Moreland Primary School

Moreland Primary School Inspection report

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100415 Unique Reference Number Islington Local Authority 323274 Inspection number 9–10 March 2009 Inspection dates Peter Sudworth Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 3–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 263 School (total) 0 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 0 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Ms Elizabeth Smithson Chair Mr Philip Armstrong Headteacher 2 November 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Moreland Street School address Goswell Road London EC1V 8BB 020 7253 8144 Telephone number 020 7490 0022 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 9–10 March 2009 Inspection dates 323274 Inspection number .

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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. 2 of 11 Inspection Report: Moreland Primary School, 9–10 March 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a larger-than-average primary school with 13 classes, including two in the Nursery which children begin following their third birthday. Most continue into the Reception classes. Three quarters of the pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds. Approximately three fifths of the pupils are entitled to free school meals, a proportion very much higher than the national average. The percentage of pupils who have difficulties learning the basic skills is above the national average. The school has a children's centre. The percentage of pupils joining or leaving the school at times other than the usual ones is much higher than the national average. There is a separately managed provision for children aged 0-3 years. The headteacher was appointed in January 2008. The school had been without a permanent headteacher for a long period previously.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Moreland Primary School, 9–10 March 2009

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school. Frequent changes of staff, including several temporary changes in leadership, have nevertheless slowed its development. The school is now more stable and recovery is beginning to show through. The pupils achieve satisfactorily. Results are slowly creeping up; nevertheless, they are well below average. Parents are largely supportive of the school, but a number express concerns. Some rightly feel that the school environment could be better; there are plans afoot for a new school. The small number of parents' concerns about behaviour are not justified. Pupils behave satisfactorily and their attitudes to work are improving. One parent's view that the behaviour of the majority of children has changed beyond recognition is a true reflection of the current situation. Pupils receive good attention, both one-to-one and in small groups. These arrangements are helping the pupils to catch up. Reading recovery

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Grade: 3

programmes, for example, are being successful for those pupils who have fallen behind with reading. Pupils like school. However, attendance is well below average because some parents do not send their children to school regularly enough. This affects their progress because pupils with low attendance miss important work. Pupils' personal development is satisfactory, but they have a good awareness of how to keep safe and how to live healthily. Pupils get involved in making their school a better place. The school council's activities in these matters have been effective to the pupils' benefit, for example in suggesting and obtaining healthy school meals. Pupils are prepared satisfactorily for the next stage of their education. The good relationships between staff and pupils help the pupils to feel safe in school. Staff take very good care of the pupils and arrange specialist help for the most needy. They work well with parents and families.

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Grade: 3

Parents find it easy to approach staff for help and advice and to enquire about their children's progress. While some good teaching was observed during the inspection, too much of it is still satisfactory. The best teaching was observed where the close match of work to pupils' needs in the basic subjects is helping the pupils to overcome past underachievement, a result of the frequent changes of staff. Many staff are still developing skills to make lessons really gripping and interesting for the pupils. The school recognises the need to take action on this in order to improve levels of attainment and rates of progress, especially in English, mathematics and science. Pupils really enjoy the visits they make to places of interest to help their learning. Visitors to the school, such as the police, support their understanding of safe living and stimulate the pupils' interest in learning. The turnover of staff in the past has not helped the school to provide a secure framework for

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Grade: 3

development. Subject leaders, for example, many newly appointed, have not yet had time to develop the required monitoring skills. Therefore they are unable to drive through the developments that they need to make to improve provision overall, including teaching and learning. Nevertheless, the school has in the interim made good use of Local Authority advice. This has brought improvements to the Early Years Foundation Stage since the last inspection and is beginning to secure improvements in science, in which results have been particularly low. The school has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection and demonstrates a satisfactory capacity for further improvement. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Moreland Primary School, 9–10 March 2009

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Grade: 3

Children's knowledge and skills when they first begin the Nursery is very low. Several children speak little English on admission. Their personal, social, emotional and communication skills on entry are very weak, as is their knowledge and understanding of the world. Past results at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage have also been very low, but current indicators suggest an improvement for the present group of Reception children. Overall children make satisfactory progress. Greater attention to the names and sounds of letters in smaller groups is securing improvements in the early stages of reading. Children enjoy learning in a positive and caring environment. Overall planning for the children's learning takes account of children's needs and interests. It is not, however, tuned finely enough to extend their communication skills and problem-solving in numbers, which are weaker aspects of their work. Leadership and management are currently satisfactory. The priorities for

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Grade: 3

improvement are clearly indicated and are beginning to have an impact, as shown in recent improvements in children's achievements. Good relationships between staff and children ensure a stable, happy and secure learning environment. Currently the planning and organisation of the outside environment limits the rate of achievement because there is not enough focus on high-quality questioning and interactions linked to the themes for learning.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve standards in English, mathematics and science so that more pupils reach their true potential. ■ Raise the quality of teaching and learning so that more is consistently of a good or better standard. ■ Develop the monitoring skills of subject leaders so that they raise the quality of provision and help to increase rates of progress in the subjects for which they are responsible. ■ Work with parents and the local authority to improve attendance and punctuality.

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What the school should do to improve further

A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

Pupils' attainment has been rising slowly in both key stages in the past two years and current indicators suggest that this pattern is continuing. Pupils achieve satisfactorily. Nevertheless, attainment is still very low in Years 5 and 6 because these pupils have been most exposed to the long-running staffing problems. Consequently they have underachieved in the past. Tutorials and small-group work are helping these pupils to recover. Year 6 science results have been particularly low because pupils have not had enough opportunities to refine their investigation skills and to develop science vocabulary. About four fifths of the pupils in Year 2 look set to reach the minimum level for pupils of this age, but few pupils throughout the school are currently reaching the higher levels. Pupils with English as an additional language make satisfactory progress, as do those who experience difficulties in learning the basic skills.

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Grade: 3

5 of 11 Inspection Report: Moreland Primary School, 9–10 March 2009

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Grade: 3

Pupils enjoy school and take part enthusiastically in after school activities. The school council is developing well and its three committees function well in addressing health, environmental and charity matters. Pupils are aware that others are less fortunate than they are. They recently raised money for 'Water-Aid' and 'Mencap'. Pupils feel safe in school. They have a good understanding of healthy and safe living. Pupils understand why they must not talk to strangers or get involved in gangs. They willingly eat fruit and vegetables and are eager to take part in sports. Pupils contribute well to the school and local community. Older pupils help the younger ones at playtimes and Year 5 pupils operate a science club for Year 2 pupils. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory. Pupils' attendance is well below average and several pupils are not punctual on a regular basis. Their behaviour and attitudes to work

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Grade: 3

are satisfactory, but they do not always take enough pride in what they do, for example with their handwriting and setting out their work.

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Grade: 3

Staff prepare lessons well and identify clearly what they want the pupils to learn. They are developing skills to match activities to pupils' abilities more accurately as they gain confidence in assessing the standard of work the pupils are reaching. Teaching is at its best where it helps the pupils to catch up the learning they have missed. Teachers use modern technology satisfactorily to present lessons. This helps the smooth flow of lessons and keeps pupils interested. Nevertheless, they have yet to exploit the potential of this equipment fully. Teaching assistants work well with staff and support individual and group tuition effectively. Teachers usually manage pupils well and create harmonious relationships with them. Currently the quality of marking varies too much. It ranges in its usefulness and regularity. Some teachers do not have high enough expectations of pupils' neatness and the setting out of their work. This is

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Grade: 3

sometimes leading to inaccuracies, for example in mathematics, when numbers are not always put in columns carefully enough.

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Grade: 3

The school is in the process of developing its curriculum to make it more creative and more relevant to pupils' backgrounds. For example, they have recently undertaken work about West Africa. There is, nevertheless, a heavy emphasis currently on English, mathematics and science in order to improve standards. This means that time for other subjects, such as art and physical education, is not as balanced as it ought to be. The range of extra-curricular activities is good and helps to extend pupils' interests, such as in different kinds of sport. Staff seize well on opportunities to take pupils on visits to museums and other places of interest, such as Hampton Court for Tudor studies. Such visits help pupils' understanding of their studies. The programme for personal, social and health education is developing well through such activities as discussing ways in which they could raise money for a charity of their choice.

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Grade: 3

6 of 11 Inspection Report: Moreland Primary School, 9–10 March 2009

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Grade: 3

The staff take good care of the pupils, who in turn are confident to approach them with any concerns. Pupils say, 'The teachers are always friendly and help us.' Arrangements for child protection and safeguarding pupils are clearly understood and well developed. Staff are well trained in these matters. There are good supportive links with outside specialist agencies, such as speech therapy and behaviour support. These links assist staff to adopt helpful strategies to support the pupils concerned. Tracking of pupils' progress is regular, but the school recognises that the current system is time consuming and does not enable staff to pick out particular groups of pupils quickly to assess their progress. Staff do not collect sufficient information about pupils' unaided writing over time to help them gauge their progress, nor do they keep records of key skills in mathematics and science. This means that staff rely too heavily on

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Grade: 3

The new headteacher has brought greater stability. Morale and team spirit have been raised. Clear signs of improvement are apparent in the school's management systems and this is leading to improved standards. The headteacher forms an effective working partnership with the deputy headteacher. There is a clear focus on making further improvements. However, the school development plan does not set specific numerical targets. The school has correctly identified the immediate priorities to raise standards. The school has analysed the needs of its community well and keeps their needs under review. Consequently, it is making good inroads into community cohesion and keeps the impact of its initiatives under review. For example, it focuses on the needs of particular groups such as Somali parents to improve their English. Turkish mothers have cooked with the pupils. Pupils integrate well in school and they examine differences and similarities by studying different localities in

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Grade: 3

the world. The school is financially sound and has good finance systems. Partnerships with the local business community are strong. For example, personnel from business help individual pupils with key skills. The governing body is satisfactory. It is well led by its chairperson, who sets a good example in challenge and commitment. Some of the other governors are still developing their skills, as are subject leaders in their monitoring of provision and standards. School self-evaluation is honest, accurate and reflective. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Moreland Primary School, 9–10 March 2009 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Moreland Primary School, 9–10 March 2009

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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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needs of learners?

Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well being? 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

3 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 3 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 3 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 4 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 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: Moreland Primary School, 9–10 March 2009

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learners?

3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 4 The attendance of learners 3 The behaviour of learners 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

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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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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 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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: Moreland Primary School, 9–10 March 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

23 March 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Moreland Primary School,London,EC1V 8BB Thank you for your warm welcome when we visited your school. We enjoyed the two days that we spent with you. Your school provides a satisfactory education for you and it is becoming more settled with the arrival of your new headteacher. We are very pleased about this. It has not been easy for you to have so many different teachers. Your school is making progress and your test results are slowly going up. We liked the school council's teams which are providing ideas to improve the school. You get on well together and enjoy the after school activities. We have asked your teachers and governors to do a few things to make your school even better and plans are already in place to do these. First, we have asked the staff to help you to make better progress in English, mathematics and science and improve results in these subjects.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Second, we have asked the school to work hard to make the lessons even more interesting for you. The third request we have made is for teachers who have responsibility for leading a subject to improve the curriculum for you and also to keep a closer check on the quality of your work. Finally we have asked the school to explore ways to improve attendance and punctuality. This is because some of you do not attend regularly enough and your work is suffering. Additionally, some pupils do not arrive in time for school regularly enough, and so they miss the start of lessons and so do not know what is going on. We hope that you will continue to enjoy school and we wish you well for the future. Yours faithfully Peter Sudworth Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Moreland Primary School, 9–10 March 2009

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