Morley Memorial Primary School

Inspection Report Morley Memorial Primary School

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110657 Unique Reference Number CAMBRIDGESHIRE LEA LEA 278481 Inspection number 19 September 2005 to 20 September 2005 Inspection dates Mr. Geof Timms LI Reporting inspector

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

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91 Blinco Grove School address Primary Type of school CB1 7TX Community School category 5 to 12 Age range of pupils 01223508786 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01223508787 Fax number 440 Number on roll .Not Known Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority . Not Known Headteacher Not applicable Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 278481 19 September 2005 - 5 to 12 20 September 2005 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 primary school serving a mixed area close to the centre of Cambridge. Pupils come from a wide range of backgrounds. The majority are from white British backgrounds while a significant proportion are from a diverse range of different minority ethnic backgrounds. The number of pupils who join or leave the school at times other than is normal is above average, due to a number of families involved in work at local hospitals or the university. Twelve pupils are new to English and thirty eight receive extra support in developing their language skills. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. A broadly average proportion of the pupils have learning or physical difficulties and six have a statement of educational need.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Morley Memorial Primary School, 19 September 2005 to 20 September 2005

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Grade: 2

Morley Memorial Primary School is an effective school and it provides a very good level of care for its pupils. After recent significant staff changes, the school is in a good position to improve further. The inspection findings support the school's own assessment of its effectiveness. The school provides good value for money and a good quality of education. The school runs very smoothly and pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education. Parents are very satisfied with the school. Overall standards are above those expected and this reflects the good progress most pupils make from when they start school. Standards in the 2005 national tests in English, mathematics and science are the best the school has ever achieved. Even so, some of those who attain at the low end of the expected level in Year 2 do not make sufficient progress by the time they leave the school. Standards in writing are below those in

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Grade: 2

other subjects and the school has recognised the need to improve this. The pupils with learning or physical difficulties, or those from the wide range of other cultural or ethnic backgrounds, are well cared for. The teaching is good and has a positive impact on the progress made by pupils and their attitudes towards school. The school provides a wide range of good extra-curricular activities, including opportunities to learn a modern foreign language. These strengths are evident throughout the school, including the Reception classes, where provision is good and children make good progress. Improvement since the last inspection has been good. Leadership and management are good and issues raised then have been addressed effectively, although more remains to be done in evaluating pupils' progress to track down any underachievement.

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What the school should do to improve further

- Continue to raise standards in writing. - Improve the progress made by pupils who achieve lower standards at the end of Year 2. - Develop a sharper approach to the use of monitoring and data analysis to identify and address underachievement.

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Grade: 2

Achievement and standards are good. The pupils' attainment when they start at the school varies widely, but is broadly average. This reflects the diversity of the children's backgrounds. Most of the children have good social, physical, creative and mathematical skills. They are less well developed in their knowledge of letter sounds, writing skills and knowledge and understanding of the world. By the time they leave reception, the majority have made good progress and achieve the expected early learning goals, although for many their writing skills remain below those expected. Throughout the rest of the school the majority of the pupils make good progress. The 2004 tests showed that a very good proportion of the pupils achieve the higher levels at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. The 2005 results are even more positive and show standards to be above average in reading, mathematics and science, but remaining lower in

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Grade: 2

writing. The pupils achieving the lower levels in Year 2 do not always make the progress 2 Inspection Report: Morley Memorial Primary School, 19 September 2005 to 20 September 2005 expected of them, even where the overall results are good. There are no significant differences in the achievement of other groups of pupils, and although some boys underachieve at the end of Year 2, they catch up well through Years 3 to 6. This is an area the school has focused on recently and this is having a successful impact on standards. The pupils who have special educational needs, and those with English as an additional language make good progress, as do those pupils who attain the higher levels at the end of Year 2.

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Grade: 2

The school correctly judges pupils' personal development and well-being as good. Pupils enjoy school, have very good attitudes and apply themselves well to their work. They enjoy harmonious relationships with one another and, as they move through the school, work increasingly well together. They behave consistently well and sometimes very well. Attendance is in line with that found in other schools. Social and moral development is good. Cultural development is also good and has been recognised by an award from the British Council. Spiritual development is satisfactory but the school does not have a coherent plan for the spiritual development of pupils. Pupils readily grasp the good opportunities they are given to take responsibility and make a good contribution to the community. They adopt safe practices and a healthy lifestyle, enjoying the nutritious meals provided at midday, as well as the healthy snacks the

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Grade: 2

younger pupils are given in mid-morning. Many of them take a full part in the sporting opportunities offered. Pupils develop a range of basic skills that should stand them in good stead in the future and support their economic well-being.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good and this matches the school's evaluation. The school places a high priority on ensuring that both teachers and teaching assistants have a caring approach to meeting the wide range of pupils' learning needs. The teaching of the pupils who have special educational needs is successful and results in their good progress. This is also true for those with English as an additional language. Classrooms provide a positive learning atmosphere. Teachers use resources well, particularly the interactive white boards, to create exciting and interesting lessons. Teachers show respect for all pupils and they listen carefully, question them well and provide good explanations. The pupils also listen carefully to their teachers and each other. All these factors help to boost the pupils' learning. Teachers generally plan lessons well and in most subjects they ensure that the work is well-matched to the

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Grade: 2

pupils' needs. However, this is not always the case in the teaching of writing. Teachers do not always take enough account of the differing learning needs of pupils and, as a result, some of the work is not challenging enough for some pupils of average ability. Parents agree that their children enjoy school and this view is supported by the pupils. 3 Inspection Report: Morley Memorial Primary School, 19 September 2005 to 20 September 2005 They are keen to learn, concentrate well and are productive in their work and supportive of each other.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. All the required subjects are taught to all age groups and there is a strong focus on fostering pupils' personal development. The school has reorganised its curriculum to make learning more enjoyable and has forged some meaningful links between subjects. Through a productive partnership with a local sports college, the school is providing an increasing range of opportunities in physical education. Music is also a strength of the school. A good range of practical activities and enrichment opportunities within and beyond the school day brings learning to life for pupils and sustains their interest. The school provides well for pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a high level of care and support for pupils. There is a high level of commitment by all staff to ensure that the pupils are safeguarded. For example, the movement of reception children to and from the main school is safely and effectively carried out. Child protection arrangements are good. The school has strong partnerships with both parents and outside agencies to ensure that pupils who have special educational needs are supported and guided well. There are excellent arrangements in place to ensure that any pupils who are at risk are identified early and their needs met. Pupils have trusting relationship with adults and each other. They are taught well how to take care of themselves and to make healthy and safe choices.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good overall. This view supports the school's self evaluation, which is accurate and results in appropriate priorities for improvement. The school has undergone four years of disruption to the senior management, largely due to unavoidable staffing changes, and this has been correctly identified as an area for improvement. There is now an effective senior management team in place and the school is due to take part in a project with some other schools which is devised to improve leadership skills and to enable them to focus more closely on their priorities. Teaching staff turnover has also been high over the last two years and this has also made it difficult to ensure consistency of provision. The school has access to a good range of data about pupils' progress, and systems are in place for collecting and collating this information. However, this is not yet analysed in sufficient depth or

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Grade: 2

rigorously enough to identify and address the lack of progress made by some of the pupils whose attainment is low. The school has responded well to parents and pupils' suggestions for improvement. This has resulted, for example, in parents being able to 4 Inspection Report: Morley Memorial Primary School, 19 September 2005 to 20 September 2005 sign up to receive letters by email, thus improving communication between school and home. The governance of the school is satisfactory overall. Governors are very supportive of the school and committed to its aims and ethos. They are involved well in the school improvement planning process and monitor progress at their meetings. They have good links to the school in a range of ways but they do not ensure that the statutory daily act of worship is carried out. The school has a large surplus in its budget, but this is appropriately earmarked for future building improvements. Resources are

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Grade: 2

used efficiently and effectively and, as with the purchase of the interactive whiteboards, this has a positive impact on provision. All pupils are treated equally. Those who find learning difficult or who have physical disabilities are supported well and helped to take a full part in school life. 5 Inspection Report: Morley Memorial Primary School, 19 September 2005 to 20 September 2005 .

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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: Morley Memorial Primary School, 19 September 2005 to 20 September 2005

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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 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA NA 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 2 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 2 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 3 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 3 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 welcoming us to your school when we visited. It was a pleasure to talk with you and to watch you working and playing. We particularly enjoyed meeting the school council who told us a lot about the things you like doing at school and some things you would like to see improved. This letter is to tell you about some of the important things we saw. You are very lucky at your school because the head teacher, teachers and other adults all look after and care for you well. They encourage you to be healthy and to stay safe, and ensure you have good opportunities to learn new things. We were impressed at how well you know what you need to do to learn more and get better in the future. You behave very well most of the time and you know what to do if there is any bullying and that there is someone from the anti-bullying club to turn to for help if you need it. You enjoy looking after each other, such as when you are

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

playground buddies. Your teachers are keen to make the school even better for you. We think that to do this they need to help you get better at writing. Many of you get a lot of help and support. We think the school needs to make sure that all of you are helped to learn well and that teachers need to use what they know about how well you are doing to help you do even better in the future. It was good to find out that so many of you were happy at school, and that your parents said you were happy there as well. Keep working hard and enjoy your time Morley Memorial!

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