Moorgate Primary School

MOORGATE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Moorgate Primary School - 2 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.

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MOORGATE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, 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. Moorgate Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3–11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 205

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Entwistle Street Bolton Postcode: BL2 2RH

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01204 333477 Fax number: 01204 333478

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mrs A Simpkins

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 1 March 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Moorgate Primary School is about average in size. Most pupils come from the immediate area where the accommodation is largely rented local authority housing with some owner-occupied properties. Overall, the school’s socio-economic context is well below average and its take-up for free school meals is well above average. The profile of the school’s catchment area has declined in the last three years due to local reorganisation. In 2000, the school received an Achievement Award for improvements in standards and the Investor in People award. In 2001 it received Beacon status. The proportion of pupils entering or leaving the school at times other than the usual is now very high at 45 per cent. Almost all pupils are of white, British, ethnic background; six per cent come from mixed white and black British Caribbean and other Asian backgrounds. There are no pupils learning English as an additional language. When children first start school in the Nursery,

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

their attainment is well below average. The proportion of pupils currently identified as having special educational needs (20 per cent) is slightly above average and the proportion of pupils who have Statements of Special Educational Needs is also above average. The range of needs includes dyslexia, moderate and severe learning difficulties, emotional and behavioural difficulties and visual impairment. A large proportion of children have significant speech and communication problems when they first start in the Nursery. The school is part of the Local Education Action Zone. There have been many changes in staff, including the headteacher, in the last two and a half years. At the time of the inspection, three teachers were newly qualified, the deputy was a temporary appointment and one teacher was on supply, covering for an absent teacher. Moorgate Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

25431 Lesley Clark Lead inspector Mathematics Science Art and design Design and technology Music 1234 Tina Bradley Lay inspector 22291 Keith Saltfleet Team inspector English Information and communication technology Physical education 22058 Christine Richardson Team inspector Foundation stage Special educational needs Religious education Geography History

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Moorgate Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school gives a sound education to its pupils . Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. While the achievement of most pupils is good, a very small number of higher attainers and pupils with special educational needs do not do as well as they should because the school has not identified their needs sufficiently well. Girls tend to do better than boys. The good leadership of the headteacher and satisfactory management have ensured that the school has kept on an even keel during a period of considerable change. The school gives satisfactory value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses: • Pupils achieve well to reach nationally expected standards in English and information and communication technology (ICT) at the end of Year 6. • In the Nursery and the Reception class children achieve well in all their areas of learning because they are well taught. • Teaching is good in Years 3 to 6 and so pupils make good progress, particularly in mathematics. • Assessment is not used well enough to target pupils so that they all learn effectively. • Pupils who have special educational needs are not identified early enough and so they miss out. • The provision for pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual and social development, is unsatisfactory. • Parents are not involved in their children’s learning as much as they should be. • The school is well led and the development of the curriculum is leading to higher standards. • The school has good links with the local community and a good range of extra-curricular

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OVERALL EVALUATION

activities which enrich pupils’ learning.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made satisfactory improvement since the last inspection, with good improvements to the curriculum, the role of subject leaders and standards, particularly in ICT. Assessment and raising the attainment of more able pupils remain issues that the school has only partially resolved.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English D E C A Mathematics E E D B Science E C D A Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ overall achievement is good. In the present Year 6, standards are broadly average in English and below average in mathematics and science. About 75 per cent of pupils reach the level expected of their age; comparatively few exceed it. The school’s results have tended to be below the national trend, though that is now improving. Achievement is particularly good in English and in ICT, religious education (RE) and physical education (PE). Throughout the school, girls tend to do better than boys and the school is only just beginning to address this issue. There are no significant differences between the achievements of the few pupils of minority ethnic groups. Pupils with special educational needs do not achieve as well as other pupils by and large because their needs are not recognised early enough. This particularly affects the standards in the current Year 2 class where pupils with significant learning difficulties are not being given work that is appropriate to their

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

needs. Consequently, overall standards in Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics are well below average, whereas in Year 1, where there are fewer pupils with specific learning difficulties, pupils are achieving better and standards are higher. Children enter the Nursery with skills that are well below average and many have difficulties communicating with adults and with each other at Moorgate Primary School - 7 first. By the end of the Reception Year they achieve well, though standards are below average overall. Children make very good progress in personal, social and emotional development and in physical development and are likely to reach the goals set for them by the end of the Reception Year. Although they make good progress in all other areas of learning, a significant proportion are unlikely to meet the recommended goals set in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and knowledge and understanding of the world.

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Provision for pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual and social development,

is unsatisfactory. Although most pupils want to learn and the majority behave well in lessons, they are not taught how to respect each other and to tolerate each other’s views. As a result, pupils do not always work and play constructively and often fall out with each other. Moments of wonder are rare in lessons and more girls have responsible jobs to do around the school than boys.

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The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory. Teaching is satisfactory

overall. Children learn well in the Nursery and Reception classes where the good level of adult support and resources stimulate them to communicate and to learn through play. They are well taught, learn a great many new words and develop new skills at a good rate. Pupils’ learning is satisfactory overall in Years 1 and 2. However, teaching does have some unsatisfactory elements because it does not enable pupils whose special educational needs have not been properly identified to learn effectively. Teaching is good overall in Years 3 to 6 and the majority of pupils learn well. Sometimes the work is not sufficiently challenging for higher-attaining pupils and so their learning slows. Pupils throughout the school learn best when they take an active part in lessons, as in drama or ICT, learning through finding out for themselves. Most pupils are unaware of how well they are learning and do not as yet measure their progress against personal targets for

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The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory. Teaching is satisfactory

improvement. This makes learning difficult for pupils who join the school at various points throughout the year. The satisfactory curriculum includes a varied programme of extra-curricular activities to enrich pupils’ education. Pupils receive satisfactory support and guidance.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall, with the governors making a satisfactory contribution to the running of the school. The headteacher’s leadership is good and is responsible for the many changes that are leading to a gradual improvement in standards.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are satisfied with the education their children are receiving. Although they receive satisfactory information about what is going on in school and what their children are learning, the school does not involve them enough in what is going on and so they find it difficult to help their children to learn. Pupils like this school on the whole though they do not always find lessons very interesting and they think some children are unfriendly.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Assess what pupils know and can do and give them targets to help them improve their work. • Identify pupils with special educational needs earlier so that they get the support they need. • Make better provision for pupils’ personal, spiritual and social development. • Involve parents more in their children’s learning and in the work of the school. Moorgate Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Standards are average in English but below average in mathematics and science by the end of Year 6. Achievement is satisfactory overall. It is good in the Nursery and the Reception class, largely satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and good in Years 3 - 6 for most pupils. Throughout the school, some pupils do not do so well, particularly those whose educational needs have not been assessed, and a very small proportion of higher attainers who are not sufficiently challenged. Girls’ achievement is better than that of boys.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children make good progress in a short time both in the Nursery and Reception class; • Standards are well below average overall for pupils in the current Year 2; • The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is not as good as that of other pupils because of shortcomings in the way their needs are assessed. As a result, some younger pupils, particularly in Year 2, underachieve as their needs are not met; • Pupils, including those from ethnic minority groups, achieve well in Years 3 -6. They do well in English, mathematics and science compared to pupils in similar schools, with three-quarters of pupils likely to attain average standards by the end of Year 6; • Standards are broadly in line with those expected nationally in ICT and RE by the end of Year 6 which represents good achievement.

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Commentary

1. Children enter the Nursery with levels of attainment that are well below average. Many have difficulties in communicating effectively because of their poorly developed language skills when they first start. They make good progress in both the Nursery and Reception classes because a great deal is expected of them. The recent provision for some children to stay all day is benefiting their development. There is a good level of teaching, support staff and other adults to work with the children and consequently they make very good progress and are likely to meet the goals set for them at the end of the Reception Year in their personal, social and emotional development and in physical development. The children make good progress in the other areas of learning though a large proportion are unlikely to meet the goals set in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and knowledge and

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Commentary

understanding of the world by the end of the Reception Year. Overall, standards are below the level expected at the end of the Reception Year.

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Commentary

2. Standards in Year 2 are well below average in reading, writing and mathematics. In part, this reflects the large proportion of pupils with special educational needs in this particular year group. Weaknesses which are leading to underachievement for specific groups of pupils are: • the slowness to identify pupils’ special educational needs so that the work they are set does not always match their needs sufficiently early enough; • this in turn leads to unsatisfactory elements in both teaching and learning; • the very small group of higher attainers is not always set challenging tasks. Pupils’ performance over the past three years has been very variable, ranging from well above to well below average standards both nationally and compared to similar schools. Although the trend in results at this stage is below the national, taking the past five years’ results together, this belies the extremes of results, which are dramatically either better or

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Commentary

worse than those attained nationally depending on the composition of the year group at the time. The same is true of the present pupils in Years 1 and 2. Standards are higher in Year 1 at the moment, where there are fewer pupils with specific learning difficulties. Overall, looking at results and achievement over time, pupils achieve satisfactorily in relation to the level at which they start school. Moorgate Primary School - 9 Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 14.5 (16.6) 15.7 (15.8)

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Commentary

There were 25 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

3. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress overall. Where pupils’ needs have been addressed, they achieve well in national tests at the end of Year 6. Some pupils, however, especially in Year 2, are not making adequate progress and need additional help and positive action to improve their attainment. There has been a delay in assessing pupils’ needs and consequently these pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 27.0 ( 25.3 ) 26.8 ( 27.0 ) Mathematics 25.8 (24.9) 26.8 ( 26.7 ) Science 28.2 (28.5 ) 28.6 ( 28.3) There were 31pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

4. Standards in English are average by the end of Year 6, reflecting the consistently good progress pupils make in reading and writing because they are well taught. The proportion of pupils attaining average standards compares very favourably with those attained in similar schools. Standards are improving steadily though at a rate that is lower than the national trend. In part, this is due to the high level of mobility as 45 per cent of pupils join most year groups at times other than the usual. Results over time indicate that pupils’ performance in English is better than in mathematics and science. Inspection evidence confirms this. Standards in the current Year 6 are below average overall in both these subjects. This is because until this year, mathematics and science have been seriously under-resourced and so pupils who needed practical aids to help them to learn have underachieved. Standards in

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Commentary

mathematics are now improving because lower-attaining pupils are being taught in separate groups. A very small proportion of higher attainers underachieve because the work is too easy for them. In science, pupils have good subject knowledge, though limited practical experience. This too has been due to lack of resources. Recent changes to the science curriculum are having a positive impact on standards and, compared to similar schools pupils are now doing very well. The leadership and management of all three subjects, with accurate assessment of what needs to be done to effect improvements, are helping to drive up standards. The school has identified that boys do not achieve as well as girls and is taking steps to remediate this by choosing resources to interest boys and by targeting them with specific questions in lessons.

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Commentary

5. Pupils achieve well in ICT, particularly in Years 3 - 6. Most attain average standards by the end of Year 6. Pupils’ performance has improved markedly since 1999 and the school's up-to- date equipment and fully trained staff deliver all aspects of the ICT curriculum well. As yet, pupils do not use the skills learnt in one subject well enough when they work in another; hence their satisfactory achievement rather than good achievement overall. Standards are broadly average in religious education (RE) and pupils achieve well, particularly in junior classes where lessons are well planned and pupils are able to discuss with greater maturity. Moorgate Primary School - 10

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are satisfactory. Provision for pupils’ personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is unsatisfactory, except in the Nursery and Reception classes where there is good provision for their personal, social and emotional development. Pupils’ attendance and punctuality are both satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Overall, attitudes and behaviour, which are usually good within the school, are affected by some unkind comments and behaviour on the playground; • Personal, social and emotional development in the Nursery and the Reception classes is good; • Provision for social development is unsatisfactory; • Provision for spiritual development is unsatisfactory. While provision for moral and cultural development is largely satisfactory, there are some weaknesses.

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Commentary

6. Most pupils listen attentively in lessons and say they enjoy their learning. Where pupils have tasks that match their abilities and offer them some challenge, idle chatter is limited. However, when pupils do not have their needs met sufficiently well, pupils fidget or fuss and lose interest in the lesson. This means that their learning slows. Although the school encourages pupils to work in groups, pupils frequently find it difficult to work together constructively and share resources. This has the effect of minimising the occasions when pupils work on their own as they are better able to work with close supervision. The school’s strategies to counteract harassment and bullying as part of the school’s provision for personal, social and health education are not strong enough to promote consistently good behaviour. Behaviour is mostly good in assemblies, in class and in the dining hall at lunchtime. Pupils say that in the

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Commentary

playground there are some incidents of bullying. This is often verbal and, although it is usually dealt with quickly and apparently effectively, an undercurrent still persists. There is a small amount of spiteful behaviour from groups of girls who are not always kind to each other and, although this is checked by adults, it continues to be evident. Attendance by pupils is broadly in line with the national average. The school has satisfactory procedures to monitor pupils’ absences. There have been two exclusions in the last year for a fixed period of time.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.9 School data 0.7 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 205 2 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Moorgate Primary School - 11 7. Children make a good start in the Nursery and the Reception class. They make very good progress in their personal, social and emotional development and consequently most children reach the level expected of them by the end of the Reception Year. The children settle into school quickly and grow in confidence, taking out resources and clearing up after themselves in a grown-up fashion. They behave well and find their activities interesting.

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Commentary

8. Although most pupils want to learn and behave well, the school’s systems are not strong enough to ensure that pupils always treat each other with respect and tolerate each other’s views. As a result, pupils do not always work and play constructively and arguments flare up at inappropriate times. These do not seem to be racially biased. Most pupils show a good level of interest in school life and take part readily in the range of activities available. Pupils who have special educational needs or who are from minority ethnic groups are equally well involved. However, individual teachers and adults have to work extremely hard to ensure that pupils work and play together productively. Adults are on the look out for misbehaviour but the school does not have good enough strategies for staff to fall back on to promote good social interaction between pupils. Pupils carry out the tasks they are given responsibly though they

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Commentary

are rarely required to use their initiative. There is a tendency to give girls more responsible jobs than boys. At lunchtimes, for example, Year 6 girls can be seen doing responsible tasks such as stamping newly arrived books or keeping an eye on younger pupils to check that they go to and from the dining hall safely whereas boys carry out tasks such as setting out equipment or preparing the projector for assemblies. This creates a sense of divide and so pupils themselves seem to think it strange that boys might volunteer to be in charge of younger pupils. This also has an effect on pupils’ learning: boys tend to have lower expectations of themselves than girls.

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Commentary

9. Although the majority of pupils have a clear understanding of right and wrong, a minority lack confidence in themselves and their lack of self-esteem causes them to behave insensitively. They have little understanding of the effect of their behaviour on others. Some moral development through fables and stories with a strong message occurs in assemblies. Pupils are asked to reflect on these stories. There is a school behaviour policy but each teacher organises rewards and sanctions individually. Pupils do not benefit from a system that is common to every class. There are few planned opportunities to develop pupils’ spiritual awareness and assemblies do not regularly foster a spiritual dimension. In religious education festivals of other faiths are studied and compared with those of Christianity. Pupils have a satisfactory awareness of differences in cultural beliefs. Their awareness of Britain as a multi-

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Commentary

cultural society is satisfactory, but their understanding is not particularly deep or extensive. The wide range of out-of-school visits and visitors enhances pupils’ cultural development effectively. There are visits to the football stadium, visitors from a local theatre company and a residential trip to an outdoor pursuits centre.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is satisfactory: teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, as is the curriculum. Both have good features and areas for improvement. The school offers satisfactory levels of support, welfare and guidance to pupils but assessment of pupils’ progress is unsatisfactory. The partnership with parents is unsatisfactory.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. It is good in the Nursery and Reception classes and good overall in Years 3 to 6 where some very good and excellent teaching takes place. Teaching in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory overall, with strengths in Year 1 in classroom management and organisation. The quality of pupils’ learning varies; for example, junior pupils’ acquisition of knowledge and understanding is good, whereas pupils in Year 2 find it hard to work constructively together. The quality of teaching and learning is similar to that reported in the last inspection, with slightly more good teaching than formerly. Moorgate Primary School - 12

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good in the Nursery and Reception classes and so children learn well; • There are weakness in both teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2; • Pupils learn well in most year groups in response to good teaching some of which is of high quality. • Assessment systems are unsatisfactory and so some lower attaining pupils and the very small proportion of higher attainers do not learn as well as they should. Pupils who join the school at different points during the year do not have their needs assessed soon enough. This leads to unsatisfactory elements in teaching and learning.

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Commentary

10. Teaching is good in all areas of learning in both the Nursery and the Reception class. The team of adults have high expectations of what the children can learn and provide a challenging and interesting curriculum that develops children’s language and their communication skills well. The systems in these two classes for planning, monitoring and assessment are manageable and are beginning to be used well for checking children’s progress. Assessments are used directly to plan work at the correct level for all children, including those with special educational needs, and so their achievement is good. This helps them to learn effectively in all areas of learning.

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Commentary

11. Much of the teaching in Years 1 and 2 is too formal for some pupils, particularly those who are lower-attaining or who have special needs, because they need more opportunities to learn through practical activities. In part, this is a resource issue. While there are high levels of teaching and support staff, there have been few practical resources to help pupils to learn. This results, therefore, in some unsatisfactory teaching and learning. At the other end of the scale, the very small number of pupils who are higher attaining do not always have enough opportunities to learn at their own pace through undertaking challenging tasks that stretch them academically.

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Commentary

12. In the rest of the school, quite a lot of the teaching is good and, as a result, pupils learn well. Teaching in literacy is good in most classes. In junior classes, it is good in mathematics where teaching pupils in small groups roughly divided according to ability helps most to learn effectively. Teachers have good knowledge of the subjects they teach and lessons are well- planned and prepared. Teachers encourage pupils constantly and help them to feel they are achieving well. In most classes, support staff are used well to help pupils to learn. They play an active role in explaining in more simple terms to pupils who are slower to understand than others. Teachers use ICT very well to set a good pace to learning and to reinforce teaching points in a memorable way. Where teaching is very good, the teachers’ specialist knowledge and ability to make learning fun result in high levels of participation and enjoyment and pupils

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Commentary

learn very well as a result. Opportunities for pupils to explain their actions and feelings, as in a dramatic presentation of Beowulf’s funeral, increase the rate and quality of pupils’ learning enormously. In these lessons teachers do not have to work so hard at maintaining high standards of behaviour as they do in some otherwise perfectly satisfactory lessons. Where the quality of teaching is excellent, creative thinking ensures that pupils’ imaginations are stimulated. They become totally absorbed in their tasks, compelled with a burning desire to find out all they can. Such moments of wonder, though, are rarely planned for and teaching in science, for example, does not arouse pupils’ curiosity as much as it should.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 35 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

1 (3%) 5 (14%) 18(51%) 9(26%) 2(6%) 0(0%) 0(0%) The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen. Moorgate Primary School - 13 13. The weaknesses in assessment, particularly of pupils with special educational needs and those new to the school, sometimes result in some unsatisfactory teaching and a consequent reduction in pupils’ learning. This is particularly noticeable in the younger age groups where teachers struggle to find activities suited to pupils’ age and stage of development to help them to learn effectively. Teachers do not set pupils individual or group targets and so pupils are unaware of what they themselves have to do in order to improve the standard of their work. This occasionally results in pupils taking too relaxed an attitude towards learning.

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The curriculum

The school provides a sound curriculum that covers all subjects and is relevant to the ages and interests of all pupils. There are satisfactory levels of staff to meet the requirements of the school’s curriculum. The accommodation is also satisfactory. Resources for learning are satisfactory in the main, though there are some areas of weakness.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There have been some good improvements to the curriculum, resources and accommodation since the last inspection, which have had a positive impact on pupils’ learning; • Provision for pupils' personal and social development is good in the Nursery and Reception classes; • Overall, the provision for pupils with special educational needs is unsatisfactory; • There is a good range of extra-curricular activities to enhance curricular provision; • Resources are generally satisfactory, although there are some areas for improvement.

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Commentary

14. The school’s sound curriculum fulfils the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum, collective worship and the Bolton Agreed Syllabus for RE. There have been recent, clear improvements to the curriculum the school offers. Long-term and short-term planning is now based on national guidance, allowing teachers to plan their work with clear, focused learning objectives. Improvements to ICT include new resources in terms of computers and a well- equipped suite. Internally, classrooms have become more conducive to learning with the closing of open areas and new, colourful tables and chairs in each room. Interactive whiteboards are fitted in the ICT suite and some junior classes, and these make a significant contribution to the quality of teaching and learning. The curriculum for children in the Nursery and Reception classes provides a sound basis for learning in all areas.

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Commentary

15. Provision for children’s personal, social and emotional development in the Nursery and Reception classes is good and they make very good progress in this aspect of their learning as a result. A supportive team of adults set high expectations and provide a challenging curriculum that develops children’s language well. Staffing levels and relationships are good. As a result, children’s personal skills improve quickly, effectively helping to raise standards.

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Commentary

16. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is unsatisfactory overall. It is satisfactory on balance for those pupils whose needs have been identified in that statutory requirements are met and the teaching of pupils with statements by special needs support assistants is both thoughtful and effective. However, provision for a significant number of pupils, especially in Years 1 and 2, whose needs have only very recently been identified, is unsatisfactory. Individual Education Plans now being agreed with parents have yet to be effective. Teaching arrangements to meet pupils’ individual needs are not yet fully established and so they make unsatisfactory progress.

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Commentary

17. There is a wide range of extra-curricular activities, which provide pupils with additional opportunities to recognise and develop their talents and so raise their confidence and self- esteem. These include sports such as rugby, football, rounders and athletics, and involvement in arts activities such as drama workshops and the choir in festivals such as ‘Music Live’. The Moorgate Primary School - 14 Education Action Zone and other community links make a significant contribution in this respect. For example, older pupils use the Study Support Centre at a local sports’ stadium to develop their thinking skills. Pupils in Year 6 take part in a residential visit and also spend time at an outdoor pursuits centre. In these activities equality of opportunity for all pupils is promoted well. This is helping to raise achievement.

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Commentary

18. Resources are generally sufficient to meet the school’s needs, though until recently they had not kept pace with the requirements of pupils with different levels of ability. Resources to develop pupils' investigative skills in mathematics and science have been recently improved and this is having a good impact on standards, enabling lower-attaining pupils in mathematics, for example, to have practical aids to help them to understand abstract concepts. Special educational needs, however, is currently under-resourced and this has an adverse effect on some teaching and on pupils’ learning. The quality of resources for ICT has improved considerably since the last inspection and consequently standards are much higher throughout the school. A wider range of books is needed in the library to further develop pupils’ skills in reading, and reading resources for younger children in the Nursery and Reception classes are

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Commentary

not very plentiful. Resources for music are currently supplemented by visiting specialists; the school’s own are sparse.

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Care, guidance and support

The arrangements to ensure pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety are satisfactory. Pupils receive sound levels of support and guidance; pastoral support is stronger than academic guidance. The school involves its pupils satisfactorily in its work and development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are good relationships between pupils and adults which make pupils feel safe; • There are continuing weaknesses in academic guidance and support; • Arrangements to help children settle in when they first start school in the Nursery or the Reception class are good; • Pupils with special educational needs do not receive sufficient support and guidance early enough; • Pupils have limited means by which they can make their views known.

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Commentary

19. Arrangements to ensure pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety are in place and are satisfactory. A sub-committee of the governing body checks that accommodation is free from safety hazards and seeks to maintain appropriate standards. There is a strong commitment to caring for the most vulnerable pupils through child protection procedures and the use of sensitive classroom assistants who provide additional pastoral support for pupils. Pastoral arrangements are good and pupils know that they can approach adults in school with their problems. In particular, the strategies used at lunch-time have a positive effect on pupils with behavioural difficulties. The adults responsible for pastoral care have high expectations of good behaviour and they have good relationships with the pupils in their care.

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Commentary

20. Academic support and guidance continue to be unsatisfactory since the last inspection and teachers are not yet using all the information they have about pupils’ achievements to plan lessons and challenge individual pupils to improve their learning. Currently, there is no system for the immediate assessment of pupils entering the school at different points during the year. There are weaknesses in the school’s system to provide immediate and adequate guidance to pupils who might have special educational needs. Although some pupils’ special educational needs are identified, action is not taken early enough or with sufficient rigour to ensure that all pupils’ needs are properly assessed. This has led to a lack of identification of any new pupil’s special educational needs and a resulting slowness in some pupils’ progress. Moorgate Primary School - 15 21. When children begin school in the Nursery or Reception class, parents as well as children are

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Commentary

given a lot of support to help the children get used to school routines. Targets to aid progress are quickly introduced to stimulate an interest in learning and, as a result, the children make very good progress in their personal, social and emotional development.

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Commentary

22. The school sought the views of pupils on improvements to playground resources and activities at lunch-times as part of a special project and acted on the suggestions made. However, at the moment, pupils have few opportunities to express their views and influence school routines through a School Council or similar organised way, for example.

p.15

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The partnership with parents is unsatisfactory. Links with the community are good; links with other schools are satisfactory.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school’s partnership with parents is not as strong as it was; the school does not involve parents sufficiently well; • Pupils’ learning does not receive adequate support from parents because parents are not kept well enough informed; • The school has good links with the local community;

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Commentary

23. Most parents are satisfied with the work of the school and the education their children receive. However, the quality of partnership with parents has declined since the previous inspection and the school does not work closely to involve those parents who are reluctant to take an active interest in their child’s learning. Curriculum workshops are poorly attended and new initiatives have yet to have an impact on parental involvement. This is partly explained by the changes in the local area, with more families moving in and out of the area than formerly. At the same time, though, the school could do more to involve parents. Barriers to a more successful partnership are: the school’s lack of drive to enlist and befriend parents, the parents’ own work commitments and the levels of confidence of parents themselves. This means that parents are not as closely involved as they could be and so additional help with

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Commentary

reading, for example, is sometimes lacking, which disadvantages quite a large number of pupils, in particular the younger ones. Parents of those children who are identified as having special educational needs are satisfactorily involved but again the level of involvement is less than that usually seen.

p.15

Commentary

24. The school provides parents with information about forthcoming events and has begun to provide information about the curriculum. However, liaison between home and school does not extend far beyond the home-school agreements, which are signed by school, parents and pupils. Reports to parents provide information about work covered in lessons but make few specific suggestions about how pupils might improve their learning skills. Some parents feel their views are not sufficiently sought by the school and are concerned about approaching the school with any problems.

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Commentary

25. Links with the local community are strong and include child care, voluntary reading support, drama workshops and many sporting initiatives; they make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. Links with local businesses, schools and colleges are satisfactory and as well as supporting learning also aid the smooth transition to secondary education for pupils in Year 6. Moorgate Primary School - 16

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership of the school by the headteacher is good. Governance, the leadership of other key staff and the management of the school are satisfactory overall.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher leads the school well with a clear sense of purpose and high aspirations for the future; • The developing role of subject co-ordinators is having a positive impact on standards; • All staff act as good role models for pupils; • Leadership and management of special educational needs are unsatisfactory; • Governors do not make sufficient planned visits to school to get to know for themselves how it works.

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Commentary

26. Since his appointment in January 2002 the headteacher has carefully assessed the needs of the school. For example, by monitoring lessons in all classes he was able to quickly evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of all teachers. However, the absence of a deputy headteacher for much of this time has meant that opportunities for sharing his vision and delegating tasks have been restricted. This has meant that changes have been slow in some areas, such as special educational needs, identified by the school as needing improvement. The formation of a transitional management team, changes in the teaching staff this academic year and more recently the appointment of an acting deputy headteacher have enabled him to develop the teaching staff professionally. The result is a greater delegation of roles, and a committed and unified staff who share his aspirations for high standards. This is shown in the developing role

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Commentary

of subject co-ordinators, particularly in mathematics, ICT, science and the Foundation Stage. They show further potential and relish the opportunities to help manage the school. The next step is to extend their role so that they can evaluate the quality of teaching and learning in classrooms.

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Commentary

27. The management of the school is satisfactory. Day-to-day, it runs smoothly because efficient routines are in place and so the school is an orderly community. The school is supportive of new members of staff, who quickly settle into school. Administrative staff work hard and give good support to the teachers. An important feature of the school is how all concerned try very hard to pass on their values to pupils and act as good role models. As a result, pupils know that if they have a problem there is an adult in whom they can confide.

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Commentary

28. The school’s improvement plan has a clear focus on raising standards, as in writing and mathematics, for example, and also gives clear expectations by how much. It identifies priorities in all aspects of school life and includes financial implications and criteria for evaluating success. However, it lacks a detailed evaluation of the previous year's plan to show progress made over the year and the value gained from the money spent. Financial management is sound as is day-to-day administration.

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Commentary

29. Management of statutory requirements for pupils with special educational needs through the Code of Practice and liaison with external agencies are satisfactory. However, the leadership and management of special educational needs are unsatisfactory. With a wide range of needs in the school this aspect should have a higher priority. The school does not consistently make good use of assessment information and observations to identify some pupils’ needs at an early stage in their learning and, as a result, a significant number underachieve, particularly younger pupils. The headteacher has taken the lead in identifying and monitoring behavioural issues; it is too recent to have had a significant impact as yet. Individual behavioural plans are in place and these are monitored and reviewed each term. Moorgate Primary School - 17 30. The governance of the school is satisfactory. All statutory requirements are met. A calendar

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Commentary

of meetings is drawn up annually and as a result committees meet very regularly, sometimes whether or not there are items relating to their remit. As the headteacher attends each one he keeps governors fully informed about the school’s developments. Recently, individual governors have become linked with classes in school but so far regular visits to classrooms are the exception. There is a need for the governing body to take this contact a step further by establishing a businesslike relationship with the school and planning a series of visits for governors to see it at work for themselves so that they are in a realistic position to help to shape its vision and direction.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 634,864 Balance from previous year 13,789 Total expenditure 645,543 Balance carried forward to the next -10,679 Expenditure per pupil 2,678 Moorgate Primary School - 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision is good in the Foundation Stage

p.18

Personal, social and emotional development

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good relationships between children and adults create a good atmosphere for effective learning; • Planning is good.

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Commentary

31. This area of learning receives a high profile when children start in the Nursery and so they achieve well. Most make rapid progress and by the time they start in Year 1 their attainment overall is in line with that expected at the end of the Reception Year. This is due to good teaching, good relationships and a well planned and ordered environment in which children settle quickly and feel secure. New children are still heavily dependent on adults but others have been encouraged to take turns, for example when helping to prepare the mid-morning or afternoon snacks. Children in Reception take the register to the office sensibly and children in both classes clear away quickly after activities. Behaviour is good. Staff plan a good range of activities to encourage sustained interest and concentration from the children. This helps them to learn effectively.

p.18

Communication, language and literacy

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s communication skills develop well; • The skills of reading and writing are taught in an enjoyable way and so children want to learn.

p.18

Commentary

32. Children achieve well from a starting point that is well below average. Teaching is good and in all activities there are good opportunities for children to develop their language skills. All children achieve well, learning new skills, but despite the good teaching and planning, attainment is still below the expected level by the time children start in Year 1. Children are taught to listen to one another as soon as they start school and this is reinforced in many activities. By the end of Nursery, more able children are trying to copy under a sentence and most are making marks in their free writing. The sharing of books, listening to stories, playing games and singing rhymes are carefully planned so that children learn letter sounds and a few simple words. Their learning is fun and effective. The good progress continues in Reception, with a wealth of opportunities for language development. Good focused support is given to

p.18

Commentary

help children improve the way they form their letters and more able children write readable sentences. Children learn how to read with expression and intonation in lively lessons. Some children are reading simple stories and all take home books to read with their parents but not all receive much help from home. Parents do not come into school to help their children select and read books. This means that some children therefore learn more slowly than they might. Moorgate Primary School - 19

p.18

Mathematical development

Provision in mathematical development is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good and places a strong emphasis on learning through practical activities. • Mathematical skills are used across many areas of learning and this helps children to learn well.

p.19

Commentary

33. A good range of practical activities helps children to achieve well and many attain their Early Learning Goals by the time they start in Year 1, although standards overall are below average. Teaching and learning are good and give a good focus to helping children to use mathematical language more confidently as they successfully solve problems through play. Imaginative use is made of the sand and water areas and the space area. Skilled questioning by adults stimulates an interest in numbers and shapes and develops the children’s mathematical awareness. For example, when making sandwiches children count to four and know they are taking two home and eating two in school. Mathematical skills are extended successfully across all areas of learning in Nursery and Reception. Children in Reception find numbers to nine on number fans and count in silence whilst the teacher drops marbles into a tin. By the

p.19

Commentary

end of Reception, higher attaining children are recording simple addition and subtraction sums accurately. Most know one more than four is five. They make good strides in their learning.

p.19

Knowledge and understanding of the world

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching provides children with many opportunities to learn about the world around them. • Skilful questioning encourages children to extend their thinking and answers.

p.19

Commentary

34. Teaching and learning are good and help to ensure that all children achieve well. Purposeful visits support this area of learning and help many children to reach the Early Learning Goals by the end of the Reception Year though overall it is below. The imaginative play areas are changed regularly to keep interest levels high and children are constantly challenged. In religious education the children celebrate many important festivals of the world, by dressing up at Christmas or making special food and decorations for Chinese New Year. This develops their awareness of other cultures. In Reception, the children explore the space area, shine a torch on the planets and count how many there are because their curiosity is stimulated. In this way, good opportunities for imaginative role-play develop their knowledge and understanding of the world. A good feature of the teaching is the planning for investigations to take place

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Commentary

regularly. For example, children in the Nursery investigate different fruits and vegetables while Reception children sort out clothing to match the seasons and navigate polar bears and penguins around icebergs in the water tray. Computers are used daily and the children develop skills well and at a good rate. At first, children in Nursery need a lot of adult help but by the end of Reception they are moving the mouse confidently, clicking and dragging items across the screen and creating delightful pictures of snowmen with little adult support. Moorgate Primary School - 20

p.19

Physical development

Provision in physical development is satisfactory.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons in physical education are planned well; • The lack of a special outside play area limits opportunities for creative play outside.

p.20

Commentary

35. Achievement in physical development is good and children are on course to achieve the Early Learning Goals in this area of learning. They are well taught and learn to use the space in the hall sensibly and safely. Children in the Nursery find it difficult to adapt to the space at first, but good management by staff helps them to understand what they are to do. By the time they reach Reception they listen to instructions well, have an understanding of the need to warm up before physical activity and improve their skills in hopping, jumping and running. Although there is no special outside play area for the children, staff make strenuous efforts to make maximum use of the available space. Children manipulate their vehicles around the playground safely and with care. Their skills in handling pencils, scissors, brushes and other tools are at expected levels because of the clear focus on developing these skills well.

p.20

Creative development

36. No sessions were observed and so no judgements can be made about teaching or the overall provision in this area of learning. However, detailed assessments show that many children are on course to achieve the Early Learning Goals. Areas for imaginative play are planned well to stimulate language development and co-operative play.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement in reading and writing is satisfactory in Year 2 although their attainment is well below average; • In junior classes achievement is good and by the end of Year 6 standards are broadly average; • Throughout the school, pupils read better than they write, although there is still room for improvement; • Opportunities to develop pupils' speaking and listening skills are not formally planned or assessed;

p.20

Commentary

37. Pupils enter Year 1 with well below average language skills. A significant minority of pupils are still working to achieve the level expected at the end of the Reception Year. As they move through the infants, progress is variable. In Year 1, pupils achieve well because of the good teaching they receive. Work is planned to meet pupils' differences in ability and simple targets are set. Teaching in Year 2 is satisfactory overall, as is pupils’ achievement. However, the work in pupils’ books and lessons show that for the current Year 2 progress is slowing. Although the majority of pupils learn satisfactorily, the class contains a large proportion of pupils with special educational needs that have not been firmly identified and this group of pupils is underachieving at the present time. The same is true of the very small proportion of Moorgate Primary School - 21 higher attainers. The school recognises this and satisfactory levels of support are helping to

p.20

Commentary

narrow the gap between the attainment of boys and girls as well as between pupils of different levels of attainment.

p.21

Commentary

38. The quality of teaching and of pupils’ learning is consistently good in Years 3 to 6 and pupils achieve well as a result. The National Strategy for Literacy is used effectively. Strengths include clear explanations to help pupils to learn, for example, irregular spelling patterns. Questioning is good and encourages pupils to think more deeply and to elaborate on their initial responses. Planning takes into account the needs of different groups of pupils, and those with special educational needs are given the extra support they require to help them to learn. Teachers give very clear explanations and texts are chosen to interest pupils. The marking of pupils' work, however, particularly for older pupils, does not tell them exactly what they need to do to improve. The information teachers have from the overall assessment of pupils' work is not used to best effect to give them more precise targets for improvement and

p.21

Commentary

to ensure that they work at the correct level to help them make good progress.

p.21

Commentary

39. Higher-attaining pupils in Year 2 are reading at an average level while for other groups it is lower. Each school day starts with a reading session and pupils are expected to read at home each night. As most pupils are not listened to read every day in school, the significant number of pupils who are not listened to read at home are disadvantaged. Reading logs are a useful dialogue between school and parents but as some pupils do not return their books to school the next day this limits their progress. Pupils are taught phonics and a check is kept on their progress, although this ends in Year 2. Pupils in Year 6 attain average standards but there is still room for improvement; for example, learning how to skim read or scan a page for information. In writing, in Year 2, sentence structure is often confused and the use of worksheets limits the opportunities pupils have to write at length. Higher-attaining pupils

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Commentary

develop their stories in short sections such as ‘The wolf is kind’ but do not develop their characters, although their punctuation is generally correct. At best, handwriting is a legible print style, with inaccuracies in size and orientation of letters. Although some pupils in Year 6 have the basics to write in a joined style, most use a combination of joined and print styles. However, pupils currently in Year 1 are producing improved standards of work. While junior pupils attain average standards in writing, there are aspects which need further development . A consistent culture of planning and drafting work and evaluating that of others, and being self- critical, is lacking. The result is that by the end of Year 6, even the most able pupils do not do sufficient pieces of good quality extended or imaginative writing.

p.21

Commentary

40. Teachers do not include in their planning learning objectives to show how they intend to develop or assess pupils’ oracy skills and so opportunities to widen pupils’ limited vocabulary and spoken language are missed. This affects pupils’ overall achievement in both reading and writing, limiting their potential to attain more highly.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

41. There are some useful examples to promote language and literacy skills in other subjects; for example, using the Internet to research information in history about the Romans and considering moral arguments in their persuasive writing. Insufficient use is made of the library to develop research and to develop more proficient reading skills, hence satisfactory achievement overall. Moorgate Primary School - 22

p.21

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement is good for most pupils in Years 3-6 and the majority learn well because teaching is good; • Few pupils exceed the standards expected of their age because they are not always given suitably different or challenging tasks. Assessment is not used well enough to target pupils’ learning; • There is some underachievement in Year 2 because pupils’ individual needs have not been identified and so both teaching and learning are unsatisfactory; • The newly appointed co-ordinator has made a good start on improving standards.

p.22

Commentary

42. Standards in mathematics in Year 6 are below average but nonetheless reflect pupils’ good achievement overall. Since the last inspection, standards have tended to be lower than average, with the 2003 results showing some improvement. Further improvement is evident this year, reflecting the success of teaching lower attainers as a separate group. Teaching is good and helps pupils to learn effectively. Lessons are well organised and the planning is adapted each day to take into account what pupils have learnt. The teaching of lower attainers is planned meticulously so that pupils learn in small steps, building on what they know and understand. Pupils are given much reassurance and encouragement and appropriate attention is given to improving the way pupils present their work. Average and higher attainers in Years 4 to 6, who are taught together as a group, are similarly well taught. Teachers know the subject well and are skilled at giving clear explanations. There is good

p.22

Commentary

involvement of pupils. Pupils in Years 3 and 5 enjoy using the computerised screen, which teachers use well to reinforce teaching points and to introduce an element of fun. As a result, in Year 5, for example, pupils’ estimations of the number of degrees in different acute and obtuse angles become markedly more accurate. Pupils are given ample opportunities to explain their reasoning and so their ability to use and understand mathematical vocabulary grows at a good rate.

p.22

Commentary

43. In some lessons, the very small number of higher attainers are not always given sufficient opportunities to work at a different level with a greater degree of challenge. They tend to do the same work as average-attaining pupils, with sometimes an additional exercise if they complete tasks more quickly. In Years 4 and 5, higher attainers blossomed as they were given tasks which extended their thinking. In Year 4, for example, the very small group of higher-attaining boys had to select their own criteria for organising data, which proved to be even more of a challenge as they tried to work out in advance which categories would give them the most interesting sets of results. In Year 2, however, the task given to higher attainers proved to be too easy. The extension work was not planned sufficiently well to make pupils think but instead involved them in an unnecessarily complicated calculation. Because

p.22

Commentary

pupils do not have individual or group targets they are often unaware of how well they are doing or of what they need to do next to improve their performance.

p.22

Commentary

44. About two-thirds of pupils in Year 2 underachieve. There is a good level of support staff to help but without precise assessment of pupils’ attainment and aptitude it is extremely difficult for the teaching to provide for the very wide range of ability and maturity in this particular group of pupils. Some teaching, therefore, is unsatisfactory and leads to unsatisfactory learning. In one lesson, for example, a group of six special educational needs pupils were attempting to understand units of capacity. Their mathematical learning was minimal as they were confused by simple mathematical concepts such as ‘more than’ and ‘less than’ and so they quickly lost concentration and kept touching the water as they really needed to learn through pouring and measuring for themselves rather than observing. Moorgate Primary School - 23 45. In September, the co-ordinator very quickly identified that lack of resources meant that

p.22

Commentary

teachers were not able to differentiate effectively between pupils of different ability. Mathematics is now fully resourced and standards are improving as a result. Mental and oral sessions at the start of lessons are now good throughout the school, helped by the additional resources. Strategies to address the gender imbalance in attainment are not fully in place but a start has been made, with questions directed specifically at boys and girls, particularly in the small withdrawal groups.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

46. A start has been made to use mathematics in two other subjects, namely ICT and science. It is used satisfactorily but not particularly imaginatively.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is good in terms of scientific knowledge by the end of Year 6; • Pupils have too few opportunities to carry out investigations; • The new co-ordinator’s leadership is good and the new developments taking place are likely to ensure improved standards.

p.23

Commentary

47. Standards, although below average by the end of Year 6, represent good achievement for the majority of pupils, particularly in scientific knowledge and the use and understanding of scientific vocabulary. This is due to the conscientious and methodical teaching that follows the national guidance in terms of subject matter. This aspect of the science curriculum has developed well since the last inspection and with the recently improved level of resources pupils are beginning to learn more effectively. The school's results compare very favourably with those attained by pupils in similar schools and show improvement. Teachers carefully link different aspects of science together, such as the process of evaporation and condensation with reversible and irreversible changes, which gives pupils a good knowledge base. Pupils learn satisfactorily overall in Years 1 and 2 in response to satisfactory teaching. Standards are

p.23

Commentary

well below average in the current Year 2 pupils because of the composition of this particular year group. Strengths in the teaching and learning include planning and organisation. The weakness lies in the tendency to tell pupils what they will find out rather than helping them to discover for themselves. This makes learning rather unexciting.

p.23

Commentary

48. Many pupils learn science rather passively as they have relatively few opportunities to discover for themselves through undertaking practical investigations that are suited to their level of attainment. In part, this has been a resourcing issue, for the quantity and quality of resources has not kept pace with the changes in the curriculum. Often, teachers do not plan sufficiently different work to challenge the capabilities of different levels of attainment. For example, in Year 1, all pupils, regardless of ability, did the same work and higher attainers had no opportunity to work out and articulate for themselves whether shiny materials would shine without a light source. In Year 2, pupils examined plants from pictures, drawing and labelling them from ready-prepared diagrams, so that an opportunity was missed to bring scientific growth and development alive by looking at growing bulbs in water, for instance. In lessons

p.23

Commentary

where thought has been given to exciting pupils’ wonder and curiosity, pupils learn much more effectively, as in one lesson in Year 5 when pupils marvelled at the unpredictable rising and falling action of a grape dropped into fizzy water. However, because pupils are generally unused to working together in groups they are quite hard to manage in such situations as they have a tendency to get over-exuberant. Moorgate Primary School - 24 49. The new co-ordinator has identified many areas for development and these are already helping pupils to learn more effectively. Plans are in place to assess pupils’ learning at the end of each unit of work and different types of record sheet, adapted to suit different levels of ability as well as age, are being introduced. A large number of books relating to science to be used in literacy lessons arrived during inspection. The intention is to use these to promote

p.23

Commentary

boys’ attainment as they currently do less well than girls. The co-ordinator is aware from monitoring pupils’ work that presentation is untidy.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is good.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There has been very good improvement since the last inspection; • By the end of Year 6, pupils attain average standards and achievement is good; • The quality of teaching and learning is good overall; • The co-ordinator leads the subject well.

p.24

Commentary

50. The lessons observed were in the junior classes. However, sufficient evidence was seen in other classes to make an overall judgement of provision in the school but not more detailed judgements. At the last inspection, infant pupils were said to be most proficient in word processing and opportunities for junior pupils to use control or modelling were limited. This is not the case now because, as pupils move through the school, they cover the full programmes of study in detail. Pupils are taught in the school’s new and well-equipped suite with sufficient numbers of good quality computers, linked to the Internet, to enable most classes to work effectively.

p.24

Commentary

51. Pupils learn well, making good progress from year to year. In Year 3, for example, pupils are very confident when using a graphics package, quickly logging on and opening the appropriate program. They show good understanding when using the toolbox to choose different brush sizes, shape templates and colours. Text is added to complete their work. By Year 5, pupils are able to construct databases; for example, devising a database of criminals such as Dr Crippen and confidently adding and amending further information as necessary. In one lesson, they were very quickly able to use the search facility to find the suspect with brown hair and brown eyes, standing over 1.7m tall. By Year 6, pupils show their good text and graphic skills in their personal multimedia presentations.

p.24

Commentary

52. Teachers have completed the New Opportunities Fund training and this secure subject knowledge is reflected in the good quality of teaching and learning. One of its strengths is the use of the interactive whiteboards in junior classes to demonstrate new skills clearly so that all pupils understand what they have to do. Teachers involve pupils well and consequently they enjoy working with computers and are not put off when things go wrong. Teaching assistants give good quality support and so pupils make good progress as they benefit from having additional adults to instruct them. Assessment is used well to determine pupils’ standards in relation to national curriculum levels. This is helping to ensure that pupils achieve well.

p.24

Commentary

53. There is the potential for standards to improve further. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and leads the subject well. Detailed action plans are in place and looking at examples of pupils' work and advising teachers is part of the current monitoring role. This is quickly developing and the co-ordinator is looking forward to future opportunities to observe teaching and learning in the classroom. Moorgate Primary School - 25

p.24

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

54. There are developing links with other subjects. Pupils use computers to find out geographical facts about the United Kingdom and to answer questions in science. They use the Internet to find out about the Romans, and sensors to record temperature or levels of sound. Older pupils visit the Reebok Stadium to use their facilities.

p.25

HUMANITIES

55. Two lessons were seen, in Years 2 and 5, in religious education but no lessons were observed in geography or history. Discussions were held with pupils about all three subjects and samples of work were scrutinised. There was insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement on standards and provision in either geography or history or in the provision for religious education. Displays of pupils’ work indicate that pupils study an appropriate curriculum for all three subjects.

p.25

HUMANITIES

56. In religious education, standards are similar to those reported in the last inspection. Good planning of lessons in Years 3-6 helps to ensure that pupils gain an appropriate knowledge of a range of world religions and begin to understand the similarities and differences between them. This enables pupils to investigate beliefs from a factual as well as a spiritual perspective. In a lesson in Year 5, pupils discussed what they had learnt about Moses and the Passover to deduce why certain items are placed on the Seder plate for the celebration of Pesach. In this class, the interactive whiteboard was used very well to give everyone a clear focus for discussion. In the one lesson seen in Year 2, lower-attaining pupils and those with special educational needs found it hard to listen and concentrate fully at first. By the end of the lesson, though, pupils began to understand something of spiritual journeys through

p.25

HUMANITIES

thinking about people going to Mecca and considering the purposes of journeys they themselves make. Teachers create thoughtful displays to stimulate pupils’ interest and provide a good talking point for lessons. All lessons include time for discussion and time for recording to show what pupils have learnt. The co-ordinator is currently absent but teachers follow the locally agreed guidelines and national recommendations with confidence.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

57. No lessons were seen in art and design, design and technology or music and so no judgements on standards or provision can be made. There was limited work to scrutinise and currently art and design has no co-ordinator. The school has good support for music and visiting specialists teach classes, provide planning for the next lesson to be taken by the class teacher and bring in a wide range of instruments, which supplements the school’s resources.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

58. Only two physical education lessons were observed. However it is clear that teachers plan their lessons carefully. They make sure that pupils warm up and down properly, have a good range of activities and know exactly what they want them to achieve. Lessons are planned with good regard to health and safety and pupils understand the benefits to health of regular exercise. Good levels of enthusiasm are evident in pupils’ attitudes. They keenly attend the wide range of sports activities provided for them after school. These enhance the physical education curriculum and provide opportunities for those pupils who show promise to develop their skills. Sports and games are prominent in the life of the school and are very popular. Moorgate Primary School - 26

p.25

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP (PSHCE)

59. Two lessons were seen but there was insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement on standards or provision. Planning for PSHCE is at an early stage of development. It is clear, however, that the school is developing PSHCE to suit the needs of the pupils; for example, in Year 5, a specialist drama teacher worked intensively with pupils as part of a behaviour management project to develop pupils’ sense of teamwork and relationships with each other. The lesson was less successful, however, in helping pupils to modify their attitudes than a drama lesson in Year 3 which involved pupils very well in an imaginary situation. Pupils found it easier to work with an imagined scenario rather than to work out their differences through discussion and role-play. Pupils in Year 6 were helped to understand what it is like to have physical disabilities through purposeful discussion. Moorgate Primary School - 27

p.26

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 4 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 4

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 4 Attendance 4 Attitudes 4 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 4 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 5

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 4 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 4 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 5 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 4 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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