Moorside Community Primary School

Inspection Report Moorside Community Primary school

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134659 Unique Reference Number Calderdale LEA 282634 Inspection number 11 January 2006 to 12 January 2006 Inspection dates Mrs Elisabeth Linley HMI Reporting inspector

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

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Keighley Road School address Primary Type of school Ovenden Community School category 0, Halifax HX2 8AP 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 01422 365236 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01422 366610 Fax number 368 Number on roll Mr L Gill Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs. Jo Edwards Headteacher Not applicable Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 282634 11 January 2006 - 3 to 11 12 January 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 one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and two additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

Moorside Community Primary School was formed 18 months ago following the closure of an infant and junior school. This new school serves a locality where there are high levels of unemployment. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is above average. When children start in the nursery, many have poorly developed language and communication skills. Children's skills across the other areas of learning are below expectations for their age. The school is larger than most other primary schools and at the time of the inspection 368 pupils were on roll including 39 children in the nursery. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average while the proportion of those who have statements for their learning difficulties and/or disabilities is well above average. Most pupils are from white British backgrounds and two pupils are in the early stages of learning English.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Moorside Community Primary school, 11 January 2006 to 12 January 2006

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Grade: 4

In accordance with section 13 (3) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than in all the circumstances it could reasonably be expected to perform. The school is therefore given a Notice to Improve. Significant improvement is required in relation to aspects of pupils' progress, teaching and monitoring and evaluation. The school has a number of strengths, but it is not as effective as it should be and the school agrees. The school judges correctly that standards and achievement are too low and are inadequate. Similarly, they know that the quality of teaching is variable and inadequate overall. A significant problem is that assessment information is not used consistently to guide and support pupils' learning. As a result, pupils' progress is uneven. Although this is also the case in the Foundation Stage, the quality and

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Grade: 4

standards of achievement in the Foundation Stage are satisfactory. Pastoral care provided for pupils is good. Pupils develop well in confidence and self-esteem; they behave well and show good attitudes to learning. Positive partnerships are established with parents and with a range of organisations who are equally supportive of the school and its work. The school rightly celebrates these strengths. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Much work has been done since the school opened to form a united staff team and in this the school has been largely successful. A broad leadership and management structure is in place and, through the use of self-evaluation, weaknesses have been identified. Systems to monitor and evaluate the quality of the school's provision are now in place but are not rigorous enough at the present time to make the school as effective as it should be. As a result, value for money is currently inadequate. However, the school has the capacity to

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Grade: 4

improve its effectiveness. In accordance with section 13 (3) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than in all the circumstances it could reasonably be expected to perform. The school is therefore given a Notice to Improve. Significant improvement is required in relation to aspects of pupils' progress, teaching and monitoring and evaluation.

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What the school should do to improve further

Focus on: • raise standards in English, mathematics and science; • improve the quality of teaching, including assessment, to accelerate pupils' learning; • improve the monitoring and evaluation of the school's work, by staff and governors, to aid future planning and pupils' achievement. 2 Inspection Report: Moorside Community Primary school, 11 January 2006 to 12 January 2006

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Grade: 4

Attainment on entry to the Foundation Stage is below average and many children have underdeveloped language skills. Children then make satisfactory progress although standards remain below those expected by the end of the Reception year. Progress from Year 1 to Year 6 is uneven and is inadequate overall for all groups of pupils including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Where pupils make good progress, it reflects good or better teaching in lessons. But the quality of teaching, learning and use of assessment to meet pupils' needs in lessons is inconsistent throughout school. Those pupils who are capable of attaining well are not challenged enough in lessons while pupils who are least able are often given the same work. As a result, standards attained in the 2005 national tests for reading, writing and mathematics were well below average in Year 2. In Year 6, the results of the 2005

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Grade: 4

national tests for pupils in English, mathematics and science were very low and targets set were not reached.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development is good. Pupils show positive self-esteem and good behaviour because the school nurtures and promotes both successfully. This ensures that, even when the teaching is uninspiring, pupils have positive attitudes to learning. Exciting activities, such as learning circus skills in the Wow Factory, stimulate great enthusiasm. Pupils enjoy being involved in school life. Relationships between pupils and with teachers are good, as seen when Year 3 pupils worked effectively in small groups on a science experiment. The school works hard to boost attendance, which is slightly below average. Pupils develop a strong sense of their own well-being. They know how to make healthy choices in the food they eat and the exercise they take. They explain that 'drugs are bad for you because they damage your body'. Pupils feel safe at school and they know how to stay safe out of school. Pupils are keen to express their opinions, especially

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Grade: 2

through the school council. A recent discussion explored how dangers posed by the main road could be minimised. Older pupils hold special responsibilities which give them an understanding of the importance of contributing to the community. Pupils' moral and social development is good, but there are too few opportunities for pupils to learn about cultural diversity.

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Grade: 4

Teaching and learning are inadequate. The quality varies too much between classes and so pupils' progress is uneven throughout school. Where teaching is good, a 3 Inspection Report: Moorside Community Primary school, 11 January 2006 to 12 January 2006 well-planned variety of work meets the needs of all the pupils. Whole- class teaching is engaging and learning moves at pace. For example, in a Year 5 mathematics lesson, the wide range of ability was challenged well by the activities. Where teaching is inadequate, the good skills of teaching assistants are not used well enough. Whole-class sessions last too long and pupils have too little time to develop their skills independently. Tasks do not provide enough challenge for some children, particularly the more able and often children with learning difficulties/and or disabilities are given the same work. The pace of learning is too slow. In some classes, teachers make good use of information about what pupils already

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Grade: 4

know to ensure that future work is challenging. They set targets for learning that help pupils understand how they can improve. In other classes, however, teachers make too little use of assessment information and so they cannot be sure that pupils are making the progress of which they are capable. The best marking of pupils' work identifies points for development, but there are too few examples of this.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory and meets statutory requirements. The school has begun to broaden the curriculum for pupils in Years 2 to 6. For example, the innovative Wow Factory provides pupils with an extensive range of opportunities. As a result, pupils gain a better understanding of safe practices and healthy lifestyles. Visitors and visits, including a residential experience for older pupils, are used well to provide an extra dimension to learning. A good range of out-of-school activities, such as a drama club and sports, adds to pupils' enjoyment in school. In some lessons, however, work is not matched well enough to pupils' capabilities and so they do not achieve as well as they should. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory but at present there are too few opportunities for pupils to extend their learning outdoors. Provision for children who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities is satisfactory.

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Grade: 3

Levels of care are good. A high proportion of children need extra support because of difficulties in their lives. All the staff work hard to ensure each child is safe, happy and ready to learn. The home school liaison teacher and the learning mentor make particularly strong contributions. The children say they feel safe and cared for in school because 'If there's a problem, the teachers listen and they sort it out'. This feeling of confidence in the care staff provide makes a strong contribution to pupils' personal development. Staff implement effectively the good procedures for first aid and child protection, and are vigilant about health and safety checks. Support and guidance for pupils' learning are improving but it is inconsistent. More formal, regular assessments are now in place to keep track of pupils' progress. The information gathered, however, is not used well enough to identify groups who are

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Grade: 3

4 Inspection Report: Moorside Community Primary school, 11 January 2006 to 12 January 2006 not doing as well as they should. The setting of targets to help pupils to improve aspects of their work is also inconsistent.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher sets a clear example to promote the school as a community where good behaviour and respect for others is paramount. Good partnerships are made with external agencies and parents. Parents know their views are taken into account. The headteacher offers a positive lead for the school's development and has empowered many staff to take on new responsibilities. Since the opening of the new school, they have worked well on pastoral and staffing issues. This has resulted in improvement being seen in pupils' behaviour and their attitudes to learning. Improved procedures for self-evaluation has meant that the school is clear about the key areas of weakness in achievement, standards and the quality of teaching and learning. Monitoring procedures are now in place to identify where action is needed. Evaluation of the school's work, however, is not rigorous enough to determine that action taken is improving pupils' progress. Clear

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Grade: 3

accountability for this aspect of the school's work has yet to be developed within the new management structure. The governors are effectively led by an enthusiastic chair who has a clear understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. The governing body is newly formed, however, and has also to develop the skills to monitor and evaluate the school's work effectively. Financial management of the school is effective; the school seeks and uses additional funds wisely. The school has satisfactory capacity to improve. 5 Inspection Report: Moorside Community Primary school, 11 January 2006 to 12 January 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 Community Primary school, 11 January 2006 to 12 January 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 2 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 4 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA NA Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 4 How well do learners achieve? NA 4 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 4 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 4 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 3 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 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 4 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

We visited your school last week to find out if it is giving you the education you should receive. We enjoyed talking with you, looking at your work and finding out about the things you like doing. The things we particularly like are: - everyone is friendly and helpful and so your school is a happy place to be; - you enjoy coming to school and many of you are working hard to make sure you attend every day; - you enjoy the activities you do in the Wow Factory as well as other interesting things that are organised for you; - you behave well; - older pupils are given jobs to do, and you carry them out sensibly; - the staff and governors work hard to keep you safe and to care for you. We also discovered ways in which we think your learning could be better and your school will work hard with you to sort them out: - all the people who work with you in school are going to help you do better in English, mathematics and science;

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

- they are going to make sure that all the teaching is the best it can be so you make fast progress and know what you need to learn next; - they are also going to keep a closer eye on how things are going so they know how to make changes for the better and they will regularly check that improvements are working well. Thank you very much for making us so welcome when we visited you. We wish you all the best for the future.

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