Moorside Primary School

Inspection Report Moorside Primary School

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114050 Unique Reference Number Durham LEA 279300 Inspection number 2 February 2006 to 3 February 2006 Inspection dates Mrs Moira Fitzpatrick Reporting inspector

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

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Chester Road School address Primary Type of school Moorside Community School category Consett, County Durham 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 01207 509724 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01207 509724 Fax number 128 Number on roll Mr Ian Penrose Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Janet Wrightson Headteacher 1 March 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279300 2 February 2006 - 3 to 11 3 February 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school is smaller than average and has seen a significant decline in numbers since the last inspection, mainly as a result of housing clearance in the area. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is well above average. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is also above average. This includes a number of pupils whose behavioural difficulties have had a significant impact on the school. Two pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Need. The attainment of children when they start school is well below what is typical for children who are four. The school holds the following awards: a School Achievement Award, the Healthy Schools Award, the Quality Mark for Basic Skills and the National Clean Air Gold 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, 2 February 2006 to 3 February 2006

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Grade: 3

Inspectors differ from the school’s view that its overall effectiveness is good. They judge it to be satisfactory and to give satisfactory value for money, because teaching and learning are satisfactory and so is pupils’ achievement. By Year 6, pupils reach standards that are slightly below average and all groups have made satisfactory progress from their low starting points when they joined the school. However, teachers’ guidance to pupils does not make enough use of assessment information, nor does it give them enough direction on how to improve their work to help them make better progress. Pupils’ personal development is good, because of the opportunities they have to make a contribution to the community and because they are well cared for by teachers. Attendance is improving but still below average. Standards and provision in the Foundation Stage are satisfactory, but this phase of the school has not been developed

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Grade: 3

to make the most efficient use of expertise and resources for the benefit of the children. Since the last inspection the school has made satisfactory progress, most notably in raising standards by Year 6. However, difficulties in behaviour management in recent years, which have caused some parents to feel distanced from the school, and long-term staff absence have slowed the school’s development in some areas. While leadership and management are satisfactory, the role of subject leaders is too limited to allow them to make a full contribution to the school’s development. Given the expertise of the acting headteacher and the commitment of staff and governors, the school is securely placed to continue to improve. not applicable

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards at the end of the Foundation Stage by sharing planning and resources more closely together so that children’s progress continues unbroken from Nursery to the Reception class. • Improve teachers’ use of assessment, target setting and feedback, so that pupils learn and achieve as well as they can. • Develop the role of subject leaders so they have better opportunities to monitor the work of the school and play a fuller part in promoting its improvement. • Improve the attendance of those pupils whose poor attendance adversely affects their learning. • Improve relations with those parents who feel distanced from the school and unable to support its efforts to help their children to succeed.

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Grade: 3

Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. By the end of Year 6 they reach average standards in science, and slightly below average in English and mathematics. Standards at the end of Year 6 have risen steadily since the last inspection, and current Year 6 pupils are on course to reach realistic but challenging targets set for them in national tests. 2 Inspection Report: Moorside Primary School, 2 February 2006 to 3 February 2006 By the end of Year 2 standards are close to average in reading, writing and mathematics. A decline in test performance in the previous two years was due to the proportion of pupils in both years who had significant learning difficulties, and to the impact of teacher absence in one year. Pupils now in Year 2 are on course to exceed last year’s performance and to meet the targets that have been set for them. By the end of the Foundation Stage most children do not reach the goals set for their learning, though

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Grade: 3

they have made satisfactory progress from their low starting points. Many still have weaknesses in language and mathematical development when they start Year 1. Pupils who have learning difficulties or disabilities make the same satisfactory progress as others towards the targets they are well supported to reach.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is good. They learn to accept responsibility from an early age and older pupils show an ability to take initiatives, such as organising a regular school disco. Pupils take their roles as monitors and Buddies very seriously, so that they contribute strongly to the smooth running, harmony and safety of the school. The vast majority of pupils behave well in lessons and clearly enjoy of their learning, though a small minority still need support to manage their behaviour. The very high rate of exclusions in the last school year has reduced this year as more pupils have learned to manage their behaviour and conform to the school’s rules. Despite improvement this year, attendance is still below average, because of the poor attendance of a small minority of pupils. Pupils adopt safe practices and healthy-eating habits and are keen to

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Grade: 2

participate in sport and fitness activities run by the school. By Year 6, pupils have mature personal and social skills and are well equipped for the next stage of education.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Teachers make good use of their subject knowledge to teach basic skills in English and mathematics, so that pupils make steady progress in these subjects. Teaching in English has improved this year as a result of involvement in a local schools’ project to improve writing. Planning to capture the interest of boys is clearly increasing both their enjoyment of literacy lessons and their work rate. Teachers’ management of behaviour is good and contributes well to the calm and purposeful atmosphere found in all classrooms. Pupils say that behaviour has improved in the last year; that they are able to listen better in class, and that disruptive children are dealt with. Pupils’ concentration in lessons is good. They listen closely and work well in pairs or small groups to help each other learn. They enjoy learning best from the many practical and first-hand experiences that teachers provide.

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Grade: 3

While teaching promotes satisfactory progress for all groups of pupils, teachers’ use of assessment is not sharp enough. Their planning does not take enough account of 3 Inspection Report: Moorside Primary School, 2 February 2006 to 3 February 2006 the different needs of pupils, and the targets set are not always demanding enough or linked to teachers’ regular marking of pupils’ work.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum meets requirements and is satisfactory overall. Teachers have responded well to national initiatives to develop areas of the curriculum in ways that match the interests of pupils. A good range after-school activities, visits and visitors enriches the curriculum. A weakness is the lack of after-school clubs for younger pupils. Pupils have good opportunities to learn about safe and healthy lifestyles and to develop awareness of their role in the community. In the Foundation Stage, the Nursery and Reception teachers do not share their planning. As a result, the curriculum does not ensure continuity of experience and progression for those children who transfer to the Reception class. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is satisfactory, though the school needs to review its criteria for placing pupils on the register. Currently too many of the pupils who are on the register do not need additional

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Grade: 3

The school’s arrangements for health and safety and child protection are satisfactory. Care is good; pupils say they feel safe in school and that having Buddies in the playground has made it ‘a better place’. They are confident that teachers will look after them if they are unwell or upset and will deal with any bullying. The provision for pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is satisfactory and parents are involved in supporting them in their learning. However, some parents, especially those who have children with emotional or behavioural difficulties, feel that the school could do more to involve them and inform them more quickly when problems arise. Support for all pupils on how to improve their work is satisfactory, because teachers do not make enough use of the assessment information they have when planning or when giving pupils advice on how to do better.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The acting headteacher is providing strong and effective leadership for the school by continuing the school’s development. She works closely with colleagues to ensure that all pupils are on course to meet their learning targets for the year. School evaluation procedures are satisfactory, though the role of subject leaders does not involve them enough in identifying what the school needs to do to raise standards. Governors have worked closely with the school to support improvements to behaviour in recent years. However, their first-hand knowledge of the school is weak, and improving this is one of their priorities this year. Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory overall, 4 Inspection Report: Moorside Primary School, 2 February 2006 to 3 February 2006 but with good improvement in standards at the end of Year 6. Some developments

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Grade: 3

have been slowed in recent years by serious behaviour problems and long-term absence of staff. Parents are consulted about improvements to the school, particularly with regard to pupils’ behaviour. This has caused problems with some parents, who found it difficult to accept the school’s stance on improving behaviour. At present some parents feel distanced from the school and unable to support their children’s learning. Given the expertise of the acting headteacher and the commitment of staff, the school is soundly placed to continue to improve. 5 Inspection Report: Moorside Primary School, 2 February 2006 to 3 February 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, 2 February 2006 to 3 February 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 3 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 3 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 3 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 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 3 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 3 The behaviour of learners NA 4 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 3 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 3 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 3 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 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 3 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

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 Ofsted helpline 08456 404045 Mrs Janet Wrightson Moorside Primary School Chester Road Moorside Consett County Durham DH8 8EQ 4 February 2006 Dear Children Thank you very much for giving us such a warm welcome when we visited your school. We enjoyed our visit and meeting you to talk about your school. Here are some of the things we liked about your school: most of you behave really well in lessons. We think that the few who are still having some difficulties are getting better, so keep it up you work hard in your lessons by listening closely and then getting on with your work when the teacher asks you to. You are all good at helping each other with work too. That was very nice to see we were really pleased to see you taking on so many responsibilities and helping the school to run smoothly. Well done! It was very good to hear how much the playground Buddies and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Mini-buds are appreciated some of you told us that sometimes your work is too hard or too easy. We agree and have asked your school to do something about this your good attendance shows that most of you enjoy school, but we think that a few of your friends need to come to school more often so they don’t fall behind in their learning. To make things better we have asked your school to: make sure that teachers give you work that is at the right level for you and tell you what else you can do to improve, so that you can all make good progress help those who don’t come to school enough, so they can enjoy all the things that the rest of you do.

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Annex B

Thank you again for your help and our best wishes to you for the rest of the year. Yours sincerely Mrs Moira Fitzpatrick

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