Setting

Version 1 – September 2007 9 October 2007

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Mrs J Edwards Headteacher Moorside Primary School Keighley Road Halifax West Yorkshire HX2 8AP

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a notice to improve

Thank you for the help which you and your staff gave when I inspected your school on 8 October 2007, for the time you gave to our phone discussions and for the information which you provided before and during my visit. Please also pass on my particular thanks to the pupils, members of staff and to the vice-chair of governors for the time they gave to talk to me.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a notice to improve

This letter will be posted on the Ofsted website. Please inform the Regional Inspection Service Provider of any factual inaccuracies within 24 hours of the receipt of this letter.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a notice to improve

As a result of the inspection in February 2007, the school was asked to improve standards in English, mathematics and science.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a notice to improve

Having considered all the evidence, I am of the opinion that at this time the school is making satisfactory progress in addressing the issues for improvement and in raising the pupils’ achievement. Some aspects of English have recovered quickly whilst the pace of development has been slower in mathematics and science.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a notice to improve

Recent improvements in teaching and assessment have now had time to help raise standards. In 2007, standards for pupils in Year 6 were much better than those attained in 2006. Pupils’ achievement also improved in 2007, especially in English, owing to the effective methods introduced to improve pupils’ writing. Having trialled these methods last year, the school is now using them in all year groups. The school prioritised the need to improve writing in 2006-7, but now has turned its attention to mathematics and science. A new, more relevant, ‘hands-on’ curriculum has been introduced in science and teachers are paying close attention to how well pupils calculate, solve problems mentally and enjoy mathematics in all forms. For example, many pupils are gripped by the game entitled 24 in which they compete to reach the answer 24 having chosen how to use the four rules of arithmetic on a given set of CfBT Inspection Services

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a notice to improve

Suite 22, West Lancashire Investment Centre Maple View, White Moss Business Park Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 08456 40 40 40 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct Tel: 01695 566930 Direct Fax : 01695 729320 gtunnicliffe@cfbt.com numbers. Some even compete against other schools, giving them an added sense of pride in their mathematical abilities.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a notice to improve

Standards by the end of Year 2 are also improving. In 2006, standards were exceptionally low in reading and writing, and low in mathematics. Results in 2007 show improvement in reading and mathematics, but standards in writing fell sharply. The teaching of writing has improved since then and currently pupils’ progress is much better in Years 1 and 2.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a notice to improve

Since the inspection in February, the headteacher, governors and staff have maintained the momentum in raising standards, despite some significant changes in personnel. Work undertaken on a wider scale, beyond English, mathematics and science, has had a strong effect on the way that pupils concentrate in lessons and take an interest in their work. Pupils’ personal attributes, for example, are boosted by the exciting curriculum related to education for sustainable development, which features in the school’s aptly named ‘Wow Factory’. Moreover, teachers’ methods of assessment now feature a well developed strand in which pupils are taught to evaluate their own work. They respond well to targets designed to help them make improvements, partly because teachers’ marking is so clear about what needs to be done.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a notice to improve

It is too soon to see the full influence from these well implemented innovations, but they have already contributed to the raising of standards and show the potential to be even more effective.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a notice to improve

The school continues to receive good support from the local authority and through a profitable partnership with other schools in the locality.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a notice to improve

I hope that you have found the visit helpful in promoting improvement in your school.

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