Morton Primary School, located in Alfreton, Derbyshire, underwent an inspection on December 6 and 7, 2022. The overall effectiveness of the school was rated as requiring improvement, with specific areas such as the quality of education and leadership and management also needing enhancement. However, the school demonstrated good performance in behavior and attitudes, personal development, and early years provision. This marked a significant improvement from the previous inspection, which rated the school as inadequate.
The school environment is described as happy, with pupils arriving each day with positive attitudes towards their learning. They leave school feeling accomplished after working hard. The pupils exhibit excellent manners, showing respect to their teachers and peers. The school's behavior system, known as good to be green, effectively motivates students to maintain good behavior, and they feel secure from bullying, confident that staff will address any concerns.
Leaders and staff have shown determination to improve the school, taking many positive actions and prioritizing the right areas for development. Despite the heavy workload associated with these improvements, leaders have been mindful of staff well-being, which has fostered appreciation among the staff for the strong leadership. Parental support for the school is high, with parents valuing the care their children receive.
The curriculum at Morton Primary School covers a broad range of subjects, with plans in place for all areas. However, while some subjects like mathematics and phonics are well-structured, many other curriculum plans lack clarity and precision regarding essential knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember. This has resulted in difficulties for teachers in delivering the curriculum effectively, leading to gaps in pupils' retention of knowledge. For instance, in religious education, pupils struggle to differentiate between the beliefs of different faiths.
The school is committed to supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), with staff receiving training to better identify and meet these needs. However, the plans for these pupils are often too general, lacking the specificity required to provide tailored support.
Pupils enjoy reading, with early years classes incorporating story times that engage children and foster a love for storytelling. Phonics lessons are introduced early, and assessments are used effectively to ensure pupils receive the necessary support to keep pace with their peers.
Morton Primary School emphasizes preparing pupils for life in modern Britain, teaching them about democracy and tolerance. Older students engage in discussions about current events and take on responsibilities through roles such as mini leaders during lunchtime activities.
The governing body has experienced changes since the last inspection, and while they fulfill their statutory duties, they recognize the need to challenge school leaders more effectively to gain an accurate understanding of the school's performance.
The safeguarding arrangements at Morton Primary School are effective, with a strong culture of safeguarding in place. Staff are trained to recognize and report concerns, ensuring that pupils are kept safe and supported.
To improve further, the school must focus on refining its curriculum design to ensure that key knowledge is clearly identified and sequenced. Additionally, the governing body should enhance its oversight and challenge of school leaders to ensure that the right decisions are being made for the benefit of the pupils. Finally, support for pupils with SEND should be more precisely tailored to meet their individual needs, enabling them to access the full curriculum and achieve their potential.
