Moorside Primary School

Inspection Report Moorside Primary School

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105910 Unique Reference Number Salford LEA 277440 Inspection number 22 May 2006 to 23 May 2006 Inspection dates Mr James Kidd CfBT Lead Inspector Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Holdsworth Street School address Primary Type of school Swinton Community School category Salford, Greater Manchester M27 0LN 3 to 11 Age range of pupils

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0161 921 1295 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0161 793 4280 Fax number 291 Number on roll Mr D Jones Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs T Wedgeworth Headteacher 4 October 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277440 22 May 2006 - 3 to 11 23 May 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a larger than average one and a half form entry school serving a mixed area. Its pupils come from a wide range of backgrounds. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is average and the proportion that have learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average. Children's attainment on entry to the school is declining over time but is broadly average. Most pupils are of White British heritage and few belong to minority ethnic groups. Moorside Primary holds the Healthy Schools Award.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Moorside Primary School, 22 May 2006 to 23 May 2006

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Grade: 2

Moorside Primary is a good school, with some outstanding features. Inspectors agree with the school's view of its performance and believe it has made good improvement since the previous inspection. Provision in the Foundation Stage is good and children progress well, particularly in their social development. The new unit encourages learning through activity and the children are delighted with the resources to which they have access. Standards are in line with expectations when pupils enter Year 1. Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 are above average and, overall, pupils make good progress across the school. Strategies to improve reading and mathematics are effective, but the writing skills of more-able pupils in both key stages are underdeveloped. Pupils' personal development is good and they appreciate the many opportunities they have to express their views and take responsibility, including through

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Grade: 2

the school council. As the pupils say, 'We are proud of our school because our teachers listen to us.' The care, support and guidance the school provides for its pupils are outstanding. Detailed tracking of progress and target-setting to foster higher standards are particularly strong features in this area. The quality of teaching and learning is good but the challenge for higher attaining pupils is not consistently realistic. Large classes in some year groups mean that it is not always easy for teachers to meet the needs of all their pupils. The curriculum is broad, balanced and creative and there is an excellent range of enrichment and extra-curricular activities, the take up for which is extensive. There are very good links with parents, local secondary schools, churches and other agencies to support pupils' learning. Leadership and management are good and the headteacher, ably supported by the leadership team, provides clear educational direction, rooted in an accurate evaluation

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Grade: 2

of performance and a shared commitment to the raising of standards. The school's capacity to improve is good and it provides good value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve standards and achievement in writing, particularly among higher attaining pupils. • Provide consistent challenge for more-able pupils in order that they can achieve their best. • Pursue strategies to eliminate large class sizes in some year groups.

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Grade: 2

Standards are above average and pupils' achievement is good. Children's attainment on entry to the school is declining but, from a starting point of broadly average standards, pupils make good progress overall to reach above average levels in English, mathematics and science at the end of Year 6. Children achieve well in the Foundation Stage and establish a strong basis on which to develop their future learning. They make particularly good progress in their social development. Achievement in Key 2 Inspection Report: Moorside Primary School, 22 May 2006 to 23 May 2006 Stages 1 and 2 is good and most pupils reach the challenging targets set for them. More-able pupils achieve well in mathematics and science but their progress in writing is no better than satisfactory. On the other hand, recently introduced strategies to foster improvements in reading and mathematics are bearing fruit and attainment in

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Grade: 2

these areas is improving markedly. Since 2003, there has been an upward trend in standards at the end of Year 6. Pupils of all levels of ability make similar progress and there is no significant difference between the performance of boys and girls.

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Grade: 2

Personal development and well-being are good. Pupils thoroughly enjoy school and say they feel safe. Attendance is in line with the national average and there are rewards for pupils and classes who have the best attendance and punctuality. Most pupils are thoughtful and considerate of others and adopt safe, sensible practices when moving around the school. They behave well and have a good attitude to learning. Pupils are confident and courteous when talking to adults. The school council is active and enthusiastic and suggests ways to improve many areas of school life, displaying the menu and changing seating arrangements in the dining hall, for example. Pupils are fully aware of the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle and even suggest that visitors should think about this too. As one said, 'I hope you are eating enough fruit every day!' Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good: the colourful

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Grade: 2

displays and many visitors to the school ensure that pupils have a keen awareness of moral issues and of their own and other cultures. Residential trips help to develop basic life skills and pupils make an important contribution to the wider community through their impressive work for charity; for example, the pavement art to raise money for muscular dystrophy.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good. In the most successful lessons, all pupils are fully included in the activities and respond positively to the high expectations their teachers have of them. In an impressive Year 3 session on the Ten Commandments, for example, pupils were fully engaged and spoke highly of the 'talk box' groups within which they express their opinions to their classmates. They commented, 'We like the Talk Box because those who are shy are not afraid to say something.' Similarly, in a Year 6 literacy lesson, pupils were asked to explore their own feelings using a range of speaking and listening activities and gave perceptive comments about the nature of hope and disappointment. However, the school recognises that, on occasions, more-able pupils are not challenged realistically and, as a result, do not always achieve as well as they could. In addition, large class sizes in some year groups mean that

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Grade: 2

teachers have to work too hard to ensure that the needs of all pupils are met. 3 Inspection Report: Moorside Primary School, 22 May 2006 to 23 May 2006 Marking is good and the recently introduced marking policy is effective in offering pupils detailed comments on how they may improve their work. There is a comprehensive assessment and tracking system in place that highlights where pupils are experiencing difficulty. The committed team of teaching assistants is very effective in supporting those pupils identified by it.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and meets the needs of most pupils. In some lessons, however, it is not adapted well enough to challenge more-able pupils. The outstanding range of activities outside lessons ensures that children, including those in the Foundation Stage, enjoy school. A wide array of whole-school activities, for example the recent 'Stay Safe and Healthy' week, together with a wealth of visits and visitors, ensure that pupils have many stimulating learning experiences. Other initiatives, such as the 'Make Poverty History' project, develop pupils' knowledge and awareness of people in other parts of the world. Links with local organisations, secondary schools and churches are very good and help the pupils to appreciate their place in the wider community. There is a lively programme of personal, social and health education, which supports all aspects of pupils' learning well and within which enjoyment, achievement and basic skills are fostered too. The

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Grade: 2

curriculum helps the pupils, whatever their needs, to be self-confident and fully involved in their own learning.

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Grade: 1

Care, guidance and support are outstanding and parents report that they are at the high level they want for their children. Positive relationships between pupils and adults ensure that pupils feel safe and that there is always someone to whom they can turn if they need help. Rigorous tracking of pupils' progress identifies where pupils are experiencing difficulty, and rapid intervention by the talented support team addresses problems effectively. Vulnerable pupils and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are supported in an exemplary fashion. Pupils know how to improve their work from teachers' comments and from their individual or group targets in literacy and numeracy. Under the guidance of the headteacher, staff have been fully involved in producing detailed risk assessments to ensure the school environment is safe and secure. Child protection and health and safety procedures are well established and staff have received

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Grade: 1

relevant training. There is a strong, caring ethos in all aspects of the school's work. One parent wrote, 'My daughter loves her school and she is proud of her teachers and friends.' 4 Inspection Report: Moorside Primary School, 22 May 2006 to 23 May 2006

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Grade: 2

The school is led and managed well. It monitors and evaluates its performance with accuracy and the school improvement plan is focused strongly on the raising of standards and achievement. The leadership of the headteacher is outstanding. Within a relatively short time, she has established a clear direction for the school's development and has encouraged teachers to take increasing responsibility for their subject areas. The headteacher is ably supported by a dedicated leadership team, all of whom have a highly visible presence around the school. Parents speak glowingly of the school's support for both their children's personal development and proficiency in basic skills. For example, the initiative to improve reading has been immediately effective and standards are rising as a result. Similarly, attainment in mathematics in Key Stage 1 has improved because of the introduction of a new approach to the teaching of the subject. However, senior staff recognise that

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Grade: 2

more-able pupils are not always challenged sufficiently and sometimes do not reach the levels in writing of which they are capable. The headteacher, leadership team and governing body maintain a strategic overview of performance in all areas of school life. Governors visit the school regularly, have an accurate view of its strengths and areas for development and are perceptive critical friends. They are very supportive of current developments but are not afraid to ask challenging questions of the leadership when necessary. The school has improved well since the previous inspection, demonstrates good capacity to improve further and provides good value for money. 5 Inspection Report: Moorside Primary School, 22 May 2006 to 23 May 2006 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Moorside Primary School, 22 May 2006 to 23 May 2006

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 1 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 2 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for being so polite, friendly and welcoming when we visited your school recently. We would now like to share with you what we think about your school. What we like most - We think Moorside is a good school and the way your teachers and teaching assistants care for and look after you is wonderful. - We know you are very proud of your school and we are so pleased that you behave well and work hard in your lessons. - We are delighted that you are taught well and that you make good progress in your lessons. We know, too, that there are many clubs for you to join and that you really enjoy the activities at lunchtimes and after school. - We think the school council does a lot to help make your school what it is. We are also very pleased that you collect a lot of money for charity. - We are sure that your headteacher and all your other teachers know how to make your school even better! What we have asked your school to do now

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

- We would like you and your teachers to work hard together so that you reach even higher levels in your writing. - We believe that some of you could be challenged even more in lessons to produce your best work. - We think some of your classes are too big and we want your school to try and solve this problem. We enjoyed talking to you and watching you learn. We wish you all well for the future.

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