Moston Fields Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Reduce the unevenness in teaching so that across groups of pupils gains in learning are stronger, particularly in writing and throughout the wider curriculum, by:
  • ensuring that teachers have the skills to deepen pupils’ knowledge in subjects of the primary curriculum such as history, geography and religious education
  • ensuring that phonics is consistently well taught so that more pupils reach the expected standard by the end of Year 1
  • supporting teachers to ensure that their assessments of pupils’ progress are accurate and inform their planning of support for pupils
  • ensuring that the most able pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, make faster rates of progress to reach the standards expected from their starting points
  • ensuring that repeated staff absence does not have a negative impact on pupils’ progress, particularly in the early years
  • providing pupils with more opportunities to do extended pieces of writing and developing pupils’ stamina to complete extended writing using good handwriting.
• Improve leadership and management by:
  • developing the role of phase leaders and subject leaders so that they have a more effective impact on improving teaching
  • reviewing the systems for tracking pupils’ progress to ensure that information about groups of pupils is analysed and shared in a timely way
  • revisiting the curriculum to ensure that it allows pupils to gain the skills and knowledge they need to succeed
  • systematically analysing the impact of the school’s work to improve pupils’ attendance.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• The school’s improvement journey has been hindered by instability in staffing. This impacts negatively on pupils’ rates of progress, particularly in key stage 1 and early years.
• The acting headteacher alongside her acting deputy know what they need to do to turn the fortunes of the school around. They have started to work with middle and subject leaders, so that responsibility for teaching, learning and assessment can be shared evenly across key phases.
• Recent innovative changes to the timetable for pupils in upper key stage 2 ensure that attendance of pupils on Monday mornings is improving rapidly. However, attendance overall remains below average, particularly for some vulnerable groups.
• Some subject leaders are racing ahead and using the expert guidance provided by the local authority to good effect. This accounts for improvements, particularly in the teaching and outcomes of mathematics, where previous weaknesses have been rectified.
• Leaders have made it a priority to address pupils’ social and emotional development. Their systems to support pupils’ social and emotional needs have been overhauled. For example, the use of the ‘nurture room’ provides a safe haven for vulnerable children. The staff charged with ensuring that pupils are safe, secure and well behaved are more than willing to go the extra mile so that pupils are able to learn.
• Leaders have reviewed systems for monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning. However, these systems are not yet robust enough to analyse the progress that groups of pupils are making towards their learning targets. The information is not yet accurate, or reviewed often enough.
• Leaders make effective use of more experienced teachers by teaming them with less-experienced staff members to improve their classroom skills. Booklets of good-quality pieces of work are shared with staff so they know what to do to raise their expectations of pupils.
• A range of strategies are in place to help pupils overcome some of the challenges that get in the way of learning such as the decision to provide much smaller classes to cater for vulnerable groups in lower key stage 2. This means that adults can help them to learn more effectively.
• The use of pupil premium funding is now making a real difference to outcomes. Sports funding, too, is used effectively to promote pupils’ enjoyment of, and participation in, physical activity. The use of external coaches is helping to broaden pupils’ experience of different types of physical activity. This gives all pupils a chance to compete and keep fit and active.
• Pupils are taught all the subjects specified in the primary national curriculum. However, opportunities for them to develop skills in subjects such as history, geography, art and design and technology are not planned as effectively as in English and mathematics.
• Despite this weakness, the curriculum is much livelier than it was due to the wide range of enrichment opportunities now on offer. Visits outside school coupled with visitors and themed assemblies are strengthening pupils’ enjoyment of school. For example, pupils were posed the question in assembly: ‘why do we wear poppies?’, which encouraged them to reflect upon the meaning of Armistice Day.
• Pupils are gaining the skills, values and attributes to make a positive contribution to modern society. Their understanding of British values is promoted well. Pupils know about other cultures and different faiths such as Hinduism and Judaism and visit their places of worship. Their awareness and understanding is underpinned further through a timetable of assemblies, resulting in classroom work displayed on the ‘theme of the week’ board.

Governance of the school

• The restructured governing body is working smartly because governors know their roles and they are equipped to fulfil their responsibilities. Consequently, governors know what to ask about teaching and pupils’ achievement and they understand the answers that leaders provide.
• The chair of the governing body holds regular monthly meetings with the acting head teacher to ensure he has a working knowledge of what is happening in school on a week-to-week basis. He shares this information with the full governing body so that everyone is kept informed.
• Governors are working on a review of all policies to make sure they are fully up to date and relevant for the school. They also check the website regularly to make sure all statutory information is made available to parents.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Staff and pupils know who to turn to if they have a problem or a concern. The safeguarding lead holds meetings to share information with other professionals when appropriate. These ensure that early help is put into place promptly. In a pupil meeting one child said ‘We know we’re safe here’, summing up the views of others
• School records show that any worries are followed through thoroughly. Good use is made of external services to support vulnerable pupils and their families.
• All staff have been made aware of how to spot early warnings of child abuse.
• The child protection and parent liaison support adviser has training and experience that equips them to play a vital role in ensuring that there is a culture of safeguarding.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Although improving, pupils’ learning remains uneven across classes, year groups and subjects. In some classes children are flourishing but in others they make slower progress. This links directly to the frequent absence of teachers and teaching assistants on one hand and a lack of experience in other staff, particularly in key stage 1.
• Pupils’ books shows that learning is not at its best when activities lack structure or fail to build on what pupils already know and can do. For example, a child was asked to multiply 6 x 6 and misheard. She worked out 60 x 60 with ease, but the lack of challenge for the pupil was not picked up. In English, work for six different learning groups can have the same outcomes. Some able pupils chose not to improve their writing, for example, as they are not asked to do so.
• In some classes, extra adults work in close partnership with teachers to make sure that all pupils can learn effectively. In others, they do not make enough difference because they are unsure of how to teach a particular topic effectively.
• The teaching of English is on a journey. It is improving, but still has a way to go to ensure that pupils are competent at writing, spelling, punctuation and grammar. There are missed opportunities for reinforcing pupils’ writing skills across subjects other than English.
• The teaching of mathematics now ensures that pupils are starting to make links between mathematical concepts and are learning by solving problems.
• In contrast, the teaching of phonics is not helping some children to read fluently. The use of phonics to decode words is beginning in Years 1, 2 and 3. However, not all pupils accurately break down and build up words according to sounds.
• Questions about the texts do not allow pupils to use inference in their answers. Tasks for able pupils are too often undemanding and slow their rates of progress.
• Most teachers support pupils’ learning well through the productive and warm relationships they foster. Teachers’ good use of humour and praise paves the way for pupils’ positive attitudes to learning. Pupils are increasingly keen to throw themselves into their learning, because most teachers strive to make activities fun and relevant.
• Teachers reflect regularly on how their pupils are doing but their frequent rearrangement of pupil groups leads to wasted time for some pupils.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Children take pride in their school and are keen to contribute towards its success. They take their responsibilities seriously, particularly the many ambassadors and school councillors, who work with staff, pupils and the wider community to bring about change. They set a strong example of how to treat others and be valuable citizens. Pupils are eager to share their ideas because they have a voice in school. Their views count and their suggestions are acted upon to make school a happy place.
• Different groups of pupils say that they feel safe. Incidents of bullying are rare and are dealt with very quickly on those occasions when it is reported. Pupils recognise that everyone is different but equal. They understand that unkind remarks about skin colour, sexuality, faith or learning difficulties can cause harm. Incidents of racist and homophobic language are a rarity.
• There is real emphasis by all staff on being healthy, exercising and eating the right foods. An allotment has been established with a little orchard that is building pupils’ skills in ‘grow it’ activities. Parents and others from the wider community are actively involved with this project, as they are with the recently established whole-school outdoor learning project.
• Breakfast club is a huge success, with 45 pupils able to get to school early to eat a healthy breakfast and play games until the start of the school day, when they are ready to learn.
• Those pupils who feel as if they need a safe haven receive effective support, including through their visits to the ‘enchanted forest’ room.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. It is improving strongly because of the care and support from those adults who have responsibility for pupils’ social and emotional needs. Pupils speak highly of the staff support they receive. They report that it helps them to solve problems both in school and at home.
• Most pupils behave well in lessons and around school. They try to do their best, listen attentively, follow instructions and take pride in the school.
• Pupils agree that behaviour is improving. They think it is mostly good, and say, ‘There are some arguments, but the buddies solve it.’ They respond well to new behaviour initiatives in classrooms that result in golden time and activities and treats. Pupils feel that the systems are fair and understand the behaviour that is expected in school.
• Recent improvements have led to raised attendance. Several classes are now achieving weekly attendance of 100%, much celebrated in assemblies and on the school’s website. The overall attendance and persistent absence of disadvantaged pupils continues to be below average.
• Almost all of the parents who shared their views agree that pupils are safe and behave well, and that bullying is dealt with effectively.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Pupils’ books and the school’s data show that pupils’ achievement is moving in the right direction and strengthening over time. Higher standards than previously in mathematics and reading at key stage 2 are a positive indication that Moston Fields is improving.
• Disadvantaged children make better progress than non-disadvantaged, which is a testament to the way that pupil premium funding is spent. However, most-able pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, are not yet making enough progress from their starting points.
• In key stage 2, standards are rising in mathematics, reading and writing because pupils are making better progress than they did in the past.
• This is not the case in key stage 1, where attainment over three years shows a decline, including in phonics.
• Pupils’ outcomes are not yet good because gaps remain between certain groups and pupils’ achievement in other subjects is patchy. Moreover, weaker teaching in the past means that as the pupils get older, teachers are having to ensure that pupils make more rapid progress from their starting points.
• Pupils’ learning across subjects other than English and mathematics is uneven. Pupils blossom in some areas. Frequent opportunities for pupils to participate in learning a musical instrument and sport are helping them to gain a broader range of skills and excel in different areas.
• Some pupils are struggling to meet the standards for writing because of weaknesses in handwriting, grammar, spelling and punctuation. Teachers are working hard to address these across all classes and their shared focus is starting pay dividends.
• The school recognises that pupils’ phonics development has not been strong enough. Staff are working to accelerate Year 1 pupils’ reading development and there are signs of improvement. Phonics teaching in key stage 2 boosts pupils’ skills. Nurture-group staff teach phonics in an engaging way that keeps pupils focused on the activities.
• Too little attention on the needs of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities in the past left this group floundering and their progress was not good enough. This is now being tackled and these pupils are making stronger progress.
• Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and those pupils who speak English as an additional language make strong progress and often surpass the standards gained by their White British classmates.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• The numbers of temporary staff in early years has a detrimental effect on how children learn. As a result, the important bonds that are built between adults and children every day do not get the chance to form. Some adults do not know which activities the children should be directed to as it is not clear what they need to learn next.
• Provision in the outdoor area is not as engaging and well planned as it is for reading, writing and mathematics in the classrooms.
• Pupils sometimes lack guidance on tasks in Nursery and wander around aimlessly.
• There is mixed success with the teaching of a phonics. When the teaching of letters and sounds is planned for children at specific stages of development, it is successful and they make good progress. However, where the matching of teaching to needs is not as carefully considered, progress stalls.
• New systems to gather information about children’s progress are used effectively some of the time to identify next steps for each individual. In Reception, clear records show the steps that children are taking and how their skills are developing. The records kept in Nursery are of a lower quality and are not annotated, so it difficult to see how the pupils are progressing.
• The early years offers a safe environment, both indoors and outdoors.
• Parents are very happy with the improved communication from school. They are pleased to be invited in, to work with their children for ‘phonics bingo’ and homework club. These activities are building positive learning partnerships with parents but do not give parents the advice they need on how to develop their children’s early phonics skills.
• A large proportion of children who enter the Nursery have weaker skills and knowledge in language and communication than are usually expected for their age. Over the last three years, there has been a rising number of pupils achieving a good level of development at the end of Reception Year. In 2016, the proportion of children gaining a good level of development surpassed the national average.
• Early years staff also welcome parents to speak with them at the start of the day if there are issues they wish to discuss. As a result, parents feel listened to.
• Children are polite to adults and show respect for each other. Children follow instruction and play and work well together.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 105427 Manchester 10019797 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 Maintained 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 378 Appropriate authority Local authority Chair Acting Head teacher John Hayes Nicki White Telephone number 0161 681 1801 Website Email address www.mostonfieldsprimaryschool.co.uk head@mostonfields.manchester.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 12–13 November 2014

Information about this school

• This is a larger than average-sized primary school
• The proportion of pupils from different minority ethnic backgrounds is above average, as is the number of children who speak English as an additional language
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average
• The proportion of pupils who receive support through the pupil premium funding is above average.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards. These are the minimum standards and rates of progress expected in reading, writing and mathematics of pupils in key stage 2.
• Since the previous inspection, there have been considerable staffing changes. A new acting headteacher took up post in January 2016. The acting deputy headteacher took up his role at the same time.
• A new headteacher, with a proven record of success, will be taking up her substantive post in January 2016.
• The school meets the requirements for publishing information on its website.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited each classroom to observe teaching and pupils’ learning. Three of these lesson observations were carried out with the senior leaders.
• Inspectors observed and spoke to pupils during lessons and at play. They met formally with five groups of pupils, and heard pupils of different abilities read.
• Meetings were held with staff, phase and subject leaders, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.
• The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documentation, including arrangements for safeguarding. They took account of school information about pupils’ outcomes and scrutinised pupils’ books.
• Inspectors spoke informally to a small group of parents at the start of the day. They also considered the 11 free-text comments and the single pupil response to Ofsted’s online questionnaire.

Inspection team

Maggie Parker, lead inspector Ann Dimeck Jeremy Barnes Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector