Moons Moat First School

Redditch, Moons Moat First School Inspection report

p.1

116765 Unique Reference Number Worcestershire Local Authority 290627 Inspection number 16 °17 May 2007 Inspection dates Marion Wallace Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

First Type of school Community School category 3 °9 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 246 School

p.1

The governing body Appropriate authority Maureen Hudson Chair Sara Fisher Headteacher 10 February 2003 Date of previous school inspection Cleeve Close School address Church Hill Redditch B98 9HR

p.1

01527 61498 Telephone number 01527 585295 Fax number

p.1

3 °9 Age group 16 °17 May 2007 Inspection dates 290627 Inspection number .

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

Redditch, Moons Moat First is a larger than average sized first school. The majority of pupils are White British. A small minority speak English as an additional language and a few are at the early stages of learning English. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is broadly average and the proportion entitled to free school meals is above average. During and prior to the inspection the school experienced some disruption from significant building work to extend the school site. The headteacher has been in post for just over one year.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Redditch, Moons Moat First School, 16 °17 May 2007

p.3

Grade: 2

Moons Moat First is a good school. Pupils and parents agree that the school is a caring place. A group of pupils summed up their views of the school, 'Nothing is needed to make the school better, it is already good. The teachers make you laugh, you work hard, they are all good.' Pupils enjoy coming to school and they are encouraged to develop their confidence, to think for themselves and express their views. Attainment on entry to the Nursery is well below average. Children in the Nursery are well taught and get off to a flying start making good gains because they enjoy the exciting activities planned for them. They enter Reception below the expected standards but continue to make good progress in all aspects, achievement continues to be good. By the age of seven standards are broadly average in reading, writing, mathematics and science because the quality of teaching and learning is consistently good. Pupils who have learning difficulties and disabilities make

p.4

Grade: 2

the same good progress as their peers. Those who enter the school and who do not speak any English make significant progress because of the support they receive from the school. Preparation for economic well-being is satisfactory; pupils develop basic skills in literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology alongside their good personal qualities and social skills. Progress in the three mixed age Year 3 and Year 4 classes varies from satisfactory to outstanding. Pupils reach above average standards when work is closely matched to ability but progress is satisfactory when work is not sharply matched to ability. Teaching is good overall and contributes to the good progress. Pupils enjoy the lessons planned for them and are constantly challenged to develop their thinking skills. There are good systems in place to check on how well pupils are doing and the majority of teachers use this information

p.4

Grade: 2

well to plan lessons. When teaching is satisfactory, assessment information is not used skilfully to plan specific tasks so that all pupils in mixed age classes are fully stretched. Pupils' personal development is good. The school places a strong emphasis on challenging pupils to voice their views. All pupils say they feel safe and they are confident any problems will be dealt with swiftly by adults. The school council encourages pupils to consider what they can do to improve their school and the wider world. Pupils learn to adopt healthy lifestyles. Opportunities for pupils to learn about multicultural aspects however, are less well developed than other aspects of cultural development. Provision to ensure pupils' care, guidance and support is good. The curriculum is good, and interesting experiences ensure that pupils enjoy their learning. Opportunities however to use literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology are less well developed in

p.4

Grade: 2

other aspects of the curriculum. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher, closely supported by her deputy, and other members of the senior management team work very well together and are good role models. They have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and their enthusiasm to raise standards and tackle the many barriers to learning are clearly evident. The school has made good progress since the last inspection and has good capacity to improve.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure tasks are consistently matched to ability in mixed age classes in Years 3 and 4. • Provide more opportunities for pupils to develop knowledge and understanding of life in multicultural Britain. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Redditch, Moons Moat First School, 16 °17 May 2007 • Extend opportunities to use literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology to enrich learning in other subjects.

p.4

Grade: 2

Children in Nursery and Reception make significant progress in all areas of learning because they benefit from high quality teaching and learning. The outdoor area is used extremely well and makes a significant contribution to achievement. The majority of children enter Year 1 with slightly below average standards but achievement is very good in Years 1 and 2 and consequently standards by the age of seven are broadly average in reading, writing, mathematics and science. National test results for 2005-6 and inspection evidence confirm that more able pupils achieve better than similar pupils nationally in all aspects. High mobility combined with variable teaching in the mixed age older classes mean that by the time pupils leave the school in Year 4, standards are average overall with a significant number reaching above average. Effective monitoring now identifies and challenges any dip in attainment and measures are swiftly put in place to

p.5

Grade: 2

redress any downward slip, for example in mathematics and writing.

p.5

Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is good. Expectations are clear and as a result pupils behave well and are keen to learn. Their growing confidence and their ability to consider others are significant strengths. The school has worked hard to improve attendance which is now above average. Pupils are courteous towards visitors and each other. They are eager to contribute to the school community especially through the school council. Pupils willingly take responsibility for jobs such as acting as monitor for collecting fruit peelings for compost, as one pupil said 'so that the flowers can grow well'. They are aware of the need to stay safe and to adopt a healthy lifestyle and enthusiastically take part in the after school clubs and activities. Pupils develop awareness of the needs of others and regularly raise money for local and international charities. Their awareness of the

p.5

Grade: 2

customs and traditions of people from ethnic minority cultures however, is less well developed.

p.5

Grade: 2

High quality teaching in the Foundation Stage combined with an exciting range of activities ensures children make significant gains in all aspects of their learning. Pupils continue to benefit from consistently good teaching in Years 1 and 2. Teachers challenge pupils effectively to think for themselves and to reflect on what they have learnt. Planning is good and generally takes account of different abilities. Procedures to check on pupils' progress are rigorous and information is used well to plan lessons and this is contributing to the good gains the pupils make. Teaching in Years 3 to 4 varies from excellent to satisfactory. In the satisfactory lessons the match of work to ability is not as sharp as it could be and expectations for the different groups are not always clear. Teaching assistants provide very good support for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and this is helping them make good gains in their learning.

p.5

Grade: 2

Marking is frequent and of good quality, consequently pupils learn what they need to do to improve. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Redditch, Moons Moat First School, 16 °17 May 2007

p.5

Grade: 2

Provision for outdoor learning in the Foundation Stage is outstanding. Nursery and reception children thoroughly enjoy 'Wellie Wednesday'. Through exciting, well planned activities children learn about life and each other. Reception children are challenged to consider and build a shelter from logs collected from the wildlife area. Nursery children are encouraged to help create a house using a cardboard box, tree and tarpaulin. They learn to contribute their ideas to help achieve a common goal. Throughout the school, curriculum planning is detailed and usually well matched to pupils' abilities. The needs of the few pupils who do not speak English as their first language are well met by successfully deployed staff. The use of information and communication technology, literacy and numeracy to enrich other subjects is satisfactory but needs to be more rigorously used throughout the school to ensure long-term school development

p.6

Grade: 2

plans are successfully implemented. Curriculum enrichment is good and covers a broad range of interests. Clubs such as tennis and recorder are well attended and provide good opportunities to extend skills. Pupils appreciate the many trips, visits and residential experiences such as the trip to Bishop Wood to extend their knowledge of the Romans and Vikings.

p.6

Grade: 2

Pupils feel happy and safe in school because staff know and care for them very well. Pastoral care is particularly good. Those with learning difficulties receive very good support. Their individual education plans are well matched to their needs and teaching assistants who give them additional support are very experienced and highly qualified. Pupils with English as an additional language rapidly acquire spoken English because of the dedicated efforts of staff. Effective arrangements are in place for safeguarding pupils and the quality and care of vulnerable pupils is good. Support for academic guidance is good because pupils' progress is checked rigorously. They have individual targets for English and mathematics and these are rigorously reviewed each term. Older pupils know their targets well and have a good understanding of what they need to do to improve their work.

p.6

Grade: 2

The headteacher's robust leadership has inspired staff at all levels because she has high expectations and gives very clear direction combined with drive and enthusiasm. In the short time since her appointment she has quickly gained the respect of all staff, governors, pupils and parents because of her sensitive, conscientious and rigorous leadership and management. As a result of effective leadership and management at all levels, improvements recently put into place are already having a good impact on personal development and all staff know what needs to be done to consistently raise standards and achievement. For example staff have received training in mathematics and strategies are in place to raise standards in boys' writing. All aspects of the school's work are monitored carefully, resulting in a good understanding of what the school does well and what needs to be improved. The school's leaders are aware that

p.6

Grade: 2

they need to ensure agreed practice is implemented consistently across the school especially in the older mixed age classes. The headteacher and subject leaders regularly monitor teaching and learning. The governing body carries out its responsibilities well. The chair and vice chair 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Redditch, Moons Moat First School, 16 °17 May 2007 have good knowledge and understanding of the work of the school and other governors are gaining further knowledge through regular visits and training to see what is happening. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Redditch, Moons Moat First School, 16 °17 May 2007 .

p.6

Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Redditch, Moons Moat First School, 16 °17 May 2007

p.8

Inspection judgements

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

p.9

Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

p.9

Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

p.9

learners?

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

p.9

and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.9

and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Redditch, Moons Moat First School, 16 °17 May 2007

p.9

and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Redditch, Moons Moat First School, 16 °17 May 2007

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

18 May 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Redditch, Moons Moat First School, Redditch B98 9HR Thank you for helping with the inspection. We enjoyed visiting your school and talking to you and your teachers. We will remember how considerate you were to us and to each other and how much you enjoyed the tennis, country dancing and recorder clubs after school. Always try to learn as much as you can from activities after school. • These are the things we liked most about your school: • You make a flying start to your education in the Nursery and Reception. We particularly enjoyed 'Wellie Wednesday'. You enjoyed this outdoor session very much and it was clear that you were learning a lot about life and each other because these exciting activities were very well planned by your teachers. • You make good progress in Years 1 to 4 because your teachers are good. They make your lessons fun, challenging and you enjoy them. Your teaching assistants are very skilled and

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

help those who need the extra help very well. • You are all polite, well behaved and consider the needs of others. • You enjoy the activities in school, after school and the many trips, visitors and visits. These all help you to learn more about yourselves and the wider world. • You told us that you feel safe, well cared for and school helps you learn to lead a healthy life. • Your school is very well led and managed and this contributes to your enjoyment of school, and helps you feel safe and well cared for. • To make things even better we have suggested a few things that we think will help: • The older pupils make good progress but it is not as good as that of the younger pupils who make very good progress. In some Year 3 and Year 4 classes we think some of you could manage harder work. • We think you should learn more about the lives of people who come from countries that are very different from your own.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• You are already using literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology skills in other subjects but we think that you can do this a lot more because your teachers have exciting plans for what and how you learn and you can all help them achieve their aims by doing this. We wish you well for the future Marion Wallace Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Redditch, Moons Moat First School, 16 °17 May 2007

p.11