Moor Nook Community Primary School

Inspection Report Moor Nook Community Primary School

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119236 Unique Reference Number Lancashire Local Authority 291362 Inspection number 28 °29 September 2006 Inspection dates Jackie Barnes Reporting inspector

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

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Mitton Drive School address Primary Type of school Preston, Lancashire Community School category PR2 6EN 3 °11 Age range of pupils 01772 796009 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01772 655427 Fax number 146 Number on roll (school) Cllr Brian Rollo Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Heather Horne Headteacher 1 December 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 291362 28 °29 September 2006 3°11 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

The school mainly serves a local authority housing estate east of Preston town centre. The area has some support services and the school’s extended provision complements this. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is high. Most pupils have White British backgrounds with a small number from minority ethnic families. Close to half the pupils have been identified as having learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and the school has additional staffing to provide support for these pupils. Some of these pupils work in a nurture class. Most children enter school in the Nursery with knowledge and skills well below those typical for their age.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Moor Nook Community Primary School, 28 °29 September 2006

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school, greatly valued by its parents and with a good capacity to improve further. Pupils are well behaved, proud of their school and keen to succeed. The school is closely linked to other services provided for the local community. This liaison is very effective in supporting the pupils’ learning. Pupils’ enjoyment of school is clear to see. They rightly trust the positive relationships they have with the staff to help them overcome personal difficulties and make the best of the opportunities for learning that the school offers. They are knowledgeable about how to live safe and healthy lives. They are quickly gaining the personal skills that prepare them well for their future economic well-being and for developing understanding of their role in the community. Older pupils are looking forward to taking on responsibilities as prefects and many have the maturity to do well in this

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Grade: 3

role. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. The standards pupils attain are below average. Improvements in teaching and learning, and in checking the progress made by individual pupils, have led to improvements over the last two years in the school’s results in national assessments, although they are still below average for pupils at ages 7 and 11 years. A small number of pupils are now attaining above average results in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6. A large number of pupils throughout the school are beginning to make the progress they need to attain better standards. Pupils’ progress overall is satisfactory. This is an improvement over recent years due in part to the support from the local authority’s improvement programme and the way this has been led and developed by the headteacher and other senior managers. The impact is clearly evident in the improved skills of teachers, pupils’ positive attitudes and

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Grade: 3

willingness to work, and rising standards of attainment. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Teachers prepare lessons carefully and generally maintain pupils’ interest. The introduction to lessons is often good with clear teaching points which move most pupils towards a better understanding. Where pupils are actively involved in lessons their learning is good, such as when dramatising a story or reinforcing their knowledge of letters through hand gestures and chants. These good experiences in lessons, although valuable, are not yet planned with sufficient attention to the progress of individual pupils. As a result, some find their work in lessons too easy or too hard. The school has recognised that many pupils are capable of achieving higher standards and has set increasingly challenging targets for the results of national assessments over the next two years. The school’s arrangements for assessing pupils’ progress are improving. Although the

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Grade: 3

school has more than the usual proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, most achieve well. This is mainly because their needs are carefully assessed and they have support and guidance, which is very well matched to their needs and helps them towards making the best progress they can. Assessment information is also used well in the Foundation Stage resulting in good progress. In the remainder 2 Inspection Report: Moor Nook Community Primary School, 28 °29 September 2006 of the school, assessment information for individual pupils is not yet having enough impact on the planning of their learning and progress. The leadership and management of the school are good. The recent improvements in teaching, standards and pupils’ behaviour owe much to the willingness of senior management, and the headteacher in particular, to make good use of the support available to the school and ensure its sustainability. A determination to improve the

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Grade: 3

school and raise standards is shared by all involved, including governors. Initiatives have been carefully managed and well paced. The school is a calm and welcoming place, which involves parents and treats pupils with respect. The school values parents’, pupils’ and, staff’s views, which provide a sound basis for the school’s good evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in English, mathematics and science especially for the most capable pupils. • Plan teaching and learning experiences in lessons in the infant and junior classes that accelerate the progress of pupils who are capable of achieving higher standards. • Refine the assessment systems to ensure that teachers plan and implement lessons that match individual’s learning needs more closely.

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Grade: 3

The school is emerging from a period of low standards. Suitably challenging targets for improvement have been set and met, and standards are beginning to rise. The inspection confirms that standards remain below average but the progress made by many pupils is now satisfactory. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve well and so do the children in the Foundation Stage. Many pupils arrive at the school with limited skills and knowledge. Their keenness to learn, good teaching and regular checking of their progress result in most making good gains. About half the children were close to the expectations for their age by the end of the 2006 Reception year. This was an improvement on the previous year. By Year 2 national assessment results for 2005 indicated overall standards in reading, writing and mathematics were below average. The results for 2006 show an improvement in mathematics. In reading,

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Grade: 3

a small number of pupils succeeded in attaining standards that are higher than expected for their age. In Year 6, the decline in the school’s results has been arrested and, although still below average overall, the results for 2006 are an improvement over 2005 and have generally met the school’s targets. Improvements in pupils’ progress are reflected in their work in lessons. Many pupils are capable of working at a brisker pace and could attain higher standards, especially the most capable pupils. The school has already recognised this and higher targets are in place for the next two years. 3 Inspection Report: Moor Nook Community Primary School, 28 °29 September 2006

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Grade: 2

Pupils are well behaved, keen to learn and enjoy school. Most are confident and proud of their achievements with a realistic view of where they need to improve. Relationships with staff are positive, and help pupils to have the confidence to make mistakes and to accept guidance. Pupils of all ages are knowledgeable about the choices they need to make to live safe and healthy lifestyles. Pupils enjoy school and most attend regularly. The school maintains close contact with the small number of families where absence is a regular feature. The school has increased the opportunities for pupils to talk and work together during lessons, which is helping them to work harmoniously in groups as well as enhancing their speaking and listening skills. They are progressing well in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The pupils who have personal difficulties have very good support and most manage their own behaviour

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Grade: 2

well. The future well-being of the pupils is well served by their good personal development and their increasing competence in literacy and numeracy.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Additional adult support has given the school a good ratio of adults to pupils and an increase in specialist expertise in areas such as pupils’ behaviour. This provision has worked well in improving pupils’ attitudes to school. As a result, pupils focus on their work and want to succeed. They behave sensibly in practical activities and contribute eagerly to class discussions. They learn particularly well when resources are visual, such as the electronic whiteboards and the ‘prompts’ to help their reading and writing which are displayed in some classrooms. Teachers prepare lessons well, with a clear sequence of teaching points which help pupils to develop their understanding. The ‘nurture class’ is small and very effective in keeping pupils who need extra care and attention to stay involved in learning. The assessment information and data that the school holds has been used effectively

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Grade: 3

to identify groups of pupils who are at similar stages of learning, and provide additional adult support when needed. Less effective is the use of assessment to plan the teaching and learning in lessons for pupils at different stages of learning and of different abilities. Not all pupils have opportunities to progress towards higher standards at a brisk rate. Although pupils’ progress is improving overall, some find their work too easy or too hard.

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Grade: 3

The school’s curriculum includes all the required subjects and is enhanced by activities after school, and visits to places of interest. Pupils have good opportunities for sport 4 Inspection Report: Moor Nook Community Primary School, 28 °29 September 2006 and physical activity as well as learning about how to live safe and healthy lives. Those pupils who most need to improve their skills in literacy have the benefit of additional support. The school rightly gives priority to literacy and numeracy, and also to personal and social education. There is also provision for adult learners, most of whom are parents. This has worked successfully for several parents who have gained a variety of additional qualifications including entrance to university. The school reports that this provision for adults has helped to encourage pupils to take learning seriously and to be successful. Overall, the curriculum provides a sound basis for pupils’ personal

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Grade: 1

This is a strength of the school, and is outstanding. The school’s extended provision was put in place following high calibre leadership by the headteacher in establishing this facility. As a result, the school has ready access to a larger than usual number of professional staff who bring a wide range of expertise. Therefore, the school is able to provide very good care, counselling and support for individual pupils on a regular basis. Most pupils are clear about what they need to do improve their work. All the staff involved share a common commitment to encouraging and caring for pupils in ways which clearly help the pupils to take an interest in learning and to develop their skills as learners. Relationships are strong and trusting. Pupils are confident to ask for help, as are parents. Those identified with personal issues are counselled and tutored well, and spend most of their time able to cope well in lessons. This work is done calmly

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Grade: 1

and without undue disruption to the pupils’ daily routines.

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Grade: 2

Recent initiatives to improve standards have been successfully led by the headteacher and senior management team, helped by the local authority. The pace of development has been brisk but within the school’s capacity to develop. The teamwork of staff is good, with common aims and a commitment to improvement. Subject leaders have a good knowledge of their areas of responsibility and keep a check on pupils’ attainment overall. Procedures for assessment have improved and the school now has a wide range of data about pupils’ attainment and progress. This information is being used effectively to identify pupils with learning difficulties and provide support. It is less well used to plan the teaching and learning in lessons so that pupils of different abilities can make the best progress they can. The governors and staff share the same commitment to improving the school. Due attention is paid to keeping pupils’ safe. Governors are well

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Grade: 2

organised, although not yet fully involved in setting the school’s priorities. The school’s self-evaluation is good and is based on a wide range of views. The quality of the school’s provision dropped after the previous inspection but is now improving, resulting in satisfactory improvement overall. The school’s judgement of its overall effectiveness 5 Inspection Report: Moor Nook Community Primary School, 28 °29 September 2006 as satisfactory with good capacity for further improvement matches the inspection findings. 6 Inspection Report: Moor Nook Community Primary School, 28 °29 September 2006 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 Inspection Report: Moor Nook Community Primary School, 28 °29 September 2006

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Inspection judgements

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

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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

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Achievement and standards

3 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

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 3 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 3 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

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and interests of learners?

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

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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. 8 Inspection Report: Moor Nook Community Primary School, 28 °29 September 2006

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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? 9 Inspection Report: Moor Nook Community Primary School, 28 °29 September 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

The Pupils Moor Nook Community Primary School Mitton Drive Preston Lancashire PR2 6EN 2 October 2006 Dear Pupils Thank you for making me so welcome when I visited your school. You helped me to see how much you enjoyed school and how well behaved you were. I particularly enjoyed your assembly with lots of certificates which show how well you are doing in your work. You are very well cared for by your teachers and other staff and it was good to see how you trusted them to help you with your work and any personal problems you had. Your work is getting better and most of you know what you need to do to keep on improving. Your parents are very proud of you. I think you can improve even more, so I have asked your teachers to make sure that in your lessons you all have the chance to learn as quickly as you can. I know that will mean you have to concentrate hard and think carefully but I am sure you can do it if you keep up your good

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

behaviour. Best wishes J M Barnes Lead Inspector 10 Inspection Report: Moor Nook Community Primary School, 28 °29 September 2006

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