Moorfield Primary School

Inspection Report Moorfield Primary School

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123435 Unique Reference Number Telford and Wrekin LEA 281476 Inspection number 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005 Inspection dates Mark Sims HMI Reporting inspector

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

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Wellington Road School address Primary Type of school Newport Foundation School category Shropshire TF10 7QU 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01952 813019 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01952 810852 Fax number 271 Number on roll Mr Peter Frith Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Stuart Sanderson Headteacher 3 July 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281476 9 November 2005 - 4 to 11 10 November 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 two of Her Majesty’s Inspectors of schools with two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Moorfield Primary School is a larger than average primary school located in a small market town near Telford. A third of the intake in Year 3 joins the school from a neighbouring infant school. It is set in a community with low levels of social deprivation. Over 97% of the pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is very low as is the proportion with special educational needs. Pupils’ attainment on starting school is consistently high.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Moorfield Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005

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Grade: 2

This is a good school which consistently achieves high standards. Pupils’ personal development is a particularly strong feature and is seen in their attitudes and behaviour around school. Pupils are happy and enjoy coming to school regularly. They make a good start in the Foundation Stage and continue to make good progress throughout school. The quality of teaching and learning is good with some that is outstanding. The curriculum is good and the enhanced modern foreign languages provision is an outstanding feature. The quality of care, guidance and support is satisfactory because although all adults show a high level of care for pupils, procedures for ensuring their safety at all times are not as robust as they could be. Information on pupils is not always available in a format that can enable the school to share challenging targets with pupils to secure improvements. The school is well led and managed at all levels and provides good value for money.

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Grade: 2

There is a strong inclusive ethos particularly for pupils with special educational needs, although a few brighter pupils are not challenged sufficiently. The school management team knows how well the school is doing and what needs improving. It has responded well to the important issues raised from the last inspection and has shown it has the capacity to make further improvements.

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What the school should do to improve further

•Provide information on pupils in a format that can enable the school to share challenging targets, particularly to raise the standards of higher attainers and help all pupils understand what they need to do to improve. •Follow government recommendations regarding safeguarding of pupils.

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Grade: 2

Overall pupils achieve well. They make good progress throughout the Foundation Stage and reach standards above those expected of them. Pupils continue to make good progress so that standards are well above average in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Years 2 and 6. The school sets challenging targets for pupils, which they meet and often exceed. However, the number of pupils attaining the higher levels varies from year to year, for example the number of pupils reaching the highest possible level in writing fell back in 2005. The school has accurately identified that the tracking and assessment of pupils’ progress is not in a form that enables the school to identify quickly and easily the progress of the different groups of pupils. 2 Inspection Report: Moorfield Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development is good. They say how much they enjoy school and this is clear from their good attitudes, behaviour and attendance. Pupils get on very well with each other and this is a particular strength of the school. The school actively encourages older pupils to look out for younger ones. The ‘buddy’ system where Year 6 pupils look after Reception pupils during their first fortnight is successful. Many of these pairings continue for longer. The school provides a wide range of experiences for pupils that impact well on their social development. Consequently the progress they make in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. In an assembly dramatising the story of Snow White the pupils were able to demonstrate feelings such as sadness and joy. Pupils are given many responsibilities and they carry these out conscientiously. They show initiative, whether organising a cake stall for charity fund-raising or collecting

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Grade: 2

telephone directories for recycling. They demonstrate a clear sense of being members of a community and are effectively acquiring skills that will help their future economic well-being. Pupils have a good understanding of healthy lifestyles and the need to adopt safe practices. In science and physical education they learn about healthy diets and this is reinforced strongly by the provision of fresh fruit and vegetables for younger pupils and good quality healthy food at lunchtime.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Behaviour management is particularly effective. Teachers plan lessons that ensure pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress. Where teaching is outstanding, there is a very good level of challenge for all. For example, higher attaining Year 6 pupils thoroughly enjoyed solving mathematical problems involving time. Occasionally, teachers do not set consistently challenging targets for higher attaining pupils in particular. Lower attaining pupils are supported well so they also make good progress. Teaching assistants provide good support for them. However, sometimes teaching assistants are underused, for example at the start and finish of some lessons when the teacher draws the class together. Small group teaching aimed at raising achievement in literacy helps lower attaining pupils to make good progress. Adults know all the pupils very well and observe and record their learning regularly. Teachers’ marking generally

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Grade: 2

provides good guidance about what pupils need to do to improve but this is inconsistent. In a few cases, work is not marked, so neither the teacher nor the pupil knows how well the task has been done. 3 Inspection Report: Moorfield Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005

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Grade: 2

The curriculum and other activities are good. Pupils show a high level of interest and enjoyment in them. The curriculum in the Reception class is well planned and engaging with due emphasis on structured and child initiated play. However, in the rest of the school the curriculum does not always meet the needs of higher attaining pupils. A good range of activities outside normal lesson times enhances the curriculum, particularly in sport, music and languages. Pupils learn to lead healthy lifestyles and to avoid or reduce potential hazards. Visits from representatives of various services help to emphasise these messages. Other visitors add variety and value to the subjects they study. The school makes good use of visits to places of educational interest, such as Stafford Castle. Particular strengths lie in the opportunity to take part in residential visits, including a Year 6 visit to France and the school’s strong commitment to

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Grade: 2

developing useful links with other European countries. The school already fully meets the future requirements to teach a modern foreign language.

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Grade: 3

The school provides satisfactory care, guidance and support for all its pupils. It meets statutory requirements for ensuring that pupils are kept safe and secure. Although most procedures are sufficiently robust, the school does not fully meet the government recommendations. Nonetheless, the school has usefully completed a thorough assessment of potential risks in the school building and ensures that safe practices are followed. The level of care all adults show towards pupils in school is high. Pupils report that they feel safe and well supported. Although they have a general idea about what they need to improve, for example, ‘to learn our tables’, they do not consistently have clear and specific targets for improvement. In addition, marking does not always offer enough guidance about what they need to do to improve.

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Grade: 2

The leadership and management are good. All leaders make sure pupils are happy and enjoy school and this has a strong influence on raising standards. The headteacher successfully delegates management responsibility to teachers and has established a strong leadership team. The helpful and constructive monitoring of lessons has led directly to improvement in teaching. The governing body provides good support and challenge to the school. Governors spend a lot of time in school which gives them a good grasp of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Subject leaders also know what is working well in their subject area and what needs developing. For example they have identified the need to provide more investigative activities in lessons and to ensure targets are set more consistently. 4 Inspection Report: Moorfield Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 2005 The school is very well regarded by the great majority of parents and responds to their

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Grade: 2

concerns, for example over homework. The school is managed well financially and resources are targeted effectively to achieve value for money, for example investment in the Foundation Stage facilities. Procedures for checking volunteers working with pupils could be tighter. The school’s commitment to inclusion is clear in the way pupils from minority ethnic groups and those with special educational needs are fully engaged in all school activities. However, more could be done for a few brighter pupils. 5 Inspection Report: Moorfield Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 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: Moorfield Primary School, 9 November 2005 to 10 November 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 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 2 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 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 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

Moorfield Primary school Wellington Road Newport Shropshire TF10 7QU 11 November 2005 Dear children Thank you very much for being so welcoming and friendly towards us during our recent visit to your school. We very much enjoyed the opportunity to talk to you and your teachers about how well you are doing. We thought you would like to know what we have said about your school. We think you go to a good school. You should be proud of your behaviour and you have told us how much you like coming to school and enjoy the lessons and extra activities the school puts on for you. We particularly liked the way many of you are learning French. You get on with each other and with adults who help and support you. You do very well in your tests and work hard in lessons. Your teachers are doing a good job in the way they teach you. Your headteacher and other leaders look after you and run the school well and you have told

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

us you feel safe and secure. We think you know the importance of staying healthy and taking regular exercise. We have said your school is doing well, but we have asked your headteacher and the rest of the staff to do the following things: make sure they are doing everything they possibly can to keep you safe and secure share with you what you need to do in order to get even better in your work. Thank you once again for making us feel so at home in your school. Yours sincerely Mark Sims HMI Her Majesty’s Inspector of Schools

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