Moor Green Primary Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Increase overall attendance rates to at least the national average. Continue working with families to make sure that their children attend school regularly and on time.
• Improve pupils’ punctuality at the start of the school day by gauging which actions to take that will have the most impact on reducing lateness.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• Senior and middle leaders are very ambitious for the pupils and the Moor Green community. Leaders use their detailed knowledge of pupils to ensure that pupils make strong progress. For example, the leader responsible for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) – together with the pastoral team – ensures that pupils are happy and feel safe in school. As a result, they are ready for learning and learn well.
• The school’s excellent leadership of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding ensures that pupils in each year group progress well in their learning about tolerance and diversity. The school is a harmonious community and pupils have a very secure understanding of what it is like to live in a multicultural society. This means that pupils are well prepared for their future lives when they leave Moor Green.
• Senior leaders have thought carefully about the rationale for their curriculum and understand the importance of pupils acquiring early language skills and knowledge. As a result, pupils benefit from time spent developing their speaking and listening, reading and writing skills across a wide range of subjects. Such work links directly with the school’s statement of intent – ‘Enriching lives, unlocking potential’.
• Senior leaders and – more recently – middle leaders provide very effective support for teachers and teaching assistants. Staff new to the school – including newly qualified teachers – are inducted well. They quickly grasp the teaching approaches that pupils are familiar with. This results in pupils not losing time in their learning. Staff morale is high.
• Parents are very supportive of the school. Their positive comments include recognition of how the school values and develops links in the community. Parents are encouraged to engage with and celebrate their children’s learning. For example, parents attend ‘fabulous finishes’ events at the end of topics, where pupils show their parents what they have learned and achieved. As a result, parents understand the importance of their contribution to their children’s learning.
• Senior leaders ensure that new leaders – notably subject leaders – are well supported. Subject leaders for English and mathematics have been appointed since the last inspection. They are having a notable impact on both teaching and pupils’ progress. Senior leaders have helped them develop the forensic skills needed to analyse and evaluate pupils’ work and progress.
• There is strong capacity for the school to improve further. This is because other leaders are also very effective. For example, the leader with responsibility for the wider curriculum checks that pupils are applying their core reading and writing skills accurately in other subjects. Leaders recognise the importance of pupils being able to use skills in different contexts. The trust’s regional directors provide effective support and challenge for all leaders.
• Leaders use the primary school physical education (PE) and sport funding well to improve pupils’ participation rates in high-quality PE sessions, broaden the range of competitive activities and develop staff teaching skills. The money has been used to fund partnerships with local organisations and to employ a sports coach. Leaders have ensured that the range of extra-curricular activities has broadened. There is good evidence of individual and collective success. For example, pupils have represented their school and been very competitive at hockey and athletics events.
• Leaders are aware of the need to improve pupils’ overall attendance rates further. They have amended and refined the strategies adopted to communicate better with families whose children do not attend school regularly. These measures are improving attendance. Leaders do not use their analysis of punctuality information at the start of the school day to inform subsequent actions.

Governance of the school

• Governance is effective. Members of the governing board have a broad range of skills and experience. They listen to the views of parents and use this to inform their work with leaders.
• Governors ensure that all statutory duties are met. They hold senior leaders to account well. Senior leaders and regional directors provide governors with helpful information. This enables governors to question leaders and check how well the school is performing.
• Governors reflect on information about the progress of disadvantaged pupils to help evaluate how well leaders use pupil premium funding. Funding is used to employ additional staff, which enables disadvantaged pupils to receive more attention in lessons. As a result, this group of pupils make strong progress.
• Individual governors are linked with school leaders. Written notes are recorded following visits to school. These are shared with other governors. This work enables governors to gain a good understanding of the quality of teaching.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. There is a vigilant safeguarding culture at the school. All staff – including those working in the breakfast club – use their training to check that pupils are safe from harm. If pupils are absent, staff check with parents the whereabouts of these pupils.
• Staff use the school’s recording system to log any concerns. These are acted on by safeguarding leaders effectively.
• Leaders and staff have a secure knowledge of families and their needs. There are established partnerships with local organisations, such as family support services. When required, these help the school’s work with parents.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• Staff have created learning environments which are enriched with language resources such as displays. Teachers plan activities that allow pupils to practise their language skills. The effective environments and activities enable pupils to acquire a wide vocabulary and develop age-related – or better – grammar skills.
• Reading is taught extremely well. Reading comprehension activities in key stage 2 complement the excellent phonics teaching in the early years and key stage 1. Teachers use their knowledge of pupils’ current understanding to plan lessons which enable pupils to build securely on previously taught skills. As a result, pupils in all year groups make strong progress in reading.
• Teaching assistants are deployed purposefully and effectively in classrooms and with groups of pupils. There is seamless teaching between teachers and teaching assistants, with adults in either role capable of teaching different groups effectively. This enables them to move between groups of pupils and very little time is lost in lessons as pupils respond equally well to both adult roles.
• Teachers ensure that the school’s curriculum rationale underpins their work. Teachers provide pupils with opportunities to develop skills – in both core and foundation subjects – in different environments. For example, pupils apply writing, mathematical and scientific skills in outdoor areas, including in the local forest school.
• Teachers and teaching assistants have secure knowledge of subjects they are teaching and of the pupils they are working with. They use this to pose thought-provoking questions which challenge pupils’ thinking well. For example, in Year 6, staff heard initial responses from pupils and then asked probing questions which required pupils to justify their thinking. Staff are able to identify pupils’ misconceptions or misunderstandings and then support pupils accordingly.
• Disadvantaged pupils are taught well and continue to make strong progress in the core subjects and across the curriculum. Teachers tailor their teaching to address pupils’ learning needs. Pupils with high prior attainment are challenged well by having to think hard about the texts they are reading.
• Teachers have high expectations of all groups of pupils and challenge them effectively. Pupils in the same class often have the same learning objective but are supported in different ways to develop better understanding.
• In lessons, staff pick up on pupils’ current understanding and give immediate feedback
  • oral and written – about their learning. Pupils then adjust their work accordingly. For example, a group of very able mathematicians in Year 5 either stopped their written work and listened to further teacher explanation or continued to work independently.
• Pupils admitted to the school part way through a key stage are taught very well. This is because teachers ensure that pupils’ initial needs are met, notably in language acquisition. Subsequent teaching is flexible, with pupils moving between groups according to their developing needs.
• The teaching of pupils with SEND – notably those with complex learning and sometimes associated medical needs – is very effective. Staff work well with external agencies – such as speech and language therapy – and the leader for this group of pupils. Staff adjust their work with individual pupils effectively.
• One aim of homework is for pupils to consolidate the learning they acquire in school. Tasks are given which require pupils to practise core skills such as reading and number calculation work. Wider curriculum activities are also given, with families having a menu of activities to choose from. The result is classrooms containing a range of work including – for example – model Tudor houses and fact files of historical events.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to support pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Parents are – rightly – very positive about the school’s pastoral work. Parents commented on how they value staff finding time to listen and support their children when required. They talk about staff ‘going the extra mile’.
• The care and welfare for the most vulnerable pupils are very effective. Leaders, classroom and pastoral staff all contribute well to pupils’ personal development. Teaching helps pupils to appreciate difference and celebrate diversity. Pupils respect each other’s views and get on well with each other.
• Teaching encourages pupils to express their own views. Pupils refine their own thinking by discussing the views of others. As a result, pupils develop a healthy awareness of the world around them and become confident learners.
• Pupils’ emotional well-being is central to the work of the school. This is due to effective work by leaders and staff. Pupils are able to learn well in lessons, as they feel happy and secure in school. Pupils’ physical development is well supported by the effective use of the sport funding.
• Pupils have a good knowledge of how to keep safe. This includes being aware of potential dangers when learning and playing online. Computing lessons are used well to illustrate potential dangers and to teach pupils how best to manage these risks.
• Pupils understand what bullying means and are able to distinguish between poor and bullying behaviour. Bullying is very rare in school. During the inspection, there was no evidence of discrimination.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils show positive attitudes in their learning. They are encouraged to reflect on what they have learned and how to improve. Pupils use this time well, showing high degrees of self-discipline. This contributes well to their development in becoming successful learners.
• Pupils are keen to engage and work hard in lessons. They understand the importance of listening to and respecting each other’s views. This illustrates the school’s effective provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
• Pupils conduct themselves well in lessons and around the school. In the breakfast club, pupils display the same conduct as they do in lessons. Parents and staff express very positive views about pupils’ behaviour.
• Persistent absence rates have reduced this year. This is owing to the pastoral team’s supportive and challenging work with parents. Attendance remains below the national average but is improving.
• Pupils’ punctuality at the start of the day is improving. Staff keep records of pupils who arrive late for school in terms of different classes and groups of pupils. This is helping some pupils to arrive at school on time and improve their punctuality overall. However, leaders do not evaluate the information they keep about punctuality to gauge which measures are having the most impact.

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

• Since 2016, pupils’ progress has improved significantly. This rapid improvement has continued through to this inspection. Excellent provision in the early years ensures that children develop early reading skills which support them well in their future learning. Pupils continue to make strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics and in foundation subjects through key stages 1 and 2.
• Pupils attain well in terms of standards expected at the end of key stages 1 and 2. The published figures are adversely affected by the high mobility of pupils during each key stage.
• Pupils with different abilities make equally strong progress. Staff ensure that they understand pupils’ barriers to learning, which informs their planning. Large pupil groups – such as those who speak English as an additional language – include learners with a range of different abilities. Staff ensure that they focus on pupils’ ability to learn when they evaluate how well pupils are progressing.
• Over the past three years, disadvantaged pupils have made strong progress. This has been most notable through key stage 2. This year, disadvantaged pupils – including those who are particularly able – are making similar rates of progress to pupils nationally who are not disadvantaged.
• Mobility is high. This means that a number of pupils join the school part way through different year groups. Many of these new arrivals do not speak English or have very little knowledge of the language. These pupils waste no time in acquiring important English language skills which enable them to learn and to enjoy the wider curriculum. As a result, this group of pupils makes rapid progress. However, this group does not always reach age-related standards as some pupils are not in school long enough.
• Pupils develop early reading and phonics skills well. Last year, a greater proportion of pupils reached the required standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check when compared with the national average. This year – because of effective teaching – pupils are making strong progress, both through the early years and key stage 1.
• Pupils who have been at the school for at least the past two years have benefited from effective teaching. Pupils develop reading, writing and mathematical skills very well. This progression is evident in their workbooks. As a result, these pupils are well prepared for moving on to their secondary schools in terms of their acquisition of skills in the core subjects and across the wider curriculum.
• Strong progress in reading and writing enables pupils to access more complex material in different foundation subjects. In a key stage 2 topic about tsunamis, for example, pupils were required to interpret challenging texts. They then had to write about their ideas. They conveyed their views accurately and coherently to the reader.
• Pupils make strong progress in their mathematical understanding. They receive work which requires them to select different calculation strategies in order to solve problems. They are also required to explain their choice of strategies, for example when working with fractions.
• There are effective processes in place to track the progress of pupils with SEND. These pupils make strong progress, often from very low starting points.

Early years provision Outstanding

• Leaders have developed very effective teaching in the early years. They are ambitious and show this by expecting all children to make rapid progress. Leaders ensure that all staff identify skills, as well as barriers to learning. Subsequent activities are designed to enable children to build on specific strengths and interests.
• The indoor and outdoor environments support children well, notably in early language development. Staff constantly require children to select their own resources. They then question the children about choices they have made. Staff use clear language which supports children well in acquiring speaking and listening skills. For example, in a Reception class, staff repeated comments made by a child and amended these to improve grammatical accuracy.
• Children are encouraged and enabled to use their imagination and curiosity in their learning and play. They make good use of the wide range of practical resources available. For example, they use large blocks and sheets of paper to help replicate what can be seen when walking down a local road.
• The quality of teaching is very high. Children develop skills across the full range of the curriculum. Staff take every opportunity to help. During a snack time, staff facilitated a dialogue among the children, using accurately formed sentences.
• Progress from the start of this academic year for all groups of children is substantial in Reception. This includes children who are disadvantaged. This has been the case for the past two years. Children are well prepared for their learning in Year 1.
• The recently established Nursery complements Reception well. The children in the Nursery are learning to become independent. Their language is improving very well, and they are becoming confident and articulate learners. This prepares Nursery-aged children very well for the next stage of their education in the Reception Year. Leaders have ensured that all staff are clear about how to support the youngest children when they first arrive.
• Evidence from the work Reception children were doing at the start of the school year shows that they have grasped basic concepts and made strong progress in their first term. This continues through the year as the large majority reach a good level of development by the time they start Year 1.
• Assessment of children’s progress is frequent and thorough. All staff contribute to the staff team’s understanding of each child’s progress. Staff share and discuss examples of children’s learning with other staff from both the trust and local schools. This helps to ensure that their assessments are accurate.
• Parents engage well with staff as soon as their children enter the school. They talk about the nurturing environment, which they value. Here, staff ensure that safeguarding is effective. They engage with external services as and when required. Children’s personal development is also well supported throughout the early years.

Inspection report: Moor Green Primary Academy, 9–10 January 2019

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School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 139000 Birmingham 10058482 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 355 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Executive headteacher Sean Russell Nicola Fisher Telephone number 0121 464 5662 Website Email address www.moorgreenprimary.co.uk enquiry@moorgreenacademy.org Date of previous inspection 19 October 2016

Information about this school

• The school is above average in size compared with other primary schools.
• The school joined the REAch2 Academy Trust in September 2015.
• Almost 80% of pupils are from minority ethnic groups. The group with the largest proportion of pupils is Pakistani.
• Over half of the pupils speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils supported by funding through the pupil premium is above average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is below average.
• Mobility is well above average. Many of the pupils joining the school at nonstandard times speak little or no English.
• The early years is made up of two part-time Nursery classes for three-year-old children and two full-time Reception classes for four- and five-year-olds. The school’s Nursery provision began in September 2018.
• The school provides a breakfast club for pupils.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in every year group. They visited 20 lessons, four of which were observed jointly with senior and other leaders.
• Meetings were held with pupils, staff, the chair of the governing body and other governors and also representatives of the academy trust.
• Inspectors met frequently with the executive headteacher and head of school.
• Inspectors talked to pupils about their reading. They listened to higher- and lower- ability pupils read.
• Inspectors examined work in pupils’ books from a range of subjects.
• The school’s child protection and safeguarding procedures were scrutinised.
• Inspectors looked at a range of documentation written to support school improvement. This included minutes of governors’ meetings and attendance information.
• Inspectors took account of 54 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. They spoke with parents at the start of – and during – the school day. Inspectors also took account of 27 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.
• Inspectors reviewed the school’s website.

Inspection team

Jeremy Bird, lead inspector Tracy Stone Tina Willmott

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector