Mossbourne Parkside Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that:
  • the school’s self-evaluation gives an accurate view of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment
  • teaching is strengthened so that pupils in all year groups, particularly disadvantaged pupils, make sustained progress in their reading, writing and mathematics
  • the proportion of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, achieving at least the national expectations in reading, writing and mathematics, at the end of key stage 2 is similar to that of other pupils nationally
  • the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standards in phonics at the end of Year 1 is at least in line with that of other pupils nationally
  • the mathematics curriculum is enhanced to give pupils opportunities to develop their reasoning and problem-solving skills.
• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by:
  • sharing and building upon the good practice that can be found in the school
  • providing work for the most able pupils which challenges them and enables them to make sustained progress
  • providing opportunities for pupils, particularly the lowest prior attainers, that develop their speaking and listening skills in key stage 2
  • ensuring that all adults support pupils’ learning effectively with work that deepens their knowledge and understanding.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• A period of turbulence in senior leadership and staffing has resulted in pupils not receiving a good standard of education. Pupils’ once-high achievement in reading, writing and mathematics has significantly dropped over the last two years. In the past, leaders were unable to keep up to date with the increased expectations of the new national curriculum.
• Leaders and governors have an overgenerous view of the school’s quality of teaching, learning and assessment. Although there have been marked improvements since the appointment of the principal in June 2017, many changes have been implemented too recently to make a sustained difference on the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes.
• Leaders’ actions on how to spend pupil premium funding to improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils are beginning to make a difference. However, the achievement of disadvantaged pupils, particularly in key stage 2, is variable because of inconsistencies in the quality of teaching.
• Pupils’ achievement in phonics and reading remains well below the national averages. Leaders have taken the right steps to address these problems by providing training for staff to improve their subject knowledge and quality of teaching. However, these initiatives are at too early a stage to make a significant difference to pupils’ poor previous outcomes.
• The design of the mathematics curriculum prioritises the teaching of arithmetic skills for pupils. A narrow mathematics curriculum does not allow pupils, particularly in key stage 2, to develop their problem-solving and reasoning skills. As a result, pupils’ understanding of mathematics is at a superficial level.
• The recent strengthening of the senior leadership team has led to several improvements. Leaders have clearly defined roles and responsibilities and, in some areas, have made positive differences. For example, leaders’ actions to create a calm and orderly environment have created a conducive atmosphere to support pupils’ learning.
• Staff, including those new to the profession, receive adequate support, with training matched to their needs. They speak highly of the leadership team, and middle leaders are given additional time to develop their roles. The principal has successfully maintained positive staff morale, despite previous difficulties.
• The recently appointed special educational needs coordinator has worked diligently in identifying pupils with additional needs. Leaders and staff have a better understanding of pupils’ needs than they did in the past. The additional funding for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities is used effectively.
• Leaders have an accurate understanding of pupils’ current assessment information. In the past, leaders’ checks on pupils’ abilities were inaccurate. Leaders use their knowledge of pupils’ performance to set up intervention groups, so that pupils can catch up on missed learning from the past. However, many of the intervention groups are new, and the quality of teaching within them varies.
• Pupils’ attendance remains strong for all groups of pupils because leaders monitor this well.
• Pupils enjoy a good range of extra-curricular clubs. Leaders use the sport premium funding well to support pupils’ provision to develop their resilience.
• The promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is effective. Pupils demonstrate respect for people of all backgrounds. They value opportunities to develop their social and cultural skills through activities such as art weeks and history workshops. Pupils spoke positively about the school’s new ‘homework passport’ approach, and said that this encouraged them to undertake projects at home.
• Parents share mixed views about the school. They agree that their children are kept safe, and are beginning to notice differences since the arrival of the recent leadership team.

Governance of the school

• In the past, the governing body was not provided with accurate information about the school’s strengths and weaknesses. As a result, governors have only recently begun to challenge senior leaders. They recognise that the school has improved since last year, but are overgenerous about the school’s current strengths.
• Governors are ambitious for the school to improve further, and play an increasing hands-on role in holding leaders to account for pupils’ progress. For example, they undertake ‘deep dive’ monitoring activities, such as mathematics learning walks, to check on the validity of information provided by leaders.
• Governors are rightfully proud of the school’s work to safeguard pupils. They have a strong understanding of potential risks to pupils in the local community, and support leaders’ actions to keep them safe.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders’ actions to safeguard pupils are rigorous, and go beyond the school gates. Procedures are well developed and robust. Staff have a strong understanding of the latest safeguarding guidance. They are confident on how to raise concerns, should they need to.
• Leaders oversee any safeguarding concerns raised by staff, meticulously. They have an in-depth understanding of concerns and monitor these rigorously. Record-keeping is organised well, and concerns with external agencies are followed through tenaciously.
• The school makes excellent use of external expertise in order to deepen their understanding of potential risks faced by pupils in the community, including knife crime. They ensure that the local police lead assemblies for pupils to raise awareness about the risks of carrying weapons. Leaders work with a range of external agencies to ensure that pupils are kept safe in the wider community.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inconsistent. As a result, pupils’ progress is variable.
• Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ responses are not as high as they could be. Pupils do not receive opportunities to discuss their work in depth. As a result, pupils, particularly those who speak English as an additional language, make limited progress in developing their speaking and listening skills.
• The most able pupils make weak progress, particularly in key stage 2. Tasks set for these pupils are not challenging and are often too easy. Teachers do not maximise these pupils’ learning time and spend a long time explaining simple tasks when pupils are ready. As a result, less time is spent on more challenging work, which limits these pupils’ progress. More-able pupils routinely told inspectors that they did not feel challenged and said that often the work set for them was similar to what they had learned before.
• Lower-prior-attaining pupils receive variable support because they do not receive work that meets their needs. Some pupils depend on constant adult support to be successful. This diminishes their self-confidence and the progress that they make.
• In mathematics, teachers provide pupils with many opportunities to practise their calculation skills. Pupils demonstrate increased confidence in applying arithmetic strategies. However, they often receive tasks that they find too easy, which limits their progress. Pupils’ understanding of solving mathematical problems and discussing their work in depth is limited because they do not receive the necessary teaching to develop these skills.
• In writing, teachers encourage pupils to write across a range of contexts that interest them. For example, some pupils confidently discussed the use of ‘graffiti’ in their writing lesson. However, pupils’ quality of handwriting is variable across the school. Many pupils do not use grammar and punctuation at age-related standards. Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ writing in subjects other than English are lower, which hinders their progress.
• The teaching of phonics is beginning to make a difference, particularly in key stage 1. Teachers use a consistent approach to develop pupils’ phonics knowledge. Pupils enjoy repeating newly taught sounds, and are beginning to use these in their writing. Pupils have increased opportunities to read books alongside their peers that match their reading abilities. This encourages them to read independently and develop their comprehension skills.
• In key stage 2, teachers develop pupils’ reading comprehension through teaching them explicit skills, such as ‘summarising and inferring’. Pupils have a growing awareness of how to use these skills. However, the most able pupils read texts that do not challenge them, which limits their progress.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are happy and enjoy coming to school. They show respect to adults and each other. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility across the school. For example, pupils spoke positively about leading a lunchtime computing club.
• The ‘pupil voice’ group act as proud ambassadors for the school. They value how leaders check about their well-being, and speak positively about safety initiatives they have discussed. For example, pupils in key stage 2 shared the importance of their younger peers learning about personal safety.
• Pupils have a good understanding of online safety. They speak confidently about the potential risks of using social media and sharing personal information online.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• In the past, many pupils demonstrated poor behaviour. Leaders have successfully supported these pupils through reflection work in the learning support unit. Vulnerable pupils have behaviour support plans that are used well by adults. As a result, there has been a marked reduction in the number of pupils excluded due to poor behaviour.
• Staff use the school’s behaviour policy and strategies consistently. Pupils move around the school sensibly, and respond well to adults’ guidance. Staff know pupils well, and this helps to support pupils to make positive choices about their behaviour.
• Even when teaching is not strong, pupils behave well. Pupils told inspectors that some pupils typically did not behave well in the school, but staff supported them well. As a result, the behaviour of these pupils has improved compared to last year.
• Pupils’ attendance remains strong for most groups, and slightly above the national average.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• In 2015, at the end of key stage 2, pupils achieved significantly above the national averages in reading and writing. In the 2017 Year 6 assessments, pupils’ progress from their starting points in reading was significantly below the national average. This represents a significant fall in standards.
• The proportion of pupils achieving above the nationally expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 1 and 2 was below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 remained below the national average over the last three years. This represents weak progress from pupils’ strong starting points at the end of Reception.
• In 2017, at the end of key stage 2, disadvantaged pupils’ achievement in reading, writing and mathematics was well below that of other pupils nationally.
• By the end of Year 6, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standards in writing and mathematics was broadly in line with the national average.
• Leaders’ actions to use accurate assessment information and provide pupils with additional support are beginning to make a positive difference. The school’s current assessment information indicates that pupils, particularly in key stage 1, make stronger progress than they did in the past. Consequently, a greater proportion of pupils are beginning to work at age-related expectations.
• Despite weak outcomes, pupils’ achievement improved at the end of 2017, in comparison to 2016. More pupils at the end of key stages 1 and 2 met the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics.

Early years provision Good

• Pupils make good progress in the early years due to consistent teaching.
• Teachers develop pupils’ early phonics skills well. They regularly check and practise taught sounds effectively. As a result, pupils enjoy reading previously taught words and show resilience in sounding out letters.
• Leaders ensure that pupils learn all areas of learning well. The early years is well resourced and children independently make learning choices. For example, a group of children enthusiastically made helicopter models and shared their learning with adults. Others used paint and retold the ‘gingerbread man’ story.
• Early numeracy skills are taught well. Children recognise early number patterns because of strong support from adults. For example, adults use good questioning and practical resources to help children to learn about number bonds.
• Adults encourage children to develop their self-confidence. For example, children were encouraged to use their numeracy skills to role-play buying from a snack shop. This helped children make strong progress in their social and language skills. Children collaborate well with each other and take turns to sing on stage.
• The teaching of early writing is effective. Leaders have thought carefully about how to develop children’s writing, particularly boys’ writing. Children write regularly on boards and use ‘magic pens’ with invisible ink to write messages to their friends. This develops children’s early mark-making well.
• Adults are vigilant in keeping children safe in the Nursery and Reception classes. Children behave well and benefit from following well-set routines.
• Additional funding for children who have SEN and/or disabilities is used effectively. Leaders identify children, particularly those with speech and language difficulties, and work closely with parents and external specialists to provide good support.
• Leaders are ambitious for children. They have established strong procedures to ensure that they regularly check on the progress children make, and have built good partnerships with parents and carers.
• Parents speak positively about adults’ support in the early years. They value the improvement in communication and the welcoming morning routine of ‘meet and greet’. Parents have a good understanding of the progress that their children make because of regular verbal feedback by adults.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 142255 Hackney 10040533 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy converter 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 445 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Principal Telephone number Website Email address Maggie Kalnins Tim Jackson 020 8618 1300 www.mpa.mossbourne.org enquiries@mpa.mossbourne.org Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• The school is part of the Mossbourne Federation, which comprises four schools. It joined the academy in 2015.
• Mossbourne Parkside Academy is larger than the average primary school. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above the national average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding is above the national average.
• Pupils come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above the national average.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in all year groups. Many observations were undertaken jointly with senior leaders.
• Inspectors met with the chief executive officer of Mossbourne Federation, the chair of governors and other governors.
• Meetings were held with senior and middle leaders to evaluate the impact of their work.
• Inspectors heard pupils read and talked to pupils informally throughout the inspection.
• Inspectors scrutinised books in all classrooms, across a range of subjects.
• A range of documentation was considered, including the school’s self-evaluation, assessment information and records relating to attendance, safeguarding and behaviour.
• Inspectors spoke to two parents on the telephone and considered 11 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and one letter from a parent. They also took into account the nine staff responses and 34 pupil responses to the online surveys.

Inspection team

Noeman Anwar, lead inspector Sukwinder Samra Chris Birtles

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector