Morningside Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Morningside Primary School continues to be an outstanding school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very proud of their school. They enjoy school enormously. This is because the school provides a highly effective curriculum, which gives pupils the knowledge and experiences they need to succeed and achieve well.

Pupils work hard to live by the values of the school. They are incredibly polite and caring towards each other. Pupils' behaviour is impeccable in lessons and when moving around the school.

This is because staff have high expectations of them, which start in the two-year-old provision. Pupils have positive, respectful working relationships with adult...s. Pupils know that staff will listen to them and quickly sort out any problems that might arise.

This means they feel happy and safe.

Pupils take on positions of responsibility. This includes acting as well-being ambassadors and members of the sustainability squad.

Well-being ambassadors are valued by their classmates because they help them to share their feelings.

The school values pupils' opinions. Pupils are given frequent opportunities to debate and consider the views of others.

For example, pupils debated whether litter is Hackney's biggest issue. They wrote letters to the Mayor of London expressing their views. These experiences help pupils to develop their own ideas and share their opinions.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The curriculum is ambitious and has been structured effectively. The school has identified the important knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need to secure and remember. They have also decided the order concepts should be taught in from the two-year-old provision to Year 6.

For example, pupils in Year 2 confidently order multiples of 10 on a number line because they have previously been taught the value of each digit. Adults in the nursery effectively reinforce mathematical language, such as 'empty, full', and 'more', when helping children pour water into different sized containers. This supports children's early mathematical skills.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They explain new content clearly. Teachers regularly check what pupils know and remember and correct misconceptions quickly.

As a result, pupils link what they have learned before to their current learning.

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Staff teach children to read as soon as they join Reception.

This is because they want every child to read fluently and without delay. Staff read to pupils daily. Pupils visit the school library and their local library regularly.

These experiences develop a love for reading. Children in the early years learn songs and action rhymes, which they perform with enthusiasm.

Pupils read books that are closely matched to the letters and sounds that they know.

They read with increasing fluency and confidence. Staff are well trained in the teaching of phonics. They check the sounds that pupils know regularly.

Pupils who find reading difficult are swiftly given the help they need to keep up.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are effectively and accurately identified. Staff adapt their teaching and resources well, so that these pupils can access the curriculum successfully.

This means that pupils with SEND achieve well.

Pupils' behaviour is exceptional. They show excellent attitudes to their learning.

Consequently, learning is not interrupted by any silly behaviour. Pupils manage their emotions well. They explain how mindful breathing techniques help them to regulate their feelings.

Leaders do all they can to encourage good attendance.

Leaders think carefully about the wider curriculum offer. For example, pupils are taught singing across the school, starting in Nursery.

This is because leaders value the 'voice' of all pupils. Weekly singing assemblies promote 'togetherness'. Pupils sing in unison with musicality, control and expression.

The curriculum is effectively enhanced by a range of trips, visiting speakers and after-school activities. Leaders ensure that all pupils who wish to join a club can do so.

Personal, social, health and economic education is well structured.

Leaders aim for pupils to become responsible, kind citizens. Pupils are taught about the importance of respect and the rule of law. They are taught about healthy and unhealthy relationships and consent in an age-appropriate manner.

Pupils have been taught that families may look different. They explain with clarity that the most important aspect of a family is that they love and care for each other. Pupils are given opportunities to improve their world.

For example, the sustainability squad invite families to donate and swap household items to save money and build enthusiasm around sustainable living.

Leaders have created a very caring, happy environment for both pupils and staff. Staff are proud of the school and value the support they receive from leaders to fulfil their roles.

Leaders ensure that teachers' workload is manageable, and that staff and pupil well-being are a priority.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in June 2017.

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