progress at both key stages and are on course to achieve standards that are at least consistent with and often above the expectations of the Agreed Syllabus. Progress in all other subjects is at least satisfactory and for the large

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similar schools

majority of pupils good, leading to standards which are in line with those expected for their age. In art and physical education pupils attain high standards at both key stages and in history at Key Stage 2, pupils’ achievement is high.

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similar schools

Children under the age of five in the nursery and reception classes make good progress and most achieve the expectations for their age in all areas of their learning by the time they reach statutory school age.

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Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years 7 - 11 years

English Good Good Very Good Mathematics Good Good Very Good Science Good Very Good Information technology Satisfactory Satisfactory Religious education Good Good Other subjects Good Good Good

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Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years 7 - 11 years

Teaching was never less than satisfactory with a significant amount of good and very good teaching throughout the school. The school has improved the quality of teaching since the last inspection. In the lessons observed, it was good in 48 per cent of lessons, very good in 31 per cent and excellent in 7 per cent of lessons. Teaching for the under fives is consistently good. There is a higher percentage of very good teaching in Key Stage 2 than in Key Stage 1. Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. 'Satisfactory' means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses. Moorside Primary School] - 9

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour The school is an orderly community with good standards of behaviour both in the classroom and the playground. Attendance Good. Attendance rates are close to the national average and there are very good procedures for promoting good attendance. Pupils enjoy coming to school. The majority of pupils are punctual but there are a few persistent latecomers. Ethos* Very good. A strong sense of community with people working together to provide a stimulating learning environment

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management Very strong leadership and a clear educational direction provided by the headteacher who is well supported by committed staff and governing body. Effective long term planning is well linked to financial decisions. Curriculum Very good. The school provides a rich, broad and balanced curriculum which is effective at both key stages in promoting pupils’ intellectual, physical and personal development in all areas. Enriched by a good range of extra-curricular activities. Very good provision for the under-fives. Procedures for assessment are very good. Pupils with special educational needs Good provision, and pupils make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development The provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good and for moral, social and cultural development is very good. This is a strength of the school. Strong emphasis is placed on involving pupils in activities within the local and national community, thus ensuring that many pupils have a well developed sense of citizenship by the end of Key Stage 2. Staffing, resources and accommodation Satisfactory overall. The school is adequately staffed with suitably qualified and experienced teachers. Good arrangements for staff development. The accommodation, grounds and playing fields are spacious. However, the exterior of the building is in very poor condition with numerous areas of decay and dilapidation. The school is well resourced for most subjects. The exception being information technology Value for money The school gives very good value for money

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Aspect Comment

* Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards. Moorside Primary School] - 10

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happy about

II. The school helps the children to achieve good standards III. Parents are pleased with the progress their children are making IV. Parents are given a clear understanding of what is taught V. They are kept well informed about their children’s progress VI. They find the teachers easy to approach VII. Parents are made to feel welcome and are encouraged to be involved in the school in a number of ways VIII. Parents feel that this is a caring school and that their children like coming to school IX. The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on their children X. The school achieves high standards of good behaviour XI. There were no significant concerns

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happy about

The vast majority of parents are very supportive of the school and what it does for their children. Inspectors’ judgements support the parents’ positive views. The school is very welcoming, and friendly and there is a strong mutual trust between adults and pupils in the school community. The staff have a good knowledge of the pupils and offer them a very good level of support and guidance. Pupils are happy to be in school. In discussions pupils were very positive and talked confidently about their work. Parents are encouraged to participate in it the activities of the school. Moorside Primary School] - 11

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

There are no key issues for the school to address but, in the context of its many strengths and its own aim to sustain high standards, the following minor points for improvement should be considered as the basis for an action plan.

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

• . further strengthen the governors’ role and enable them to be more constructively involved through establishing a more systematic approach to monitoring and evaluating the work of the school (paragraph 72)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

• . improve the evaluation of targets in the school development plan and set up measures for judging whether value for money has been achieved (paragraphs 73 and 79)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

• . develop appropriate strategies to encourage pupils to apply their good handwriting skills more consistently. (paragraphs 13 and 107)

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Characteristics of the school

1 Moorside Primary School provides full time education for 355 pupils aged 4 to 11. The Nursery Unit provides 30 places for children aged 3. At the time of the inspection there were 22 children attending full time and 14 attending part-time. All of the children in the reception class were still four years of age. In line with the school admission policy, they start school at the beginning of the year in which they are five. In school there are 183 boys and 172 girls. This represents a 20 per cent decrease in the school roll since the last inspection. Due to the opening of a brand new school within the catchment area in 1995 the school has experienced a steady reduction in numbers. There are 8 pupils from ethnic minority groups and 3 pupils who come from homes where English is not the first language. Forty seven pupils are included on the register for special educational needs. Seventeen pupils are at stages 3 to 5, with needs ranging from moderate learning difficulties and emotional and

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Characteristics of the school

behavioural difficulties to more specific requirements. There are 8 pupils with a statement of special educational need. Approximately 12% of pupils are eligible for free school meals. There are 14 classes including the nursery taught by 14 full time teachers. The attainment level of pupils when they enter the school is broadly average and typical of that found in Salford. The governors are currently in negotiations to have the standard number reduced from 61 to either 45 or 30. Since the previous inspection many organisational changes have had to take place and these include the need to reduce staff and to establish mixed year group classes.

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Characteristics of the school

2 The school is situated close to the busy main East Lancashire Road and serves a residential area of Salford. The pupils mostly come from the immediate vicinity. The housing is mainly owner occupied small terraced, larger terraced, with semi-detached houses and older local authority properties. There is little unemployment in the area but the number of families with higher educational qualifications or professional backgrounds is small compared to national averages.

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Characteristics of the school

3 The aims of the school reflect the ambition to achieve for all children the best education within the available resources. The school aims to be a place which is exciting and stimulating yet stable and secure where individual children and their backgrounds are valued.

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Characteristics of the school

4 Priorities identified in School Development Plan for school improvement and raising standards * to achieve set targets and analyse all data available from bench marking * to monitor the breadth and balance in the curriculum to ensure children continue to experience a broad, rich and stimulating planned programme of activities. * to monitor and analyse individual children’s progress * to achieve planned reduction in staffing and a balanced budget over three years.

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Characteristics of the school

1 The school aims to make every effort to ensure a stimulating learning environment despite the dilapidated buildings and budget problems. Moorside Primary School] - 12

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1998

Number of pupils Boys 23 21 25 21 27 21 at NC Level 2 or Girls 23 19 24 22 24 22 above Total 46 40 49 43 51 43 Percentage at NC School 90 87 96 93 88 93 Level 2 or above National 80 - 81 - 84 -

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1998

Number of pupils Boys 25 21 26 21 27 21 at NC Level 2 or Girls 24 21 22 19 24 21 above Total 49 42 48 40 51 42 Percentage at NC School 96 91 94 87 100 91 Level 2 or above National 81 - 85 - 86 -

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1998

Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year Moorside Primary School] - 13

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Attainment at Key Stage 2 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 1998

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61

National Curriculum Test Results English

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1998

Number of pupils Boys 21 24 19 27 25 31 at NC Level 4 or Girls 25 24 22 23 28 25 above Total 46 48 41 50 53 56 Percentage at NC School 77 77 68 81 88 90 Level 4 or above National 65 - 59 - 69 -

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1998

Number of pupils Boys 21 21 18 27 21 31 at NC Level 4 or Girls 27 26 23 24 26 25 above Total 48 47 41 51 47 56 Percentage at NC School 80 74 68 82 78 90 Level 4 or above National 65 - 65 - 72 -

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1998

Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year Moorside Primary School] - 14

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Attendance

Percentage of half days (sessions) % missed through absence for the Authorised School 5.7 latest complete reporting year Absence National comparative data 5.6 Unauthorised School 0.01 Absence National comparative data 0.5

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Exclusions

Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) during the previous year: Number

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Quality of teaching

Percentage of teaching observed which is : % Very good or better 38 Satisfactory or better 100 Less than satisfactory 0 Moorside Primary School] - 15

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Attainment and progress

1. The results of the baseline assessment supports the inspection findings that attainment on entry to the school is in line with that expected for children of this age.

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Attainment and progress

2. On admission to the Nursery at the age of three, the attainment of the majority of children is broadly average when compared to other children in Salford, although many have underdeveloped language skills. They are introduced to all areas of learning appropriate for children under the age of five with particular emphasis on personal skills and language development. They make good progress in a rich and stimulating environment and are well prepared to cope with the transfer to the reception class. They continue make good progress and are establishing a firm foundation for learning. By the age of five, the majority of children have achieved the desirable learning outcomes in all six areas of their learning. They move smoothly into Key Stage 1 National Curriculum programmes of study.

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Attainment and progress

3. The results of the 1998 end of Key Stage 1 National Curriculum tests and assessments show that in comparison with all schools, as well as with schools of a similar type, pupils’ attainment in reading and writing was well above average and in mathematics it was very high. In science, on the basis of the teachers’ assessment, pupils’ attainment was also very high. Taken over the last three years pupils’ performance overall has been consistently above the national average in reading and well above the national average in writing and mathematics. The results of the most recent 1999 tests and assessments are similar to those of previous years but there is no comparative information available as yet.

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Attainment and progress

4. The 1998 end of Key Stage 2 tests show that when compared with all schools and with schools of a similar type pupils’ performance in English and science was above average. Pupils’ performance in mathematics compared with all schools nationally was above average and average in comparison with similar schools. Trends over the three years 1996 – 1998 show attainment in English to be rising. Attainment in mathematics followed the national trend and dipped slightly in 1998. It also dipped slightly in science in the same year. Taken together the results over the last three years show attainment in English and mathematics to be consistently above average and in science to be well above average. Overall there is little difference between the performance of boys and girls. The 1999 results show that the English and science results are similar to the previous year but a larger percentage of pupils reached the higher levels in both subjects. Standards in

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Attainment and progress

mathematics have shown a marked improvement. With no comparative information available it is not possible to make a secure evaluation on these results compared with the national averages.

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Attainment and progress

5. Inspection findings are that at the end of both Key Stage 1 and 2, standards in English, and mathematics are above the national average. In science they are above average at Key Stage 1 and well above average at Key Stage 2. Indications are that the majority of the current Year 2 pupils are on course to attain the national average in reading, writing and mathematics and significant proportion are likely to achieve above. In science, pupils are set to attain similar standards to those of previous years. The majority of pupils in Year 6 are in line to meet the national average in English, mathematics and science with a significant number exceeding this. Pupils’ competence in information technology is similar to that expected nationally and in religious education pupils achieve and often exceed the expectations of the Locally Agreed Syllabus.

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Attainment and progress

6. The previous inspection found that the majority of pupils in both key stages attained above the national expectation in English and science and in line with the national expectation in mathematics. In information technology pupils at Key Stage 1 attained in line with the expected standard but the attainment of pupils in Key Stage 2 was below the national expectation. The school has set suitable targets for pupils to improve and the work in English and mathematics is matched to the different levels of attainment in the classes. The school has made good use of test data to plan a programme of improvement and has met with success. Inspection evidence shows that the high standards have been maintained in English and science and attainment in mathematics has shown considerable improvement at both key stages. Standards in information technology have improved at Key Stage 2 and are now at the expected level.

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Attainment and progress

Moorside Primary School] - 16 7. The good start that pupils make in the Early Years unit is built upon as they move through Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

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Attainment and progress

8. All pupils make good progress in all areas of their work in English at both key stages and attain good standards in literacy. They learn to listen well to each other and to their teachers. They express their thoughts and ideas with increasing confidence and develop a wide vocabulary. Pupils benefit from individual and group reading sessions to establish and develop their knowledge of sounds and word endings. They use these skills well and read with increasing accuracy and fluency. By the age of 11, pupils are competent readers who can tackle a range of texts with confidence. Pupils write for a variety of purpose and draft and redraft their work. The content and length of stories and poems improves steadily. The correct use of punctuation and grammar increases well as they move through the school. They use their skills in writing well to support their work in other subjects . Younger pupils spell simple words correctly and make a good attempt at more

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Attainment and progress

difficult words. Later they become more able to spell complex words and turn readily to dictionaries for help. Handwriting skills are well developed in Key Stage 1 and as pupils move into Key Stage 2 they are taught how to join letters. Although most pupils can produce good examples of neat handwriting some of the older pupils do not consistently apply this skill in all their written work.

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Attainment and progress

9. In mathematics, pupils make consistently good progress. Pupils have good skills in mental mathematics and a good knowledge of number which helps them to make good progress in using and applying their skills. Pupils in Key Stage 1 establish a secure grasp of number bonds and carry out written and mental computations with increasing accuracy. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have well developed number skills and have a good knowledge of multiplication tables and understand place value well. Pupils become more able to use correct terminology for all the main number operations and progressively acquire a wide mathematical vocabulary. Standards in numeracy are good at the end of both key stages.

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Attainment and progress

10. In science, pupils at Key Stage 1, pupils make good progress in their knowledge and understanding across all strands of the subject and become more aware of the need for “fair testing”. Across Key Stage 2, pupils make very good progress and attainment is well above average. Pupils develop their knowledge and understanding through some good practical work and acquire a secure understanding of the scientific processes involved in investigation. They use their literacy and numeracy skills well in science lessons, for example when recording their findings or tabulating the results of experiments.

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Attainment and progress

11. In their work in information technology, pupils make satisfactory progress at both key stages. Pupils in Key Stage 1 develop satisfactory keyboard skills and learn to control the mouse. In Key Stage 2 pupils work at appropriate levels in all strands of the subject and by the end of the key stage, they can operate word processing and data handling programs successfully.

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Attainment and progress

12. In religious education, pupils at both key stages make good progress towards the targets set in the Locally Agreed Syllabus.

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Attainment and progress

13. At both key stages, the work in geography, design and technology and music is at an appropriate level for the age of the pupils and they make satisfactory progress over time. In history, pupils at Key Stage 1 work at an appropriate level for their age and make satisfactory progress. At Key Stage 2, pupils make very good progress in history and produce some good work. Pupils make good progress in art and produce some high quality pieces of work. In physical education pupils at both key stages work at an appropriate level for their age and make good progress against their prior attainment.

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Attainment and progress

14. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards achieving the targets set for them in the individual education plans. They make particularly good progress when receiving additional support in the small withdrawal groups which mostly focus upon improving literacy skills.

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Attainment and progress

15. Higher attaining pupils are usually challenged well which ensures that they make suitable progress. They benefit from the good opportunities provided to promote independence in their learning by carrying out research activities and using the computer to present their projects. Moorside Primary School] - 17 16. Scrutiny of all the previous years’ work of a sample of pupils from a range of ability in each year group provided evidence to judge that overall across Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, pupils made consistently good progress over time. The majority of pupils attain good standards in literacy and numeracy and use these skills effectively in making good progress throughout the other subjects of the curriculum. The targets agreed for Key Stage 1 and 2 National Curriculum tests have been met and in mathematics have been exceeded.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

17. The pupils are happy at school and the majority have a good attitude to learning. They show interest and respond enthusiastically to their teachers. This is an important element in the good progress achieved. Children who are under five have settled well into school routines and are confident moving around the classroom and other areas. They have a good attitude to work and persevere with tasks well. This interest and enthusiasm is continued and evident in Key Stage1 and Key Stage2 in the way pupils settle immediately in class and return their homework each morning. Occasionally, younger and lower attaining pupils in Key Stage 1 lack concentration and do not stay on task when not closely supervised. At Key Stage 2, there is occasionally inappropriate chatting in some classes, but pupils very quickly respond to the teacher and return to task.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

18. School is an orderly community with good standards of discipline. Behaviour is good during lessons, playtimes, dinner times and when pupils are moving through school. The system of sanctions and rewards is clearly understood. There have been no exclusions and no incidents of bullying were observed during the inspection and there is little need to use sanctions. All pupils, including under fives are generally polite, friendly and courteous and show respect to each other, teachers, welfare staff and visitors.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

19. Relationships are good through the key stages between pupils and between pupils and adults. These good relationships are evident in the way pupils work collaboratively and productively together. A good example of this is the very good art work produced when pupils from Year 6 worked alongside Year 1 and 2 pupils.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

20. The school’s high priority for the development of personal and social skills is successfully reflected in pupils' evident self-confidence. The majority of pupils under five are willing to converse with adults about their work and their daily lives. Key Stage I pupils maintain these good personal skills. They share ideas and equipment and respect the contribution of others. A good example of this was seen during pupils' investigations of measurement. Key Stage 2 pupils respond well when given the opportunity to help to organise aspects of the daily routine e.g. selling apples at playtime and collecting library books for use in class.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

21. A very high proportion of pupils participate in the wide range of activities and after school clubs. They participate enthusiastically in community projects at both local and national level e.g. for the “Anti-Rust” Project pupils had conversations with elderly people about their earlier lives. They were recently involved in the 'National Litter Pick' campaign and were successful in the Children’s Debating competition. They were winners in Salford and went on to be runners up at regional level.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

22. The standards of good behaviour and good attitudes reported at the last inspection have been maintained and continue to contribute positively to standards of achievement, relationships and the quality of life within the school. Because of the high priority placed on citizenship these attitudes and relationships have been built upon and extended into the wider community very successfully.

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Attendance

23. The attendance rate is broadly in line with the national average, whilst unauthorised absence is well below the national average. Registration periods are conducted quickly and efficiently, and the school day starts in a quiet and industrious way. Most pupils arrive on time but there is a small number of persistent latecomers. These pupils often miss important parts of the lesson and this has a negative effect on their attainment and progress. Moorside Primary School] - 18

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Teaching

24. The quality of teaching is good overall. It is never less than satisfactory. In 47 per cent of lessons teaching is good and in a further 32 per cent it is very good. In 6 per cent of lessons the teaching is excellent. This excellent teaching occurs in both key stages although overall teaching is stronger at Key Stage 2 than at Key Stage 1.

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Teaching

25. The quality of teaching for children under five is good. Children are made to feel very secure through the regular routine and pattern to each day. The teachers demonstrate a secure knowledge and understanding both of the age group and of what the children are required to learn with regard to the nationally agreed six areas of learning. There is always a wide range of activities and teachers are skilled at using not only the outcomes of the formal assessments but also the children's learning from the previous day, to plan what should happen next. They provide a warm and supportive learning atmosphere. They use the National Literacy Strategy well, adapting the length of the various components of the Literacy Hour to suit the children's needs and their span of attention. Very good records are kept by the reception classes on the progress children make following guided reading sessions and then used to re-organise ability groups. Good habits are being

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Teaching

established with regard to reading at home. Planning shows they are doing the same with the National Numeracy Strategy.

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Teaching

26. Teaching is good at Key Stage 1 and very good at Key Stage 2. At Key Stage 2, 94 percent of lessons observed were good or better with nearly half of these being very good or excellent. At Key Stage 1, 67 per cent of lessons were good or better with 28 per cent of these being very good or excellent. This very good teaching has a positive effect on the good progress pupils make in lessons and over time.

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Teaching

27. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of what they have to teach is generally satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and very good at Key Stage 2. Teachers’ subject knowledge in English is very good at both key stages. In literacy they follow the guidelines of the National Literacy Project and this brings pace and interest to the lessons. Subject knowledge is good in mathematics and this effectively promotes pupils’ progress. Teachers are implementing the National Numeracy Strategy and use the time in lessons well. In all subjects, the large majority of teachers use subject specific vocabulary very well, pose thought provoking questions and give accurate information.

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Teaching

28. Teachers pay very good attention to the development of literacy and numeracy skills in all areas of the curriculum. For example, in a Year 5 history lesson pupils discussed the meaning of 'greed' and contrasted 'rich and poor' in relation to Victorian times. In a Year 4 science lesson pupils recorded measurement of friction across different surfaces.

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Teaching

29. Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ work are good at Key Stage 1 and very good at Key Stage 2. Where teachers have high expectations at both key stages, the needs of all pupils, including those who have special educational needs and the higher attainers are well met. The work set is well matched to pupils’ prior attainment levels. Where teaching is at its best, the planned activities within the lesson have a clear structure, so that challenge is constantly added to what pupils are doing to keep them well motivated. Whole class sessions are used well at the end of lessons to consolidate work done and to correct any common errors in pupils' work. This was particularly evident in a Year 2 literacy lesson, where the teacher's questioning had a very good impact on reinforcing the pupils knowledge of vowels and consonants. Resources are well prepared and most lessons proceed with good pace, enabling good progress to be made.

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Teaching

Moorside Primary School] - 19 30. The quality of teachers’ planning is very good. Teachers successfully plan their work together in year groups, taking account of the National Curriculum programmes of study and the school schemes of work. Plans show clearly what pupils are expected to learn, what they have to do to learn it, and what will be assessed. Most teachers give clear explanations at the beginning of lessons and constantly reinforce the teaching points during lessons. The planning also identifies activities and resources, and provides a sharp focus for the development of pupils’ skills. The good planning enables teachers to organise a wide range of progressive activities and results in a good balance of whole class teaching, group and individual work. The organisation of pupils in Years 1 and 2 into teaching sets for mathematics and into year groups for literacy has a positive effect on the standards achieved.

p.19

Teaching

31. The good relationships teachers have with pupils enable them to approach classroom management in a quiet, friendly but firm way that elicits positive responses from the majority of pupils. They praise good work and good behaviour appropriately and keep pupils motivated and interested in most lessons. Most teachers manage the behaviour of pupils well and keep good control and any inappropriate behaviour is dealt with effectively. The last inspection reported that the minor misbehaviour of some younger pupils was not consistently well managed by all staff. There is now a more consistent approach to managing behaviour although occasionally, in some classes in Key Stage 1, teachers do not gain the full co-operation of pupils.

p.19

Teaching

32. The quality and use of formal assessment to inform planning is very well developed. Teachers know their pupils well and record pupils' progress and achievements appropriately and use the information to adapt and modify what they plan to do next, both on a daily basis and in the longer term. In most classes, marking is regular and consistent, clearly aimed at making pupils aware of how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve further.

p.19

Teaching

33. Homework is set regularly and helps pupils consolidate work done in class, as well as setting them challenges in preparation for new work.

p.19

Teaching

34. Since the last inspection the quality of teaching has improved. At that time the inspectors reported that the teaching was generally sound or better in almost eight out of ten lessons and nearly half of these had good or outstanding features. Over eight out of ten lessons are now good with nearly half of these being very good or excellent.

p.19

The curriculum and assessment

35. The school provides a broad, balanced and rich curriculum with appropriate emphasis given to literacy and numeracy. All subjects are taught in accordance with the requirements of the National Curriculum. The school allocates an appropriate amount of time to subjects to enable teaching to be effective. The foundation subjects of history, geography, music, art, physical education, information and communication technology and design and technology are taught in blocked units over a school year. This means that both teachers and pupils have extended times in which to focus on the many aspects of a particular topic. This enables them to give more attention to detail, to deeper discussion and to recording their work whilst information is fresh in their minds. This, subsequently, helps the pupils to develop their understanding and make good progress. Religious education is taught according to the Salford Agreed Syllabus and the school provides work for

p.19

The curriculum and assessment

those pupils whose parents choose for them to be withdrawn. The school teaches sex education through the science curriculum and through the element of “relationships” in the health education programme. A senior teacher gives specific information to Year 6 pupils. The progressive health education programme provides a focus for personal and social education and health issues such as the misuse of drugs including the dangers of smoking.

p.19

The curriculum and assessment

36. The school provides an appropriate curriculum for the children under five based on the areas of learning that lead children to achieve the Desirable Learning Outcomes by the age of five and helps them to make a smooth transition into the National Curriculum.

p.19

The curriculum and assessment

37. The provision for the pupils with special educational needs is good. It is based on the schemes of work and meets the pupils’ needs through structured individual education plans that meet the requirements of the Code of Practice and the school’s special educational needs register. Moorside Primary School] - 20 38. The teachers’ planning is very good. The school provides good schemes of work that enable the teachers to take the pupils progressively from one stage of their learning to the next in all subjects. The staff work as a team to produce medium term and weekly plans that relate appropriately to the long term planning. The school is implementing the National Literacy Strategy very successfully. The school provides appropriately for pupils for whom English is not the first language through a specialist support teacher where necessary. The teachers have responded positively to the changes in the curriculum organisation and teaching

p.19

The curriculum and assessment

approaches necessary to begin the implementation of the Numeracy Strategy in the current term in their determination to maintain the high standard of attainment in mathematics. Although mixed aged classes have been introduced for the first time in Key Stage 1, the school has maintained the year group organisation for literacy. The teachers also split the classes into sets based on their attainment levels for numeracy so that they can provide work that meets the pupils’ needs. The planning for the mixed aged classes is very new but is good and provides for the different needs of both years. Most subjects are taught specifically but the teachers are skilful in making cross curricular links whenever possible. For example, in lessons in Year 6 where science, geography and information and communication technology were well combined and pupils used their previously learned knowledge of solvents and evaporation in a task on the purification of water. They also

p.20

The curriculum and assessment

collected data on the domestic use of water and entered this on a spreadsheet making an appropriate link with their work in numeracy. Literacy and numeracy have appropriate high focus throughout the curriculum. The curriculum is enriched by the good provision of extra curricular activities that provide for the physical, intellectual and cultural development of the pupils. They include music, drama, netball, football, hockey, cross country, chess, athletics, and a High School Primary Sports Scheme. The school has addressed very well a key issue from the last inspection, “to maintain and develop further the provision of a broad and balanced curriculum and effective planning for learning” through the positive responses to the action plan and national and local initiatives. This has effected a considerable improvement since the last inspection.

p.20

The curriculum and assessment

39. The school has very effective systems in place for assessing the pupils’ attainment. An entry assessment in the nursery and the baseline assessment on entry to the reception classes provide information that enables the teachers to plan an appropriate curriculum and to measure progress. They also alert staff to the possible special educational needs of some pupils. The Salford record keeping system is used for the children under five in the nursery and reception classes. The teachers keep detailed records of the pupils’ progress in all subjects of the National Curriculum and their on-going and half termly evaluations help them to plan the following work so that they extend the pupils’ learning. The teachers in each year group meet regularly to compare assessments so that these are consistent. Pupil profiles inform reports to parents and these indicate targeted areas for both teachers and parents to help the pupils to make progress. A good Record of

p.20

The curriculum and assessment

Achievement is kept for each pupil and the staff are now working to make improvements on these. Pupils contribute a self portrait each year and moderated pieces of work from English, mathematics and science are included. Pupils are involved in evaluating their own work and in target setting. Parents also have opportunities to contribute and out-of-school achievements are included. The school makes very good use of all available test data and assessment information. The end of key stage test results are carefully analysed for differences in achievement of boys and girls. Standardised tests are used for reading and mathematics. The school has entered the pupils for optional tests for Years 3, 4 and 5 and the teachers monitor these results and set targets for the pupils so that they continue to make appropriate progress. Assessment information is passed on to the next class or the next school appropriately. The school has maintained and further developed

p.20

The curriculum and assessment

the effective assessment procedures highlighted in the previous inspection report.

p.20

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

40. Overall, there is very good provision for the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and this is an area of strength for the school. This is an improvement on the previous report. Moorside Primary School] - 21 41. There is good provision for pupils to develop a spiritual awareness. Assemblies comply with statutory requirements and offer time for personal reflection. Although there are no planned opportunities for spiritual development across the curriculum, teachers help pupils to become aware of the wonders of the natural and wider world through, for example, younger pupils taking an environmental walk around the school and Year 5 pupils exploring the habitats of minibeasts. History, literature and religious education all make some contribution to pupils' spiritual development with staff receiving and valuing pupils' ideas. Science also contributes to this area of development, for example as pupils show wonderment at the variation of level and

p.20

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

pitch when vibrating different amounts of water in test tubes.

p.21

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

42. Moral development is very good. There are clear and high expectations of all pupils in terms of conduct and relationships and staff provide role models. Moral themes feature strongly in assemblies and some areas of the curriculum. A good assembly on 'sharing' highlighted how this promotes good relationships. During history lessons pupils are encouraged to consider the morality of the wide division between the rich and the poor in Victorian times. Pupils are taught the difference between right and wrong and this makes a positive contribution to the orderly school community and to the learning environment. Pupils have also been asked to write a prayer for the millennium and the majority of these are focused on peace. The parents are very supportive of the attitudes and values promoted by the school and these clearly underpin its ethos.

p.21

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

43. Provision for pupils' social development is very good. Pupils show a good level of social confidence. They contribute to the daily running of the school by doing monitoring duties such as taking dinner registers to the office, selling fruit during playtimes or repairing library books. A Y6 class has a safety officer who checks the physical education apparatus to ensure that it has been assembled correctly during lessons. They participate in extra curricular sport and show good team spirit when competing against other schools. Visits are made to the local home for the elderly taking part in the Anti-Rust Project. This involves pupils chatting to the elderly people about their lives, fifty, sixty or more year ago. The school is also involved in the preliminary community meetings for Swinton to celebrate year 2000. Every year the school supports a major charity and is very successful in raising essential funds.

p.21

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

44. The provision to develop pupils’ cultural awareness is very good. Opportunities for enriching pupils' knowledge, understanding and experience of the local and other cultures are provided in several areas of the curriculum. The school participated in a National Debating competition and won a visit to the Houses of Parliament. A project in school planned around the work of the magistrates court culminated in a visit and an acting out of a session by the pupils. They develop an awareness of the arts through listening to music, performing folk dances, making visits to theatres, museums and other local places of interest. Visitors in school also make a significant impact on the pupils' learning. Multicultural provision is also very good. Most of the major faiths are studied in religious education, supported by artefacts and the teachers are competent at raising pupils' awareness and respect for the cultural diversity of the society in which we live.

p.21

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

The pupils are being well prepared for citizenship in the next century.

p.21

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

45. The school makes very good provision for the personal support, health, safety and general well being of its pupils. This is a strength of the school. This aspect of the school’s work was highlighted as good in the previous report and provision has been even further improved since then. Care and concern for the pupils are apparent in all aspects of the daily life of the school. Both teaching and non-teaching staff relate well to pupils and respond sensitively and effectively to the varied needs of pupils. The performance of each pupil is monitored, recorded and evaluated and pupils receive constructive and meaningful feedback. Very good records are maintained for monitoring both academic and personal progress of pupils.

p.21

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

46. Those pupils who have special educational needs are identified early and integrated well into the school. Pupils needs are clearly identified and targets are set in their individual education plans. Records of their progress are carefully maintained. They receive additional good quality support from their teachers, support staff and voluntary helpers. The school makes effective use of support agencies to cater for the specific needs of individual pupils. Moorside Primary School] - 22 47. Arrangements for monitoring attendance are very good. The school works closely with the education welfare officer, who visits and supports those families that are experiencing difficulties. Parents are reminded regularly through the school's Newsletters of their responsibilities with regard to regular and punctual attendance.

p.21

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

48. Teachers and assistants work hard to promote good standards of behaviour. There are good policies and guidelines in place to promote pupils’ personal development and behaviour. There is an expectation of good behaviour in school and a clear set of rewards and sanctions. Pupils are helped to understand school rules and the way they ought to behave. They are guided in the way they should care for one another, for school property and for the environment. There is firm and positive support for those pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The school recognises that some bullying exists, and parents are very pleased with the swift action taken, and with the fact that pupils are helped to see the consequences of their actions. The welfare assistants who work during playtimes and lunchtimes are well trained and ensure that the good behaviour continues outside the classroom.

p.22

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

49. Good induction arrangements help the youngest children, including the under-fives, to settle quickly into school routines. Prior to the children starting school, children and parents are invited to visit the school and given advice about school activities as well as directions on how they can help their children to learn at home, and complement learning in school. There are very effective links with the Secondary School which support pupils’ transfer to the next stage of their education.

p.22

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

50. Personal and social education is given a high priority throughout the school and is taught very effectively. Pupils’ record of achievement files are well maintained and play an important part in developing self esteem and encouraging positive attitudes and behaviour. Frequent opportunities are provided to enable pupils to take responsibility for a range of duties in the classroom and around the school. The school provides pupils with the opportunity to become aware of the responsibilities of citizenship.

p.22

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

51. Child protection procedures are very good. The school has a good policy which is complemented by effective procedures and practice. The school is a safe place for the pupils and the staff are well aware of their individual responsibilities and duties of care offering a good level of pastoral support. Pupils are made aware of the issues of personal health and safety through work devised for each year group. This aims to ensure that they have the necessary skills to enable them to live a safe and happy life.

p.22

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

52. The governors have a responsible attitude to health and safety matters. There have established effective procedures which include regular checks by staff and governors. Fire drill is carried out once a term and the equipment is checked. The school is a safe and secure environment, and there is regular monitoring of health, safety and security issues.

p.22

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

53. Arrangements are in place for the checking of pupils' teeth, feet, eyes and general hygiene. The school's practices for dealing with pupils who suffer from asthma, and those with individual medical needs, are clear and well thought out. First aid equipment is available throughout the school and all staff have general training in first aid. However, the school is aware that specialist first aiders need to be brought up to date with current practice as soon as possible.

p.22

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

54. Parents expressed high levels of satisfaction for this aspect of the school’s provision and their views are supported by the findings of the inspection.

p.22

Partnership with parents and the community

55. The school has good relationships with parents who are encouraged to play an active part in their children's education. The Teaching and Learning Policy gives high priority to working in partnership with parents. Moorside Primary School] - 23 56. Parents think the school is an exciting place to learn, with a pro-active headteacher and teachers who are skilled in the teaching of all pupils including those with special needs. Parents help in every area of school work: Hearing reading Selling second hand school uniforms Sorting the school library Working with early years groups Helping to mount displays They are also involved in a number of issues and their views are sought and responded to. These have included decisions about unacceptable work or behaviour.

p.22

Partnership with parents and the community

57. The home/school partnership agreement was put together with the help of parents, 99 per cent of whom have signed the agreement and returned it to the school. Parents are informed of homework expectations at the beginning of the school year. The aim is to encourage home school liaison by the use of reading record cards and homework including maths, spelling, tables, and research for topics such as Ancient Egypt. Homework books have been designed for parental and teacher comment.

p.23

Partnership with parents and the community

58. Parents of pupils with special needs are kept well informed, and are involved with reviews. One parent in particular praised the school for putting in special support whilst the Local Education Authority statement was being written. Parents in general are also kept well informed about changes in their children's educational development, and any curriculum changes. This includes meetings for pre-school playgroup parents, parents of pupils at the end of Key Stage 1, and those preparing for Standard Assessment Tests. Workshops are held to explain curriculum developments to parents. In particular, this year the parents of pupils in Years 1 and 2 were called together to hear an explanation of the vertical grouping of three equal classes.

p.23

Partnership with parents and the community

59. Written communication with parents is very good, the prospectus is well-written and detailed, and the regular newsletters keep parents up to date with developments in school. Reports to parents are detailed and are written by teachers who know their pupils very well. They include targets for work at school and at home, comment by the headteacher, comment by the pupil, and a section for parental response. The individual records of achievement for pupils celebrate success and give parents and teachers a clear picture of each pupil's life in the school.

p.23

Partnership with parents and the community

60. The Friends of the School is very active and raises considerable amounts of money for the school. A large contribution was recently made to the new Early Years Unit. The Scallywags After School Club also operates during the holidays, giving working mothers peace of mind, and pupils the opportunity either to relax with a book or to play energetic games in a secure environment.

p.23

Partnership with parents and the community

61. Strenuous efforts are made to ensure that pupils become involved in the local community, and that the school itself is part of a wider community.

p.23

Partnership with parents and the community

62. Class 6 visited the Saint Agnes Hopkins centre to talk to elderly people there about their lives fifty, sixty or more years ago. Families and friends of pupils attend the Harvest festival and Christmas productions. Harvest gifts are given to elderly people and old people's homes.

p.23

Partnership with parents and the community

63. Representatives from the community are invited into the school to expand the curriculum - for example a local minister talked about the place of the Bible in the church, and the sewage treatment works sent a member of staff to explain the work of the plant. The school choir has taken part in events at the Bridgewater Hall and the Pembroke Hall. Work for charities and aid organisations plays a large part in school life. The school recently took part in the N.S.P.C.C. campaign 'Stop cruelty to children'.

p.23

Partnership with parents and the community

64. The involvement of the school with the wider community contributes positively to pupils' learning and social development. This aspect of school life has been well sustained since the last inspection. Moorside Primary School] - 24

p.23

Leadership and management

65. The school is very well led and managed. The headteacher provides strong and purposeful leadership which concentrates the efforts of everyone on raising standards. She and the senior management team combine effectively with the governing body to give clear educational direction to the work of the school and ensure that all statutory requirements are fully met. The school is successful in achieving its aims which are clearly evident in its work and widely promoted. There is a high level of commitment towards continuous improvement. This has a positive effect on the provision made for all pupils, as well as the standards achieved and the quality of the education provided. The school’s very strong ethos reflects a commitment to developing children’s mutual respect and self esteem through broad learning experiences in a stable caring environment. Equality of opportunity is offered to all pupils.

p.24

Leadership and management

66. The school has responded well to its previous inspection and has taken action on all the key issues identified. Information technology standards have improved and the subject makes a good contribution to the core curriculum areas of English, mathematics and science. Pupils’ work in design and technology is now at an appropriate level. There is an improvement and greater consistency in the quality of teaching, brought about in part by the regular monitoring of both teachers’ planning and their work in the classroom. The headteacher and governors have made valiant efforts to address the issue concerned with the exterior fabric of the school but, through no fault of their own, have met with little success. All attempts to secure improvements through specific grants or central funding have been unsuccessful. Nevertheless, despite these difficulties and disappointments the school has maintained and further improved the high quality of its ethos, with a strong

p.24

Leadership and management

emphasis upon social responsibility and good citizenship, good behaviour and supportive relationships.

p.24

Leadership and management

67. The governors give good support to the school. Governors are kept well informed on issues such as the curriculum, school finances and staffing matters. Its affairs are well organised and the quality of information which it receives from school enables it to debate options fully before taking significant decisions. Through the reports and good quality information they receive from the headteacher, governors are adding to their insight into the school’s work and are gaining an understanding of the targets it is setting in literacy and numeracy. Most of the efforts of the governing body during the last three years have been focused on trying to secure improvements to the fabric of the building and to managing the contracting situation following the building of a new school within close proximity. This has resulted in the school having to face serious financial problems and reductions in staffing levels. The governors are still in negotiation with the Local

p.24

Leadership and management

Authority to reach an agreement about the standard admission number which must be reduced to take account of the falling pupil numbers. As a consequence of this uncertainty it has been difficult for governors to have a secure long term view of the future of the school and to be as fully involved in long term strategic planning and management as they would wish. The governing body has recently been reconstituted following the resignation of some of its members and the appointment of several new governors. This has provided a good opportunity for the committees to be restructured and new systems put into place. This, together with the assurance from the LEA of an early decision about the future of the school, will enable the governors to fulfil their intention to be more pro-actively involved in the development of the school and establish clearer mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating its work. Moorside Primary School] - 25

p.24

Leadership and management

68. The school’s development process is effective. The school development plan is comprehensive and clearly sets out priorities for action throughout the year and in lesser detail for three subsequent years. There is a strong emphasis given to measures which are aimed at raising standards in the core subjects of the National Curriculum. Priorities are drawn up after consideration of the performance of the school, analysis of results and through the monitoring of their subjects by curriculum co-ordinators. All staff with responsibility for subjects study colleagues planning and monitor the work produced by pupils. This raises the awareness of what needs to be done to make their areas better. Subject development plans, such as those for literacy, numeracy and information technology give a clear picture of future action to be taken and the intended impact on pupils’ standards. The overall picture is drawn together clearly by the headteacher and communicated to

p.25

Leadership and management

the governors. Financial decisions are closely aligned with the priorities and the plan identifies in broad terms, the anticipated impact of actions. Success criteria are identified but systems for evaluating if they were worthwhile are not as clear.

p.25

Leadership and management

69. The management of special educational needs is good. The arrangements in place are comprehensive and there is strong liaison between all the parties responsible. Early identification procedures are in place and appropriate individual education plans are completed for pupils at Stage 2 and above of the National Code of Practice. The recently appointed governor with responsibility for Special Educational Needs has been involved in teaching in the school on a voluntary basis for several years. She works regularly with pupils who find learning difficult as well as working with higher attaining pupils. She offers a very high level of support and has been very effective in raising the standard of reading overall.

p.25

Leadership and management

70. The provision for pupils under five is also well managed. Children are sensitively introduced into school and settle quickly into the routines. The Nursery and reception classes have been refurbished to provide an Early Years suite which is bright and cheerful. The staff work together as an effective team, ensuring a good start to children’s education, through an appropriate and relevant curriculum. The co-ordination of the early years curriculum and the assessment of children’s attainment and progress in the nursery and reception classes is very effective.

p.25

Leadership and management

71. The school’s literacy strategy has been successfully introduced and is providing a good framework for the development of pupils’ reading and writing skills. Teaching is closely aligned to the agreed aims and the area has been well supported by carefully selected resources. Pupils have responded well to the changes and are enthusiastic in their literacy sessions. The literacy governor has attended literacy governor training and other meetings but unfortunately has recently been forced to resign due to pressure of work. The Numeracy Strategy is in the early stages of implementation and is being effectively managed. The governor has had training.

p.25

Leadership and management

72. The school has set appropriate and realistic targets for its future performance. These are based on extensive analysis of the prior attainment of pupils and are set at an appropriate yet challenging level. Given the school’s clear view of its strengths and areas for future development, the level of commitment and driving force of the headteacher and senior staff and the support of the governing body, it is well placed to continue to move forward and has a good capacity for future improvements.

p.25

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

73. The school is staffed with sufficient teachers suitably qualified to teach the age range for which they have responsibility. Several have served at the school for some considerable time. Collectively they have sufficient knowledge and a breadth of experience to meet the demands of the National Curriculum and religious education. The school has a number of support staff and they have a range of skills, including those of nursery nurse, special educational needs and curriculum assistants who are sufficiently experienced and qualified for their roles. Moorside Primary School] - 26 74. All staff are effectively deployed and generally, curriculum responsibilities have been allocated to build upon the existing expertise of staff. This has a positive impact on the help and advice that staff are able to offer to colleagues. As a consequence of financial constraints the management responsibilities of the deputy

p.25

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

headteacher's post are currently managed on a 'job share' basis by two members of the senior management team. This is working well and is not having a detrimental effect on the standards achieved by the pupils. Job descriptions are in place and appraisal is well used to identify the continuing professional development needs of all staff in conjunction with the school's curriculum development planning. Effective arrangements are in place to cater for staff training needs. There is a comprehensive staff handbook for teachers and those who may be engaged on a supply teaching basis. Effective systems and guide lines are in place for new members of staff and the induction of newly qualified teachers. Sufficient provision is made for pupils with special educational needs.

p.26

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

75. The work of learning support assistants, voluntary teacher helpers, and the many parent helpers is of high quality; teachers ensure that they have a clear understanding of what is expected of the pupils and they support the teaching well. The work of lunchtime supervisors, site supervisor and cleaning staff is very good and this has a very positive impact on the quality of life and provision within the school.

p.26

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

76. The school site is spacious. Good use is made of the large classrooms and the two halls which are located in separate buildings. Attractive displays value pupils' work and provide a stimulating learning environment. The location of the main library in one building limits the ease of access for Key Stage 2 pupils but the school is developing strategies to overcome this problem. Accommodation for the under fives pupils is good, with easy access to a fenced outside play area which is stimulating and safe.

p.26

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

77. There is a good size playing field and extensive hard and soft play areas which are used to good effect to enrich the curriculum. The whole site is bounded by a substantial steel fence.

p.26

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

78. Since the last Ofsted inspection in 1996, little has been done to improve the exterior of the building which has long since passed the manufacturer's time for use. The rectification of these problems is beyond the available resources of the school: the Governing Body is continually exploring ways of bringing the building up to date but to no avail. It is in an extremely dilapidated condition with substantial areas of rotten timber and peeling paintwork. During severe weather, storm water finds its way into some of the classrooms with resultant damage to pupils' work. Whilst these conditions are not directly having a negative effect upon the standards being achieved, they have a detrimental effect on the morale of the pupils and staff when work is damaged or destroyed. Everyone involved in the functioning of the school works extremely hard to counteract these shortcomings in provision.

p.26

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

79. Resources generally are adequate for the delivery of the curriculum in most subjects. However in information technology they are inadequate in respect of the age and quality of the computers in use in Key Stage 1. Many of them are unreliable. The school is addressing this situation and has recently updated some of the computers in Key Stage 2; additionally it has various bids in for funding to update the quality of information technology provision. There is a good range of software in use in both key stages including CD-ROM and control programming items. The school library is satisfactorily stocked with a range of fiction and non- fiction books. The quality of textbooks is good and their content is appropriate to the curriculum and age range of the pupils. There is a satisfactory range of artefacts for religious education, history, geography and science with additional resources provided by loan services where appropriate. The under-fives pupils enjoy

p.26

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

the benefit of a variety of outdoor toys which have positive impact on their personal and social development as well as their physical development. Moorside Primary School] - 27

p.26

The efficiency of the school

80. The school is very efficiently run and this reflects the judgements of the last inspection. All the resources made available to the school are very well managed and used effectively. Appropriate attention is given to prioritising educational developments and financial expenditure is well matched to targets identified in the school development plan. Funding for pupils with special educational needs is controlled by the local authority, but is used effectively to provide additional classroom assistance where required by statements of special educational need. However, budget constraints have meant that the extra support for these pupils that was previously supplied by the school is no longer available.

p.27

The efficiency of the school

81. Financial planning is good. The school has had to manage a contracting situation following the opening of a new school within close proximity. This has resulted in the school facing a serious budget deficit brought about, not as the result of mismanagement of the budget, but because of rapidly falling rolls and long term sickness of staff. With the co-operation of the Local Education Authority and the judicious reduction of staff, a five year plan which will result in a balanced budget has now been agreed. The school can no longer provide the additional specialised teaching in music and physical education and deputy headteacher was not replaced. That role is now shared by two senior teachers. The careful and prudent use of resources and the dedication of the staff have ensured that the financial problems have not affected the high standards of achievement in the school.

p.27

The efficiency of the school

82. The maintenance of careful financial planning effectively supports educational developments. Budget planning is systematic and expenditure is carefully monitored. The role of the governors in terms of strategic management has been developed and improved since the last inspection although there is still room for further improvement. Systems by which the governors can monitor the work of the school and evaluate the effectiveness of their decisions have not yet been firmly established. The headteacher works hard to ensure that money is available for the improvement of standards. Very good use is made of funds raised by parents to extend learning opportunities. Good use is made of special grants and funding to provide professional development of staff and to support new initiatives. Funding in support of the literacy strategy has been well targeted, and book resources purchased specifically to enhance pupils’ skills are proving effective.

p.27

The efficiency of the school

83. All staff are well deployed and good opportunities are taken to maximise the use of good quality teaching particularly in English, mathematics and science where standards are high. The senior management team functions well, and the non-teaching staff are self-motivated and well organised.

p.27

The efficiency of the school

84. The school’s administration procedures are very well established, unobtrusive and efficient, contributing well to the day to day running of the school. The high quality of expertise provided by the school administrator and secretarial staff allows the headteacher and all of the staff to concentrate on their work with the pupils.

p.27

The efficiency of the school

85. The accommodation is spacious but the poor condition of the fabric of the building makes it costly in terms of heating, lighting and cleaning. It is managed appropriately and well used during the day and for extra curricular activities and the after school club. The interior is well organised with a stimulating, child-friendly environment throughout. The resourcefulness and dedication of the staff ensure that the dilapidated state of the building is in no way detrimental to pupils' attainment. The Nursery has an interesting and secure outside area for the use of pupils. Good use is made of the learning resources, including the school grounds, but many of the computers are outdated and this restricts their use. At present, there is little money to replenish or update these resources as they become worn.

p.27

The efficiency of the school

86. Taking into account the average attainment on entry, the good progress pupils make and their high level of attainment and the quality of education provided, in relation to its context and income the school is providing very good value for money. Moorside Primary School] - 28

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

87. Provision for children under five is in the Early Years unit which comprises a nursery and two reception classes. In the nursery 22 children attend full time and 14 attend part-time. At the time of the inspection all of the 45 children in the reception classes were still under statutory school age. Children are admitted to the nursery at the start of the year in which they are four and enter the reception class in the September of the year they are five. A good induction programme ensures that they feel safe and secure within the school. Similar procedures take place when children enter the reception.

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

88. Formal baseline assessment of the children is carried out on entry to the nursery and again when entering reception. Discussions with the teachers and other staff, and an analysis of the assessments carried out show that the attainment of the majority of children on entry to nursery is generally in line with that expected for their age although their spoken language skills are under developed. On entry into the reception class their attainment is broadly average. The children make good progress throughout the early years unit. The majority of children achieve the desired objectives in all areas of learning by the age of five and are well prepared to embark on the National Curriculum. Overall, the quality of teaching for the under-fives is never less than satisfactory. 60 per cent of teaching is good and a further 20 per cent is very good. Teachers provide an appropriate range of activities to meet the needs of the children and enable them to make good

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progress over time. Children with special educational needs are well supported to enable them to make a good start at school. Planning is firmly based on the required six areas of learning recommended nationally for this year group and having regard to the National Literacy and Numeracy strategies. This planning is also flexible enough to allow teachers to introduce the National Curriculum programmes of study as appropriate. The adults who work with the children in this age group have high expectations of both learning and behaviour, based upon the secure knowledge and understanding of the needs of the children. The environment is well organised to support learning and relationships are good. Time and resources are used to best advantage. Assessment procedures are good and parents are encouraged to take an active part in their children's learning.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

89. Most children acquire good personal and social development skills by the age of five. They are happy and secure in school. The majority settle quickly and adapt to the school's routines and learn to comply with the code for acceptable behaviour. The staff place great emphasis on developing the children's confidence and social awareness. There are consistent procedures and systems developed by the teachers to ensure that the children become happy and secure in their environment. They are helped to understand the routines of the day, taught how to listen and take turns when speaking in a group. Children’s independence and confidence is promoted in a caring way and they are encouraged to work and play with each other. There is friendly but firm control and any inappropriate behaviour is quickly corrected which ensures that children are happy and willing to learn. The children start the day eager to explore the activities prepared for them. The quality of

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teaching is good and promotes good progress in children’s personal and social development. Children quickly form positive relationships with staff and other children.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

90. Children make good progress in language and literacy and by the age of five the majority of children achieve the desirable outcomes for this area of learning. The teaching staff in the nursery provide many opportunities for the children to develop confidence in speaking in front of an audience. Good questioning skills also encourage the children to develop a wider vocabulary. As they move into the reception class, good progress is made in speaking and listening. They contribute to whole class discussions and listen carefully to their teacher and other adults. Work is planned according to the National Literacy Strategy guidelines, adapted appropriately, and whole class shared reading sessions have a good impact on children's progress. They Moorside Primary School] - 29 recognise that print has meaning, and use both picture cues and word recognition. The higher attaining children are beginning to use phonic cues to help with their reading. Children are familiar with the words

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'author' and 'title' and know that print is read from left to right on the page. They talk about the illustrations and recount some familiar stories. From the beginning, they are taught to form their letters correctly and to develop sound pencil control. The quality of teaching is good.

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Mathematics

91. In mathematical understanding and number work, attainment for the majority of children is in line with the level expected nationally by the age of five. They experience early success in number activities involving counting, sorting and matching. Through the topic of colour children are given many opportunities to develop mathematical language and concepts. An environmental walk, collecting leaves for example, promoted sorting and counting. The good grounding given in the nursery is successfully built on by the reception staff who use a wide variety of teaching strategies and resources. The introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy forms the basis of the mathematical scheme and provides an appropriate range of experiences and activities. The quality of teaching is good and promotes good progress.

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Mathematics

96. Knowledge and understanding of the world

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Mathematics

92. Attainment is in line with the level expected nationally in knowledge and understanding of the world and good progress is made. The quality of teaching in this area of learning is good. Through constant questioning by the teachers, the children begin to develop enquiring minds and learn to ask and answer the questions ' how?' and 'why?' In looking at a selection of fruit, children discussed likes and dislikes, sampled for taste and differentiated between those that were sweet or sour. Regular baking sessions promote the children's knowledge of substances and how they change when heated. They learn to cut, stick and join materials and gain the confidence to use the computer. They gain a sense of place through going on walks around the schools and local environment and their understanding of time is developed through discussions of their place within their family. Appropriate software in the nursery give children early experience in developing

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Mathematics

computer skills. Reception children use information and communication technology to enhance their reading skills.

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Mathematics

93. The children's attainment is in line with the level expected nationally, with the majority achieving the learning objectives by the age of five. Progress is good. Children develop spatial awareness by using the space in the hall and outdoor area well. They move confidently and imaginatively with varying degrees of control and co- ordination. The majority are aware of the need for safety and behaved well during an outdoor physical education lesson. The nursery children have their own enclosed area and play outside using large apparatus. Reception children integrate well with Key Stage 1 pupils during regular school playtimes. The children learn to manipulate brushes, pencils, crayons and scissors with some success and can use both construction and malleable materials safely and with increasing control. The quality of teaching is good.

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Mathematics

94. Children make good progress in this area and by the age of five meet the desirable learning outcomes. Progress is good. The children use a range of media to explore colour and texture, painting pictures and making collages. They develop colour recognition through using primary colours to make bubble prints. The children respond well to what they hear in singing and music. The younger children play games using actions and keeping a steady beat by clapping. They have first hand experience of using untuned percussion instruments. Most sing tunefully and have a sound sense of rhythm. The classrooms are attractive and well organised. The quality of teaching is good. Moorside Primary School] - 30

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

95. Standards are above the national average at the end of Key Stage 2. The results of the 1998 National Curriculum tests for the end of Key Stage 2 show that 77 per cent of the pupils achieved the expected levels and this was above average both nationally and in comparison with similar schools. 22 per cent of the pupils reached the higher level 5 and this, too, was above the national average. The 1999 results show that the same percentage of pupils achieved the expected level or above. There is, as yet, no national comparative figure for 1999. There is no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

96. At the end of Key Stage 1 standards are above national averages. The results of the 1998 National Curriculum tests show that 90 percent of the pupils achieved the expected level or better in reading and this was above the national average, although the 37 per cent achieving level 3 was well above the national average. Achievement in writing was well above the national average with 96 percent of pupils achieving the expected level or above with 16 per cent achieving the higher level 3 which is also well above the national average. In 1999, 87 per cent of the pupils achieved the expected level or above. There is, as yet, no national comparative figure for 1999. At this very early stage in the school year, the inspection findings are that the majority of pupils at both key stages are on target to be above the national expectation and, with continued good progress many could be well above the national average by the end of the key stage.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

97. At the end of Key Stage 2 standards are above the national average. The majority of the pupils express their opinions clearly and confidently, using good vocabulary, for example, during a sharing of their personal responses to “Rikki Tikki Tavi” their class text. A higher attaining pupil is confident enough to address the whole school and read his own poem with very good expression. The majority of the pupils read out loud and act out playscripts with good expression. The most confident experiment with accents. The pupils listen attentively to the teacher and other pupils during whole class lessons and when they talk to each other and adults on a one-to-one basis. Some lower attaining pupils are reluctant to talk to adults on a one-to-one basis, but most are confident in expressing their ideas and preferences. All pupils, including those with special educational needs make good progress. The pupils achieve high standards because the teachers provide many

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opportunities and guidelines for them to improve their skills in class lessons, through dramatic presentations in, for example, religious education and through public speaking situations in assemblies. Some Year 6 pupils were very successful and came first in the City in an inter-schools debate.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

98. At the end of Key Stage 1 standards are above national expectations. Year 2 pupils listen well and are keen to make suggestions and talk in front of the whole class. Higher attaining pupils answer in extended sentences and used phrases such as “instructions and equipment” appropriately when talking about recipes for gingerbread men. The pupils contributed well to a discussion of possible scenarios for the plot of “The Mango Tree” as the story unfolded. The pupils with special educational needs are well integrated into the classes and feel confident enough to make their contributions. All pupils make good progress because the teachers listen to them and encourage them to think about what they have to say and give them good opportunities to air their views.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

99. Standards are above national expectations at the end of Key Stage 2. Both higher and average attaining pupils read aloud with good expression from texts such as Macbeth, the novels of Dick King Smith and playscripts for their drama sessions in religious education. They read new words well and they can explain meanings in context. They can make inferences about what they are reading and they give accurate predictions as to the ending of stories. They scan text to find evidence for their assumptions. Pupils of all levels of attainment have a good basic understanding of how to find information from reference books and encyclopaedias. They use terms such as contents and index confidently from an early age and as they progress through the school they become familiar with library classifications. This is because all classes have an allocated library time and teachers have lists of skills for the pupils to pursue. The school has also

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Moorside Primary School] - 31 established a very good relationship with the local library and the pupils become familiar with the use of the catalogue and Year 6 pupils have the opportunity to use microfiche for their research. The pupils also use a CD-ROM for researching information, for example, in history. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress as they develop skills, such as breaking down words into syllables, to help them read difficult or unfamiliar words. Lower attaining pupils also try to read such words even if they make a mistake. As a result of the focused teaching observed in the lessons using the National Literacy Strategy the pupils become familiar with terms such as genre, and past work shows a good understanding of this. All pupils read from a range of fiction and non-fiction and they all talk about the use of non-fiction for their research topics. Few pupils choose to read poetry and very few could name a poet. At this early stage in

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

the year, the higher attaining pupils in Year 3 are reading books with a good level of challenge by authors such as Anne Fine and Dick King Smith. Average ability pupils also read very well. Lower attaining pupils read at an appropriate level from a range of texts from the school reading scheme. All are using appropriate strategies when meeting new words and are aware of alphabetical order.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

100. Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are above national expectation. Higher attaining pupils read fluently and accurately and can retell the story and talk about the characters. They can read the instructions for their individual work in writing out the alphabet in order and underlining the vowels. The pupils of average and lower ability can describe the contents and index in a chosen non-fiction book. They read a good number of books that they take home from school and they read common word on sight. All pupils make good progress and they build up and use good skills such as their knowledge of sounds and word endings as well as using picture and context clues to read successfully. They also begin to predict outcomes for stories they are reading. The teachers use the group reading sessions in lessons well to establish and develop these skills. Parents give valuable support by reading with their children at home.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

105. Writing 101. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 is above national expectations. The pupils in Year 6 have written good letters to parents on headed school paper, poems, biographies “in the style of Kipling” and resumes of their class text of Shakespeare’s MacBeth. The range of writing enables them to use a wide range of punctuation. The higher attaining pupils write at good length, as was evident when writing on the subject of “You’re in charge”. They use the full range of punctuation marks including speech marks, paragraphs and the apostrophe appropriately. The pupils of average attainment also write at good length, but their use of punctuation is not as sophisticated. The pupils redraft their work and all pupils use a word processor successfully to help with presentation. There are many examples of good writing throughout areas of the curriculum, for example, in geography research on France and in science when the pupils researched

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“Lamps”. All pupils make good progress including the pupils with special educational needs who respond well with the support of both teachers and classroom assistants. Although the writing of the lower attaining pupils and those with special needs is below national expectations the staff encourage their use of imagination and pride in their ability to write a good story. The lessons using the Literacy Strategy are well focussed so that the pupils progress at a good rate. In lower Key Stage 2 the pupils write for a range of purposes including curriculum vitae and book reviews. In Year 3 they study playscripts for a traditional story such as “Rumplestiltskin” and focus on the role of the narrator. The pupils in Year 4 study Haiku poetry and one child wrote: 106. A cold Christmas town 106. A starlit fox in the sky Bones scattered like glass.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

102. In Year 5 the pupils’ written language is enriched through developing skills such as the use of simile and the awareness of the importance of the view of the narrator. They learn to set out dialogue and they extend their stories by writing them in parts. Most work is neatly presented and the majority of pupils can use a joined up style with good letter formation. Handwriting was identified as a relative weakness in the previous inspection. However, although this skill is now well taught in classes and there are many examples of good handwriting in exercise form, the skill is not consistently carried over into day-to-day work. Many pupils do not join their letters and continue to use a lower-case print style because they find it quicker. Spelling is generally good but a significant number of pupils still make careless mistakes and do not refer to examples given by the teacher. The pupils use dictionaries efficiently to locate word meanings and they know the purpose of a thesaurus to

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help make their writing more interesting. Moorside Primary School] - 32 103. Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are above the national expectation. At this early part of the school year, the pupils are writing poems of good length about “When it goes dark”. They redraft their work and produce poems that are well written. The higher and average attaining pupils write text of good length and use a range of punctuation marks including question marks appropriately. All pupils, including those with special educational needs make good progress through the focussed teaching during the literacy hour. The pupils record their work in history, for example, when they wrote accounts of the Great Fire of London, and geography using labels and diagrams. The handwriting skills of the vast majority of the pupils are well developed and they write with attention to letter size, formation and spacing. From Year 1 they write with

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

“flicks” to prepare for joining the letters. They spell simple words accurately and make good attempts at more difficult words. They use word processing to present their work.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

104. The pupils generally, including those with special educational needs, have good attitudes to all aspects of English. They are attentive during the lessons and keen to answer questions and join in the discussions. They ask questions and settle to independent tasks well. The older pupils are highly confident when expressing their opinions about literature or, for example, about life in Victorian times. They enjoy taking parts in drama. They sustain their concentration during individual tasks and they work hard to improve. Most collaborate well, for example, when they organise the script for a play or decide who is to act a part. Many of the pupils use the local library for research purposes and they read a good number of books. The pupils are generally highly interested in research work. They find it challenging and produce some good topic files. An average reader chose a very challenging text, “The Animals of Farthing Wood” because she wanted to make

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

comparisons with the television version and was undaunted by the difficulties. However, there is a surprisingly high number of pupils who like reading only “sometimes”, and read only when they have nothing else, “like sport”, to do. The younger pupils become very excited as they played a “hangman” game and have a real sense of achievement when they finally guessed the word “margarine”. The pupils with special educational needs often make good contributions to the lessons and they work well with the support assistants to improve their standards. Older pupils take responsibility in turns for the library, keeping it tidy and repairing broken books. The subject makes a good contribution to the pupils’ cultural and social development.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

105. The quality of teaching is very good. Over 80 per cent of the teaching is good or better with 55 per cent very good or outstanding. There is no unsatisfactory teaching. In Key Stage 1 the teaching is good with instances of very good teaching observed. In Key Stage 2 the majority of the teaching is very good. The teachers’ planning for the lessons in the National Literacy Strategy is very good and the teachers have high expectations of what the pupils can achieve. They are strong in their subject knowledge and of the Literacy Strategy and so they conduct lessons at a good pace. They have a high awareness of the need to develop specific language in all subjects and, through giving information and very skilful questioning, they make sure that the pupils’ vocabulary is extended throughout the curriculum. They use enlarged texts very well and give good attention to detail. They mark pupils’ work, giving feedback that will help them to improve and they set

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

targets regularly, for example, for the improvement of the formation of a particular letter in their writing or for the consistent use of a punctuation mark.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

106. They are consistent in their demand for good presentation. The teachers make good use of the available support staff and they include the pupils with special educational needs at appropriate levels. Their use of homework is consistent and links with the work they are doing during the day.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

107. The two co-ordinators have managed the introduction of the Literacy Strategy very well and the staff have benefited from the training and the support they have received. The Strategy is now well established and their planning and record keeping is very good. The new literacy governor has recently resigned and a new governor has been nominated but is not yet in role. The co-ordinators are aware of the need to improve the standard of handwriting and know what they need to do. They made the good decision to keep the pupils in year groups for the literacy hour in Key Stage 1 even though there are now three mixed age group classes in this phase. The School Development Plan for this year is to target literacy through the curriculum and this is already a strong feature of the teaching. Assessments are very good and provide information for targeting. The co-ordinators ensure that pupils who have English as an additional language receive the appropriate

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support. The teacher with responsibility for the library ensures that the teachers have a list of skills for each year group and has very good links with the local library. This has been effective in the high standard of Moorside Primary School] - 33 research skills and the interest in project work achieved by the pupils. Resources are good with a good supply of enlarged texts. They are well used to promote good teaching and learning. The library is well stocked and school loans enhance the provision that will promote the interests of the best readers in, for example, periods in history or different locations. The school has maintained the good features highlighted in the previous report and shown further improvement in all aspects of the work.

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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

108. Since the last inspection the above average attainment in English has not only been maintained but has shown a steady improvement particularly in writing. This has been achieved through the careful monitoring of standards and a consistent approach to the teaching of literacy.

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Mathematics

109. In the 1998 National Curriculum tests and assessments for seven year olds, 100 per cent of pupils achieved the expected Level 2 and 57 percent reached the higher Level 3, which was very high in comparison with the national average and with schools of a similar type. In the1999 assessments 100 per cent of pupils reached level 2 whilst 41 per cent reached the higher level 3. This shows that the school is sustaining the high standard of achievement.

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Mathematics

110. In Key Stage 2 in 1998 tests, 68 per cent of pupils achieved Level 4 or above which was above the national average, and 18 per cent of these reached the higher level which was close to the national average. There was a significant improvement in 1999 when 81% of pupils achieved Level 4, of which 24% achieved Level 5. These figures represent a very high level of achievement which represents a significant improvement from the last inspection. There is no comparative information available as yet.

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Mathematics

111. The previous inspection report described pupils’ standards of attainment as matching the national expectation for their age by the end of both key stages with some pupils achieving high standards in Key Stage 2. Since then, as a result of the effective actions taken by the school, which include the introduction of a good, carefully structured programme of work and some well focused teaching, standards have been driven up and there has been a significant improvement in pupils’ attainment. Over the last three years pupils' performance has been consistently above the national average and is very high in comparison with the performance of pupils from similar schools.

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Mathematics

112. Evidence gained during the inspection through lesson observations, discussions with the pupils and analysis a representative sample of last year’s work reflects a similar picture. The great majority of pupils at both key stages, are on course to attain the national standard and a high proportion are likely to exceed this level by the end of the key stage. Attainment is above the national average.

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Mathematics

113. Pupils at both key stages make consistently good progress in relation to their prior attainments at all levels including those with special educational needs who are making good progress towards the targets set for them. The recent implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy is already having a very positive impact on pupils abilities to recall known number facts quickly and use them to calculate mentally using a variety of methods.

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Mathematics

114. Younger pupils develop effective skills in numeracy. They make good progress in counting and ordering numbers and by the end of Key Stage 1, pupils are able to handle numbers confidently and they know number bonds and some multiplication tables. Their mental arithmetic skills are well developed and they can add and subtract numbers up to twenty and beyond with confidence and accuracy. They can order numbers to a hundred and most pupils understand the significance of place value up to 1000 and can lay out their number work in rows and columns to carry out more difficult addition and subtraction sums. They can perform simple calculations using multiplication and division. The higher attaining pupils can accurately divide by a given number and understand about remainders. All are developing strategies for solving problems. Pupils gain a wide range of practical experience in measuring. They can make sensible estimates of length using

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Mathematics

metres and centimetres and check them measuring to the nearest centimetre. Most pupils understand the properties of both two dimensional and three dimensional shapes. They are developing a good mathematical vocabulary which they use appropriately. Pupils use their numeracy skills effectively in other subjects of the curriculum such as when baking. Moorside Primary School] - 34 115. At Key Stage 2, pupils build on this good start and effectively use their increasing knowledge of place value in a range of applications. They become increasingly confident in dealing with the four rules of computation. Towards the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are able to use their increasing numeracy skills to solve problems. They can multiply and divide decimals mentally by 10 or 100 and can explain the effect. They understand decimal fractions and can convert from vulgar fractions. They are able to interpret tables used in everyday

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Mathematics

situations for example timetables and collect and represent data appropriately using graphs, charts and diagrams.

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Mathematics

116. The school has been successful in its teaching of numeracy and in its planning of numeracy skills in other areas. The pupils use their numeracy skills well in other areas of the curriculum including geography, history and science. For example in science they used constructed accurate graphs to record their measurements of water evaporation in different circumstances.

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Mathematics

117. Pupils have a good attitude to their work in mathematics. They particularly enjoy the mental maths games and activities at the beginning of lessons. Year 4 enjoy using cards to respond rapidly to oral questions and strive hard to improve their previous time. Pupils are able to work collaboratively in all classes sharing their work and equipment. For example a Year1/2 class worked together to investigate how many building blocks were needed to measure various items in the classroom, whilst another group shared metre sticks. Most pupils sustain concentration in lessons apart from in one or two lessons when pupils working in groups lost concentration and required teacher intervention to re-focus them on their work.

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Mathematics

118. The quality of teaching shows an overall improvement since the last inspection, with an increase in very good teaching. All lessons seen in this inspection had good pace and appropriate challenge in their activities.

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Mathematics

119. At Key Stage 1 the teaching is mainly good and one excellent lesson was seen. All lessons have a good clear start with oral counting and mental recall of number facts which involves all pupils. Group work is planned appropriately in all three ability levels but plenary sessions do not always fully develop or explore children's work. Excellent teaching was seen when pupils in the higher ability group were made aware of their learning objective to improve their estimates of length using metre sticks or centimetres. The plenary session was used very effectively to establish what had been learned using pupils own explanations of how they had improved their estimates followed by a review of the main teaching points, emphasising mathematical vocabulary.

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Mathematics

120. At Key Stage 2 the teaching is very good. Throughout the key stage teachers demonstrate good strategies to establish clear understanding of the number system for example good use was made of a number line in Year 6 to compare the value of fractions and decimals and put them in order. In Year 3 good use was made of a digital and analogue clock to demonstrate the relationship of hours and days. A feature of the very good lessons was the teachers’ skilful use of questioning to effectively extend pupils’ understanding. Good use is made of on-going assessment to check on pupils understanding and rectify errors.

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Mathematics

121. At both key stages the work is well planned, well structured and focused on clear learning objectives. In group work, pupils use their appropriate mathematical skills to solve everyday problems. Tasks are well suited to pupils' level of attainment and this enables them to make good progress. Numeracy skills are taught and developed mainly in mathematics but pupils consolidate and use these skills in other subjects, for example to make graphical representation in Geography; and to interpret and analyse data in Science. The school is tightly focused on implementing the National Numeracy Strategy this half term and as a consequence the use of information technology was not seen during numeracy lessons. However scrutiny of last year’s work indicates that it is used occasionally to present information for example bar chart of surveys. Homework is used effectively in both key stages.

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Mathematics

122. The two subject co-ordinators provide effective leadership. They monitor teachers' plans to ensure full coverage of the National Curriculum. They assess pupils' performance and set targets for improvement throughout school. These targets together with the particularly useful structure of the school developed mathematics scheme have resulted in the significant improvement in the levels of achievement at both key stages. Moorside Primary School] - 35 123. The co-ordinators have planned a meeting for parents to inform them about the National Numeracy Strategy and involve them in their children’s learning. The school has diligently implemented the National Numeracy Strategy this first half term without deviation or addition. This focus has restricted their normal broad and balanced curriculum but the school is aware of the need to build upon previously reported good practice while incorporating the National Numeracy Strategy and is reviewing the situation closely. Scrutiny of the

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Mathematics

previous year’s work showed that all attainment targets were well taught and the requirements of the National Curriculum were met.

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Mathematics

124. In the 1998 end of Key Stage 2 National Curriculum tests 88% of pupils reached or exceeded the nationally expected standard (level 4). Pupils’ performance was above average both in comparison to schools nationally and to schools with pupils from a similar background. The most recent 1999 results show an improvement with 90% attaining L4+ and 21% attaining level 5. The results over the last three years, although showing a slight dip in 1998, have been consistently above average. Taken over the last three years pupils’ performance in science has been well above average.

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Mathematics

125. There are no tests in science for pupils at Key Stage 1 but in 1998 teacher assessment indicated that pupils’ performance was well above the national average. In the most recent 1999 end of Key Stage 1 Teacher Assessments, 96 % of pupils reached or exceeded the national standard. With no comparative information available it is not possible to make a secure evaluation on these results compared with national averages.

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Mathematics

126. Inspection findings indicate that pupils’ attainment by the end of Key Stage 1 is above average and by the end of Key Stage 2 is well above average. Throughout the school, the great majority of pupils, including those with special educational needs make good progress in relation to their prior attainment. The above average level of attainment and the good progress highlighted in the previous inspection report have been maintained and improved upon. In particular the school has shown development in achieving consistency in the amount of practical investigative work undertaken and the adoption of a scheme of work to promote more progressive learning across both key stages. Progress is consistent in all aspects of science at both key stages. There is a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ skills of investigation alongside their acquisition of knowledge and understanding.

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Mathematics

127. At Key Stage 1 pupils make good progress and by the end of the key stage attainment is above average. Younger pupils make good progress in talking about and describing the things they see around them. They are beginning to make predictions about what they think might happen, carry out an investigation and match their findings against their original ideas. In a previous topic they investigated which material would soak up the most water and recorded their findings using simple tables. As they progress they show understanding of the basic scientific methods as they write up their work and make good progress in developing their observation skills. They note changes in plants as they grow and come to understand the conditions necessary for healthy growth. By the end of Key Stage 1 the vast majority of pupils have a sound understanding of some quite difficult concepts. In their work on electricity, for example, a group of pupils in

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Mathematics

year 1/2 were successful in meeting the challenge set for them to light up a bulb and then to light up a string of bulbs. In doing so they made good progress in coming to an understanding of cause and effect, such as the bulb failing to light because of a break in the electrical circuits and that bulbs grow dimmer when the circuit gets bigger and less power is available. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support which enables them to make good progress and achieve in line with their peers.

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Mathematics

128. By the end of Key Stage 2, attainment is well above average. Throughout the key stage pupils make very good progress as they build on their previous learning and progressively develop the skills of systematic enquiry. They draw effectively on their growing scientific knowledge to make perceptive predictions. In Year 3 when investigating sound vibrations with water in glass tubes many pupils were able to make more accurate predictions when they related the findings of previous investigations. They show an increasing awareness of the importance of checking their predictions. They show a growing appreciation of the importance of carrying out fair tests and taking accurate measurements. This was apparent when pupils in Year 4 carried out experiments to test force and friction across different surfaces, using shoes with different Moorside Primary School] - 36 types of soles. They acquire a wider scientific vocabulary which they use correctly. In the course of finding

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Mathematics

out more about food chains and food webs Year 5 pupils made very good progress and used such terms as “predator” and “ prey” with accuracy. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have a good knowledge and understanding in all the main elements of the subject. In life processes and living things it is particularly strong. Pupils understand the way the human body works and can explain the function of various organs such as the heart and the kidneys the way the circulatory system and the respiratory systems work. They have produced some good quality labelled drawings which show how well they know the parts of a plant. They have a secure understanding of materials and can recognise the differences between solids, liquids and gases. They know that some changes are reversible and some are not. Year 6 pupils could explain how sugar which had been dissolved could be recovered by evaporating the liquid from the solution.

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Mathematics

129. Pupils progressively extend their literacy and mathematical skills by using relevant scientific terms and accurate measurements when gathering and presenting information. They make use of information technology for plotting graphs, writing reports or producing spreadsheets.

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Mathematics

130. Pupils at all ages enjoy their work in science. Their attitude to science and their lively curiosity is a positive feature and makes a valuable contribution to the quality of learning. Most pupils listen carefully to their teacher, follow instructions and are usually co-operative. They are enthusiastic in tackling tasks they are given and show good levels of concentration for their age. They are able to show that they can work both co- operatively and collaboratively.

p.36

Mathematics

131. Teaching in science is generally good at Key Stage 1 and very good at Key Stage 2. In both key stages one excellent lesson was observed. Teachers are secure in their subject knowledge and they concentrate on using correct terminology in their explanations. Lessons are well planned and organised and the resources are carefully chosen and readily available. The clear explanations and good use of demonstrations in a Year 1 / 2 lesson provided a good starting point for pupils to continue their investigation into how to light a bulb during their work on circuits. The imaginative introduction to the work on friction provided pupils with a good reason to use appropriate measures such as Newton meter to make accurate measurements. Most of the teaching achieves a good balance between explanations and practical well thought out activities. Good guidelines are provided for pupils to write up their investigations and reinforce the scientific method used.

p.36

Mathematics

Most teachers bring their lessons to a conclusion with effective use of the plenary session to firmly establish the concepts taught. In their marking teachers make useful comments on pupils’ work. These draw attention to any problems arising, check any misunderstanding and encourage pupils to improve their performance. Assessment is good as pupils’ performance is analysed at the end of each unit of work. Pupils’ progress is recorded and teachers write evaluations at the end of each topic.

p.36

Mathematics

132. The subject is very well managed and led by an enthusiastic and well-informed co-ordinator. The organisation of the science curriculum has improved since the last inspection and the school has revised and developed the scheme of work which allocates the programmes of study across the year groups in a progressive way. The programme of work meets the requirements of the National Curriculum. There is a good balance between practical and knowledge based work and the pupils have some use of information technology to record their findings. Further use if technology in the teaching of science is planned when the school increases the number and quality of computers. Opportunities are provide for pupils to practice their referencing skills in the subject, and there are sufficient book resources to support this work. The level of challenge presented to pupils of all abilities extends their learning and enables them to achieve appropriate standards. This is

p.36

Mathematics

reflected in the high percentage of pupils attaining or exceeding the national standard at the end of both key stages.

p.36

OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES

133. Although computers were in use, because of timetable arrangements, very little direct teaching was observed during the week of the inspection. Evidence is based on classroom observations, discussions with staff and pupils, the scrutiny of pupils' current and previous work and school documents. Moorside Primary School] - 37 134. Standards of attainment by the end of both key stages, in information technology, are broadly in line with that seen for 7 and 11 year olds in other schools nationally. During the last inspection a high proportion of Key Stage 2 pupils were not achieving the national expectation. Subsequent action planning and revised teaching and planning strategies have now improved standards in Key Stage 2.

p.36

OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES

135. In lessons, most pupils, including those with special educational needs, make at least satisfactory progress. Progress over time in both key stages is sound, especially in the development of their keyboard and general computing skills. In Key Stage 1, pupils make satisfactory progress in their ability to use information technology to communicate and handle information effectively. They are developing their skills in using the keyboard and handle the mouse with increasing accuracy. They are in the early stages of developing skills in storing and retrieving information. They use headphones and listening centres efficiently.

p.37

OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES

136. In Key Stage 2, pupils learn how to switch machines on and select appropriate programmes. The majority of pupils observed display confident control of the mouse and knowledgeable use of the keyboard. They use the computer as wordprocessor and are able to edit, save and retrieve their work; they lay out the text, change its appearance and correct as necessary. Most pupils have a broad awareness of computing terms such as random access memory (RAM) and read only memory (ROM) as well as the concept of how to use 'windows'. Some Year 6 pupils were compiling information about work which had been carried out in science and geography topics on water. They entered data from different sources onto a spreadsheet. Year 5 pupils have completed work involving control technology through the use of an interface box to control temperature and the use of 'logo' to control the movements of a commercially produced dinosaur model. They

p.37

OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES

label diagrams appropriately before printing.

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OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES

137. Pupils enjoy the subject and their attitudes to learning are good. They show considerable interest when given the opportunity to use a computer. They work well together when asked to collaborate, and they handle the equipment with care. Pupils with special educational needs have equal access to the subject and they receive good support.

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OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES

138. Little direct teaching of information technology was seen during the inspection due to timetable arrangements. The two lessons, one in each key stage, and scrutiny of teachers’ planning provided sufficient evidence to judge that the quality of teaching is good. Work was well planned and relevant and helps pupils to use information technology tools for communication, data handling, investigation and control. Lessons are a mixture of whole class lessons and small group lessons. Teachers give clear instructions and effectively demonstrate how to change the font sizes or how to transfer information. Pupils are taught how to create their own files and to save and retrieve their work. Programs are appropriately chosen to match the needs of the pupils and information technology is used to support work across the curriculum.

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OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES

139. The co-ordinator has a good subject knowledge but has little opportunity to monitor and evaluate the day-to- day delivery of information technology in the classroom. However direction and advice is provided by the co- ordinator in the professional development of the staff with valuable contributions by the LEA adviser. A subject policy has been developed and a scheme of work incorporating National Curriculum programmes of study and level descriptors is used as an assessment medium.

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OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES

140. Since the last inspection the staff have worked hard and successfully to develop the pupils’ information technology skills and to broaden the base of the work in line with the National Curriculum requirements. This has had a positive effect both on the quality of teaching and on the standards attained by pupils. The school has recently upgraded much of its computer stock. All of the Key Stage 2 classes have a new machine and the three Key Stage 1 classes share two new machines between them. The school that there is a great need to replace the ageing and unreliable computers in Key Stage 1 if standards are to be raised or even maintained. Currently the school has a bid pending for the completion of a computer suite to enable it to benefit through the National Grid for Learning. There is a good selection of software including data handling programmes, control technology and compact discs linked to other subjects and topics.

p.37

Religious education

141. The attainment of the majority of pupils currently at the end of both key stages meets and often exceeds the expectations of the Local Agreed Syllabus for this subject. All pupils, including those with special education needs make good progress as they move through the school

p.38

Religious education

142. In Key Stage 1, pupils have a good knowledge of Bible stories and can relate them to their own lives. They talk about the wonder of the natural world and thank God for abundant harvests around the world. They discuss relationships and helping and caring for each other. They are given opportunities to reflect on their feelings and to express their understanding of spiritual and religious issues including compassion and how to make people happy. They have a growing knowledge of Christianity and can talk about religious festivals and traditions in the Christian calendar. They recognise some of the symbols of religion and know about places of worship.

p.38

Religious education

143. In Key Stage 2, pupils deepen their understanding of Christianity and other major world faiths. Year 3 pupils are aware of some of the major aspect of Judaism. For example, they know that the Torah is a Holy Book and that Jewish boys wear a hat called a Kipur and that great emphasis is placed on prayer. In one lesson pupils were asked to decorate their own shema and write their own special prayer to go inside. In Year 5 pupils considered the values expressed in the Hindu story of Rama and Sita whilst Year 6 pupils discussed Biblical themes including love, forgiveness and prayer and appreciate that it sets standards for behaviour. In discussion with a group of Year 6 pupils, it is evident that they have a good grasp of the main aspects of major world religions and are beginning to relate these to Christianity and their own lives. They display a respect for those who hold different views to themselves and a Year 4 class showed great interest in listening

p.38

Religious education

to first hand experiences of prayer from a new Muslim pupil. Many pupils are capable of expressing thoughtful, sensitive views on religious issues.

p.38

Religious education

144. Pupil make good progress throughout the school, increasing their understanding of Christianity and other world faiths. They become more confident in the expression of feelings and become more tolerant in their dealings with others. Pupils use their literacy skills well in this subject. They develop good listening and speaking skills during whole class and group discussions and, in Key Stage 2, some pupils are capable of expressing complex thoughts about religious issues and the concept of a God. A scrutiny of pupils' work indicates that all pupils write about a range of topics and take pride in the presentation of their work.

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Religious education

145. Pupils' attitudes to learning are good throughout the school. In both key stages they are keen to respond to the teacher's questioning and are appreciative of each other's work. They are interested in the subject and this is reflected in lessons.

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Religious education

146. The quality of teaching is good in both key stages. All lessons are well planned and teachers have a secure knowledge of key facts. They constantly assess pupils' understanding and successfully build on pupils' own faith experiences. In the most successful lessons, teachers provide stimulating resources and use exciting teaching strategies to promote this subject. For example, the use of a play reading reinforced the Hindu story of Rama and Sita and the building of a Hindu shrine emphasised the symbols they use in their religion. Skilful questioning by the teachers leads the pupils to express their own beliefs with confidence.

p.38

Religious education

147. The subject is well managed by the headteacher who is conveniently placed to monitor planning and teaching. She has a clear overview of the subject and ensures that there is a good balance between the various strands. Since the previous inspection the curriculum has been further developed to include more experiences of religious and ethnic diversity. This has had a positive impact on pupils’ progress and attainment. The scheme of work addresses the requirements of the Locally Agreed Syllabus well. All statutory requirements are met.

p.38

Religious education

148. The school continues to achieve good standards in art. Throughout both key stages the great majority of pupils work at a level which is at least appropriate for their age. There are many good examples of work displayed around school. Moorside Primary School] - 39 149. No lessons were seen during inspection but a scrutiny of pupils sketch books, photographs of previous work in the school portfolio and displays throughout school indicates that all pupils including those with special educational needs make good progress.

p.38

Religious education

150. Pupils in Key Stage1, exploring texture have used a range of materials and techniques over several lessons to produce impressive scenes of the Great Fire of London for example overlaying several layers of different textures to represent smoke and clouds. By the end of Year 2, pupils express themselves well through drawing and painting. They are developing good observational skills and show good progress in their drawings, demonstrated particularly in their self-portraits.

p.39

Religious education

151. At Key Stage 2 pupils demonstrate an increasing competence in working in two and three dimensions. Pupils in Year 5 used their skills of drawing to produce aerial and front view plans when they designed and produced colourful Diva pots. Year 3 pupils listened to the music of Gustav Holst and used a variety of colours and patterns to convey moods, feelings and emotions the music evoked. Year 6 pupils are able to discuss their feelings and ideas of art and the work of a variety of artists, in particular the work of David Hockney. They could also identify ways in which their own work could be improved. A good example of pupils developing their own ideas and originality was seen in pupils’ sketches and designs for the “ Save Endangered Species “ posters.

p.39

Religious education

152. The development of good relationships across the key stages are encouraged. Whilst producing work for a recent art exhibition pupils from Year 5 collaborated with pupils from Year 1 over a period of lessons studying shape and line and in a similar project Year 6 pupils worked collaboratively with Year 2 pupils to analyse artist's techniques. They recognised the use of thick paint and brush strokes in Van Gogh's paintings and used similar techniques to demonstrate texture in their reproduction of his work. During the inspection Year 4 were working in groups to re-produce Roman mosaics which was related to their work in history. Pupils enjoy discussing their work and explaining methods and techniques they have used.

p.39

Religious education

153. Although no direct teaching was seen teachers' plans showed full coverage of the curriculum and good provision to teach skills and techniques as well as knowledge and understanding of different methods and approaches. Work seen in classroom displays showed good links with history, geography, religious education, music and information technology; for example, Key Stage 1 pupils used information technology to annotate their imaginative scenes of the Great Fire of London. In Key Stage 2 pupils studying animal habitats in science produced pictures of their interpretation and observations of habitats using pastels.

p.39

Religious education

154. The subject co-ordinator has no specific art qualifications but is keen to fulfil the role she has recently been given.

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Religious education

155. The comprehensive art policy document continues to be a good guide and support for teachers. The subject co-ordinator monitors teachers' half-yearly plans to ensure coverage of content and skills and collects pupils' sketch books to monitor their progress and development.

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Religious education

156. Teachers assess the standard of achievement at the end of each year and against the relevant end of key stage descriptors in the National Curriculum document. Photographs are kept to record pupils' achievement. It is these measures that have ensured the maintenance of the high standards reported at the last inspection.

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Design and technology

157. Only one lesson in design and technology was observed during the period of the inspection. This provides insufficient evidence to be able to make firm judgements on the overall quality of teaching. However, evidence from teachers' planning, from the scrutiny of previous work and display around the school is sufficient to indicate that all pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress across both key stages and work at an appropriate level in all aspects of the National Curriculum programmes of study. Moorside Primary School] - 40 158. In Key Stage 1, pupils have opportunities to work in a range of materials such as card, clay, food and textiles. The teachers' planning places an emphasis on the need for design and the evaluation of finished work so that pupils make sound progress in the understanding of how designs affect the outcome of the product. Evidence

p.39

Design and technology

of this is seen in the carefully produced designs for a glove puppet by Year 2 pupils. They work with a broadsheet on which they draw up their initial design, modify it, compile a list of materials required and evaluate the success of the finished product. An appropriate written comment is also made by the teacher on the sheet. It is of a sufficiently challenging nature and helps pupils to develop a good understanding of working in three dimensional media. Pupils are able to evaluate the properties of different materials such as coarse or smooth texture, firm or spongy to manipulate. They use paint and collage effectively to finish work to a satisfactory standard.

p.40

Design and technology

159. Much of the work done in design and technology often has strong cross-curricular links as for example when Year 3 pupils make copies of fossils using plaster of paris in which they learn how to mix to the correct consistency, to pour accurately and to remove all air bubbles. This particular activity involved pupils in topic work in geography and science. Older pupils produce chariots in conjunction with a history topic on the Romans. In this project they are required to design the axle system, the manner in which it is secured to the framework of the chariot and then to test. In the construction of the chassis they learn to successfully join a framework through either using glue or pins and adding further strengthening with fillets of cardboard.

p.40

Design and technology

160. Pupils are enthusiastic about their work in this subject and they are made very much aware of the need to observe health and safety requirements. This was observed during a visit to the school kitchen by Year 5 pupils in preparation for the designing and baking of celebration cakes.

p.40

Design and technology

161. The teachers' planning is clear with due emphasis on the route through design, making and evaluating, as well as that of safety. Teachers are supported by a clear policy and the availability of a useful guidance booklet which gives advice on several aspects and skills used in design technology. The school has recently adopted the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority documents for the subject and these jointly play a significant part in the building of confidence of many of the staff.

p.40

Design and technology

162. The co-ordinator is well informed and provides valuable support to the staff but as yet does not have the opportunity to provide that support during lesson time. Monitoring is carried out through the planning medium and this is used to guide the professional development needs of the staff: most in-service-training is carried out in school by the co-ordinator.

p.40

Design and technology

163. A broad range of resources and appropriate tools are available for use, although much of the work by pupils is based on the use of card and junk materials. Construction kits are used occasionally and there is little evidence that pupils in either key stage have the opportunity to assemble or disassemble working or powered models, or use information technology in the design phase. The school has addressed issues raised in the previous inspection through its action planning, monitoring and curriculum development. 168.

p.40

Geography

164. Only one geography lesson was observed and at both key stages judgements have been made through scrutiny of planning and past work and by talking to pupils. The pupils are working at least in line with what is expected of pupils of this age and there is some very good work at Key Stage 2. In Key Stage 1, the pupils learn to use the language that describes the features of their local environment for example, hill, road, playground. They make a plan of the school and the grounds and they label the countries of Great Britain using a computer program. In Key Stage 2, in Year 3, they explore the local environment further as they go “Round the Block” taking a close look at, for example, the types of houses and street names. They map the Junior building using compass points and begin to use simple symbols and co-ordinates to locate places on maps. In Year 4, they make plans of the local park and they make comparisons between New Brighton and

p.40

Geography

Swinton. In Year 5, they build upon their previous learning well and their knowledge expands to include naming and locating the continents and oceans on the globe and on a map of the world. They relate factors such as climate to types of forestation and animal habitats and throughout their studies their awareness of Moorside Primary School] - 41 appropriate geographical language increases and they use terms such as “deciduous” when classifying forests. They also study the water cycle. In Year 6 they make good links with history as they compare Swinton in the 1930s with the present day. They produce some very good topic work in their holiday task, for example, on France where they apply their learned skills in research.

p.40

Geography

165. The pupils make a good response to the subject. In lessons they are very keen to answer and they work conscientiously. They work hard and follow instructions well. Talking to pupils reveals that they are pleased with the amount of knowledge they have and they find the work interesting. Past work shows that they go into aspects of the work in good depth.

p.41

Geography

166. A judgement cannot be made about the overall quality of the teaching although the one lesson that was observed in Key Stage 2, was good. The teacher involved all the pupils, including those with special educational needs in the brisk questioning. She made good links with literacy and with the pupils’ work in science. Cross curricular links are generally very good, for example, in a science lesson the teacher linked the pupils’ work on evaporation to the water cycle and data collected was entered on a spreadsheet to make links with numeracy. The teaching of the subject in blocked units allows the pupils to pursue aspects of the subject in greater depth and this brings a richness to the work that is evident in the workfiles. The teachers use the resources well including computers in Key Stage 1 and CD-ROM for researching information on, for example, forestation.

p.41

History

167. Pupils at both key stages work at appropriate levels for their age and some good work is being done in Key Stage 2. In Key Stage 1 much of the work is oral and the pupils build up a good vocabulary such as “old and new” and “a long time ago”. They discuss their knowledge of themselves and how they have changed since they were babies and so they build up an understanding of chronology. They study the Great Fire of London and they become aware of the use of evidence to help us find out what happened. They can explain that there would be no photographs or videos because they “had not been invented”. They know that the Great Fire began in Pudding Lane and they discuss, when looking at an extract from Pepys Diary, the factors that made the fire spread so quickly. In Key Stage 2, the pupils study the Celts and the Romans in Year 4 and they begin to understand why the Romans invaded Britain. They look at pictures and their observations lead them to ask

p.41

History

interesting questions such as “Why are all the men bald except one?” They use good language such as “centurian” and “mosaic” in context and they use a CD-ROM to help them with their research. In Years 5 and 6 the pupils study the Victorians. They know many facts about the period and they make good comparisons between then and now. Their understanding of attitudes of the period is particularly good and this is developed through the very good and excellent teaching that encourages them to think in depth about how they would feel in a set of circumstances. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress and they quickly relate new facts that they have learned in the lessons.

p.41

History

168. In Key Stage 1 in the lesson observed at the end of the day, the pupils enjoyed looking at the evidence and listened attentively and answered questions appropriately for most of the lesson, but they became unresponsive as tiredness overtook many of them. The teachers involve the pupils with special educational needs appropriately. At Key Stage 2 the pupils are enthusiastic. They listen well, contribute to the discussions, ask good questions and pursue their research eagerly. When talking about their interests, many of them say that they like reading about “the Egyptians” or generally about “history”. This reflects the enthusiasm that is inspired through the very good quality of teaching.

p.41

History

169. There is insufficient evidence to make a secure judgement about the quality of teaching overall at Key Stage 1 but the one lesson observed was satisfactory. The quality of teaching at KEY Stage 2 is very good overall with one excellent lesson observed. Throughout the lessons the teachers’ emphasis on language is very good. They emphasise the importance of using research and the pupils appreciate the opportunities to “find out for themselves”. In an outstanding lesson the teacher’s attention to detail and excellent pace of searching questions kept the pupils totally involved and inspired them to think deeply. The organisation of the lessons into blocked units with long sessions is good, and allows the pupils a good amount of time to gather information from the good resources available and to bring their findings back to the class for sharing and discussion. This Moorside Primary School] - 42

p.41

History

approach brings a good depth and richness to the subject and makes a good contribution to the personal and social and cultural development of the pupils. This shows an improvement since the previous inspection.

p.42

Music

170. At the end of both key stages, pupils attain in line with that expected of similar age pupils in music. Pupils at Key Stage 1 develop their understanding and enjoyment of music. They sing tunefully, recall songs and hymns from memory and start to explore the way in which sounds are made. For instance when using untuned percussion instruments they know how to hold and control the instruments and are able to experiment with pattern and rhythm. They are encouraged to use the appropriate vocabulary of sounds and to use these to develop their skills in describing moods, feelings and ideas. Listening skills are developing well and they are able to recognise a range of instruments.

p.42

Music

171. In the younger classes of Key Stage 2 pupils have an increasing skill in notation and understand the values of crotchets, minims and quavers, as for example when they related a farmyard scene and the way in which ducks quacked at ‘crotchet pace’ and other animals made sounds at a similar pace to quavers. They are able to follow the notation from the blackboard and perform it using a variety of instruments. Year 3 pupils were observed during a lesson on brass instruments in which they were able to describe the various ways that sound changed according to the length of the tube. They understand that this affects the pitch of the note and that the volume of air controls the sound quality. Pupils in both key stages, including those with special educational needs make sound progress in most aspects of music. Good progress is made in Key Stage 2 in the understanding of the theory of music. Older pupils in Key Stage 2 clap out a variety of rhythms according to

p.42

Music

time. They construct their own rhythm and record the composition of it.

p.42

Music

172. Pupils enjoy music and work with enthusiasm both as individuals and when required to work within a group. Behaviour is always good and this helps pupils to concentrate and persevere with the development of their listening and performing skills. They learn and use new musical vocabulary, such as beat, pitch, crotchet and minim with increasing understanding.

p.42

Music

173. Due to time-table arrangements, it was not possible to observe any music lessons in Key Stage 1 so it is not possible to make a secure judgement about the quality of the teaching. However, an analysis of teachers’ planning shows that good provision is made for pupils to take part in a range of activities, covering all the National Curriculum programmes of study. The quality of teaching at Key Stage 2 is good. The teachers’ expertise and subject knowledge is reflected in the way they effectively demonstrate key skills and techniques. Lessons are well planned, resourced and organised. Lessons are delivered at a good pace with teacher enthusiasm evident.

p.42

Music

174. The subject is strongly led by a well informed and experienced co-ordinator who monitors and evaluates the curriculum effectively. There are good links between the peripatetic support teachers and the co-ordinator and this ensures that a range of opportunities is available to all pupils. The school is very well resourced in respect of musical equipment generally with a wide range of tuned and untuned percussion instruments, loan stock brass and wind instruments as well as appropriate library reference books. They are in good condition and more than adequate to meet National Curriculum requirements. Since the time of the last inspection the school has maintained the level of attainment despite having to lose the additional specialised teaching support.

p.42

Physical education

175. Pupils make good progress in this subject in both key stages and almost all achieve in line with pupils of a similar age. Only gymnastics and dance were observed during the inspection. Evidence from the teachers' planning and the school's curriculum framework for this subject indicates that there is also good provision for the teaching of swimming, games and outdoor adventurous activities. Records show that the majority of pupils achieve the minimum 25 metres required for swimming by the time they leave the school. Moorside Primary School] - 43 176. Pupils in Key Stage 1 make good progress. In Year 1, the pupils respond to instructions promptly. Most can use the space in the hall well and are aware of the need for safety when moving around. They run, jump and hold shapes well. In a Y1/Y2 class the pupils demonstrated a good awareness of rhythm and timing when performing a simple folk dance. Another class interpreted sounds made on untuned percussion instruments.

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Physical education

This they did well, illustrating sharp spikey movements of flames and smooth, billowing movements of smoke.

p.43

Physical education

177. In Key Stage 2, pupils make good progress against their prior attainment. They display good control when using yoga exercises for warming up. They can move around the hall varying pace, level and shape. Some pupils demonstrated good shapes whilst leaping through the air. Another class created bridge shapes on the floor and then successfully extended this activity when using large apparatus. In a Year 5 dance lesson, the pupils worked hard to interpret Indian dancing, taking great care to emphasis hand movements. This lesson was linked to work being done in religious education. A Year 6 class collaborated well in pairs when matching and mirroring movements.

p.43

Physical education

178. The pupils' attitudes to physical education are good. They are enthusiastic and work hard in all aspects. They persevere well to develop and refine their skills. They collaborate effectively in pairs, groups and teams and the majority listen attentively to instructions. Their behaviour is good. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported in lessons.

p.43

Physical education

179. The quality of teaching is good in both key stages. In the two lessons observed in Key Stage 1, one was good and one was very good. In Key Stage 2 it was good in two lessons and very good in one. Lessons are well planned and usually proceed at a brisk pace. The very good lessons contain a variety of activities designed to challenge pupils' abilities. In all lessons, good awareness is given to the need for safety when working around other pupils and also when handling large apparatus. Teachers' knowledge and understanding of the subject is good.

p.43

Physical education

180. The school provides a balanced programme of physical education that meets the requirements of the National Curriculum, including provision for swimming and for outdoor activities. There is a good policy and scheme of work for physical education that provides good guidance for each year group and are used by teachers to plan work that is continuous in developing pupils' skills.

p.43

Physical education

181. The school has good links with the local High School and, this term, Year 6 pupils have the benefit of a physical education teacher from the high school to teach hockey skills. This training culminates in competitions with three other feeder schools who similarly benefit. Older pupils also enjoy specialist coaching from the Lacrosse association. Extra curricular activities this term include netball, football, cross country running and hockey. The co-ordinator leads the subject well. She has a secure understanding of the subject and monitors teachers' planning. Assessment is on-going and teachers write evaluation notes on the lesson and attainment of pupils to be used for future planning, if appropriate. Resources for the subject are good and all equipment is checked annually for safety. There are good hardcore areas marked out for team games and a grassed area for field sports. The storage of resources is secure and accessible for both staff and pupils.

p.43

SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

182. The school was inspected by a team of 6 inspectors over a period of 4 days. Over 76 hours were spent in observing classes, sampling pupils’ work and talking with pupils. A total of 77 lessons or parts of lessons were observed. Pupils in all year groups and across the full ability range were heard to read. Samples of pupils' written work across all age and ability groups were scrutinised. Classroom displays, models and photographic evidence were inspected. Informal discussions were held with pupils to determine their views about:- the school rules, behaviour, bullying, moral and spiritual issues, their work and their involvement in extra curricular activities. Pupils were questioned to determine their knowledge and understanding of their work. Assemblies were attended. Pre-inspection meetings were held with staff, parents and governors.

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

183. The School Development Plan and policy documents were examined. The school budget was scrutinised. Teachers' planning documents were examined. The SEN register was examined and support groups observed. Interviews were held with curriculum co-ordinators, support staff and the administrative staff. Interviews were held with the Chair of Governors and other members of the Governing Body. Regular discussions were held with the headteacher. The completed parents' questionnaires and letters were analysed and their views considered. Moorside Primary School] - 45

p.44

Pupil data

Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with statements of SEN Number of pupils on school's register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals YR- Y6 355 8 47 41 Nursery Unit/School 29 0 1 ----

p.45

Qualified teachers (YR – Y6)

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent) 14.2 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25

p.45

Education support staff (YR – Y6)

Total number of education support staff 1 Total aggregate hours worked each week 33

p.45

Qualified teachers (Nursery school, classes or unit)

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent) 1 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 29

p.45

Education support staff (Nursery school, classes or unit)

Total number of education support staff 1 Total aggregate hours worked each week 33

p.45

Financial data

£ Total Income 640,884 Total Expenditure 654,779 Expenditure per pupil 1,770 Balance brought forward from previous year 17,457 Balance carried forward to next year 3,562 Moorside Primary School] - 46

p.45

PARENTAL SURVEY

Number of questionnaires sent out: 391 Number of questionnaires returned: 187

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Responses (percentage of answers in each category) :

p.46

PARENTAL SURVEY

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 49 49 1 0 2 I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 48 48 3 0 2 The school handles complaints from parents well 23 51 18 3 2 The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 34 53 7 4 2 The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)'s progress 36 54 5 3 2 The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 39 55 2 3 0 The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 39 52 7 1 0 I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 33 52 9 4 1 The school's values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 37 52 7 3 0 The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 34 50 13 3 0 My child(ren) like(s) school 53 39 5 3 1

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PARENTAL SURVEY

NB Percentages of responses are rounded to the nearest integer and sum may not equal 100%. Percentages given are in relation to the total number of returns, INCLUDING nil replies.

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