Mossbourne Riverside Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that the consistently high expectations and current excellent standards for pupils are maintained in key stage 2, as the school grows.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• The chief executive officer of the federation and principal work exceptionally well together and are relentless in providing an excellent quality of education. Together, they ensure that teaching is outstanding, which has resulted in pupils making excellent progress and achieving highly. The school’s plans for improvement focus sharply on the correct priorities to sustain the excellent education as the school expands.
• Leaders and governors are committed to securing the very best outcomes for every pupil. They have consistently high expectations of themselves, staff and pupils, which are part and parcel of everyday school life. Staff subscribe to this culture of high aspirations for all pupils, which has led to exceptional outcomes for all pupils.
• All the parents say that the school is well led and managed. Parents who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, and those who spoke with the inspector all said their children are happy and attain highly. They recognise and value the high expectations set by leaders and teachers. One hundred per cent of parents say they would recommend the school to another parent.
• The federation’s ‘little and often approach’ to checking the quality of teaching is effective. Leaders offer constructive guidance to teachers, who reflect on their practice and take ownership of their professional development.
• Staff morale is high. They value the ‘open-door culture’ of leadership, whereby they invite each other and leaders to offer guidance to further improve their teaching. All staff responding to Ofsted’s inspection survey agree that leaders trust them to be creative in their teaching and take appropriate risks when working with pupils. This empowers and enables staff to excel in securing excellent outcomes for all pupils.
• The thematic approach to the curriculum has been very carefully thought through to ensure that pupils are well prepared for secondary school. It is adapted well to inspire and meet the needs of all pupils. Pupils’ interests are followed up in shaping the learning. This enables pupils to make good connections in their learning across a wide range of subjects. At the end of a topic, pupils assess the knowledge, understanding and skills they have gained. Additionally, goals such as resilience and adaptability underpin the curriculum. This contributes to the very strong progress pupils make across a wide range of subjects, including English and mathematics.
• Pupils told the inspector they love learning and coming to school. The curriculum is enhanced through a variety of means, such as capitalising on the Olympic site for sports, where pupils attend the London Aquatic Centre for swimming. Professionals from a range of occupations talk to pupils about their work to inspire pupils, which is linked to their topic. For example, an architect talked to pupils when they were learning about houses.
• Leaders use the pupil premium funding astutely to ensure that there is no inequality between these pupils’ attainment and progress. Leaders have identified the barriers to these pupils’ learning and put in place the necessary support. In addition, the funds are used well to pay for music tuition and theatre visits. The impact of leaders’ work is evident in these pupils’ phonics attainment at the end of Year 1, which was above the national average.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is effective and at the very core of the school’s work. They are given opportunities to reflect on values such as morality. For example, within the school’s personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum, scenarios are set up about poverty around the world and pupils are questioned about what they could do. Pupils raise funds for their chosen charity through different activities.
• Leaders agree that they must sustain the excellent teaching and standards as the school expands and as pupils move into key stage 2 for the first time. This will ensure that pupils are very well prepared for their learning at secondary school.

Governance of the school

• Members of the local governing body bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise from their respective backgrounds to their roles as governors. They know the strengths and areas for improvement very well and contribute to the key strategic documents of the school. Governors offer a very high level of support and challenge to the principal by asking probing questions related to pupils’ performance and the quality of teaching.
• Governors visit the school regularly and discuss safeguarding matters with leaders. They make sure that the policies and procedures are followed thoroughly on the ground to ensure pupils’ safety and well-being.
• Governors have high aspirations for all pupils at the school and strive for the very best outcomes. They are fully committed to ensuring that the high standards are maintained as the school enters its next phase of expansion.
• Trustees of the Mossbourne Federation and leaders at the school work extremely well together. The chief executive officer supports and challenges the principal with all aspects of leadership, checking quality of teaching and learning, for example. The principals within the federation work closely with each other and disseminate practice at all levels, including leadership.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders work closely with external agencies to ensure that the needs of pupils whose circumstances make them vulnerable are met.
• There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Staff are well trained and receive regular updates to identify the potential risks to pupils’ welfare, including the dangers associated with extremism and radicalisation.
• Staff know the procedures well for raising concerns about a pupil, should they think that a pupil is potentially at risk of harm.
• An overwhelming majority of parents say that their children are safe, happy and well looked after at school. This view is endorsed by parents spoken to during the inspection.
• Leaders have ensured that all staff working with pupils are vetted, according to the government’s latest legislation.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• Teachers promote enthusiastic learning in each of the classrooms. Pupils demonstrate high levels of concentration, resilience and engagement in their learning. This contributes to the very strong progress they make in all subjects.
• Teachers in every year group have consistently high expectations of what pupils can do and achieve. For example, in Year 2, pupils use their mathematical knowledge, understanding and skills to work out possible equations related to two arrays of four. Pupils who found this difficult rose to the challenge and made great gains in learning.
• Teachers know their pupils’ abilities extremely well and set tasks that challenge and deepen their learning. The work in pupils’ books shows that teachers use their checks on pupils very well to set learning activities matched to meet the needs of all pupils.
• The teaching of reading is very effective and a strength of the school. Pupils read with fluency, accuracy and understanding. They enjoy reading and read regularly both at home and school to practise their reading skills.
• The teaching of phonics is effective. All staff are well trained and there is consistency in the approach to teaching phonics in the early years and key stage 1. Pupils are given plenty of opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills to reading and spelling within phonics lessons. Pupils apply their knowledge of phonics exceptionally well in reading and writing activities across a range of subjects.
• Highly effective teaching of writing enables pupils to use their skills very well to write in a range of styles, context and purposes in English and other subjects. For example, as part of their topic work on ‘I’m alive’, pupils wrote a detailed explanation of the life cycle of a frog. All pupils, including the most able, are given a ‘big question’ that challenges their thinking and writing. Pupils respond well to these challenges and enjoy the regular opportunities to think deeply.
• In mathematics, pupils are given daily opportunities to revise mathematical skills and concepts. Pupils regularly apply mathematical skills to solve problems and develop their reasoning skills. Teachers model mathematical vocabulary very well and insist on pupils using it correctly. For example, pupils in Year 1 were able to explain the pattern in a sequence of numbers, using correct terminology such as ‘increasing’ and ‘decreasing’.
• Additional staff are very well deployed to support the small number of pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities. Staff identify pupils’ needs precisely and provide these pupils with support and interventions to make sure that they make very strong progress.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils are confident and articulate learners. During visits to lessons, pupils discussed their learning with confidence and enthusiasm, drawing on their knowledge of what they have learned. For example, pupils in Year 1 were extremely enthusiastic and articulate as they talked about the Picasso-style portrait they were making.
• Leaders ensure that pupils learn about various forms of bullying. For example, as part of the anti-bullying week to raise awareness and combat bullying, pupils wrote their views on why it is important to respect everyone and celebrate differences between themselves and others. They learn about cyber bullying in an age-appropriate way. Pupils say bullying is a rare occurrence, but trust adults who will deal swiftly and take their concerns seriously, should there be any unkind behaviour.
• Pupils say they feel safe at school. Leaders provide plenty of opportunities for pupils to learn about safety, including how to cross the road safely and use their scooters sensibly, for example. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online. They know that they should tell an adult if they are worried about anything when using the internet.
• Pupils have a very good understanding, according to their age, about the importance of eating healthily and taking regular exercise. The school provides many opportunities, such as pupils running a ‘daily mile’ and yoga, to participate in physical activities.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Their behaviour in classrooms and around the school is impeccable. Pupils show exceptional attitudes to learning. They respond to adults’ instructions and waste no time in lessons. Transitions between lessons or from the carpet to their tables, for example, are exceptionally calm and swift.
• Leaders ensure that the school’s behaviour management system is implemented effectively and used consistently throughout the school. Pupils are conversant with the school rules, rewards and sanctions systems. Learning is not disrupted by poor behaviour, which enables high-quality teaching and learning to take place. This leads to a calm, purposeful environment in which pupils feel safe and thrive in their learning and personal development.
• Pupils say they enjoy learning and coming to school. A word used by many pupils to describe their school was ‘amazing.’ They attend school on time and regularly, with their attendance being above the national average.

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

• Pupils rise to the high expectations that are set by leaders and teachers. This has resulted in all pupils in each year group making very strong progress and attaining highly in reading, writing and mathematics, and across the curriculum.
• In 2017, the proportion of Year 1 pupils who met the expected standard in the phonics screening check was well above the national average. This is due to the consistently strong teaching of phonics across the school. The very small number of pupils who did not meet the expected standard are well on track to meet the expected standard by the end of Year 2.
• Pupils currently in Year 2 have made exceptional progress from their end of early years starting points. The proportion of pupils who are at the expected and greater depth standards in reading, writing and mathematics is well above the 2017 national averages. There has been a significant increase in the proportion of pupils who are working at greater depth in writing and mathematics.
• Disadvantaged pupils in key stage 1 have made very strong progress from their end of early years starting points. Leaders’ actions, such as focused teaching to meet these pupils’ needs, are highly effective in ensuring that these pupils are sufficiently challenged so a greater proportion of pupils work at greater depth. Leaders are currently working on ensuring that more of this group of pupils meet the greater depth standard in writing. Their actions are already having a positive impact on pupils’ outcomes.
• Teachers demand more of the most able pupils including using ‘big questions’ to deepen their learning. They make substantial progress in reading, writing and mathematics from their individual starting points.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make very strong progress, given their individual learning needs. Leaders and teachers make sure that these pupils receive focused support and well-targeted interventions to meet their needs.
• Displays around the school and the work in pupils’ books show that all groups of pupils make very good progress across the curriculum. For example, pupils talk eloquently about their learning on their topic of ‘Buildings’. They talk about houses in different periods of time, such as Tudors, the types of houses and the materials used to build them. Pupils are given opportunities to apply their literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum, which they do superbly well. For example, pupils use their measuring skills as part of a science investigation on plants.

Early years provision Outstanding

• Leaders’ expectations of children’s learning in the early years are extremely high. They ensure that the quality of learning is highly effective. As a result, children make excellent progress from their individual starting points.
• Leaders have a very good insight into the strengths and areas for improvement. They are continually aiming to improve the provision to raise standards even further.
• In 2017, the proportion of children who achieved a good level of development, including those who are eligible for free school meals, was well above the national average. The proportion of children who met or exceeded the early learning goals in reading, writing and mathematics was well above the national averages too. This means that children have acquired the fundamental literacy and numeracy skills exceptionally well to continue their learning journey into Year 1.
• The school’s assessment information and the work in children’s books show that most children currently in Reception are making exceptional progress and are well on track to achieve a good level of development at the end of 2018.
• Teaching is exceptional. Adults provide highly imaginative experiences to engage and enthuse children in their learning and development. For example, as part of their topic on ‘Mini beasts’, children pretended to go to a bug party. Adults provide highly effective models of speaking and listening. This supports children’s ideas very well and enables them to produce high-quality writing.
• Children are very well behaved in the early years. They play and learn happily together, sharing resources and cooperating with each other. They show high levels of concentration on their chosen activities and are not easily distracted by their friends. This shows that children are safe and confident.
• Parents speak extremely positively about the early years. One parent commented: ‘I am blown away by the school. My child is striving in her learning to read and write.’
• Safeguarding is effective in the early years. Adults ensure that children are kept safe within the indoor and outdoor areas.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 140426 Hackney 10048314 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 sponsor-led 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 145 Appropriate authority Chair Principal Telephone number Website Email address Board of trustees Samantha Lloyd Amy Wood 020 8173 0650 www.mra.mossbourne.org enquiries@mra.mossbourne.org Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Mossbourne Riverside Academy opened in September 2015, when it joined Mossbourne Federation. It moved to the current premises in September 2016. The local governing body is responsible to Mossbourne Federation’s central governing body.
• The school has plans to expand. It will increase to take an additional year group each year to become a three-form entry by 2020 with a capacity of 660. There are currently two Reception and Year 1 classes and one Year 2 class. Children attend the Reception classes on a full-time basis.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is broadly average.
• The proportions of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities or an education, health and care plan are well below the national averages.
• The school manages a breakfast club and after-school clubs.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector made visits to all classes to observe pupils’ learning across a range of subjects. Almost all of these were observed jointly with the principal. The inspector scrutinised pupils’ work within lessons and jointly with the principal outside of lessons.
• The inspector spoke to pupils in a range of contexts, including playtimes, lunchtimes and within lessons. She met with a group of pupils to discuss school life and seek their views about their learning.
• The inspector listened to pupils read from Years 1 and 2.
• Meetings were held with the principal and middle leaders, the chief executive officer of Mossbourne Federation, members of the local governing body and school staff.
• The inspector considered 70 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, which included 36 free-text responses. She met parents in the playground at the start of the school day. The inspector analysed 11 responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey. There were no responses to the pupils’ survey, but the inspector considered the school’s internal survey of pupils’ views.
• The inspector scrutinised a wide range of school documentation, including safeguarding documents, the school’s self-evaluation and records of leaders’ monitoring of the quality of teaching.

Inspection team

Rajeshree Mehta, lead inspector

Ofsted Inspector