Inside borough's first school rated exceptional

"Our school really takes us to places beyond our dreams," said pupil Remi of her school.

She was recalling a visit to London's Royal Ballet and Opera House, one of many experiences she said she never imagined having when she first arrived at Moat Farm Junior School in Oldbury.

Her enthusiasm helps explain why the school has become the first in the Sandwell borough to be graded "exceptional" for behaviour and attendance under Ofsted's new inspection framework.

Only 0.2% of schools nationally have received the grade, according to leaders at Moat Farm.

The school, which is part of the Stour Vale Academy Trust, was also rated "strong" in every other area inspectors looked at.

For a borough that has spent decades trying to improve educational outcomes, the accolade is another sign of how far Sandwell's schools have come.

Co-headteacher Elizabeth Shaw said the grade reflected the efforts of the entire school community.

"We are exceptionally proud of the outcomes that we received," she said.

"We have really hard-working staff and a wonderful community where our pupils strive to do their best and engage in their learning day-to-day, passionately wanting to learn more in school."

Attendance remains a challenge for schools across England, but at Moat Farm pupils know exactly what they are aiming for - 97%.

Leaders said the secret was not complicated, they wanted to create a school where children felt safe, valued and excited about learning, making them more likely to want to come through the gates each morning.

Inspectors noted that pupils "relish their learning", focus well in lessons and explain their thinking with clarity.

The school said it worked closely with families when attendance began to slip, identifying issues ranging from health concerns to wider challenges at home.

Pastoral staff and education welfare teams help break down barriers that might prevent children from attending regularly - an approach that has attracted national recognition.

The Ofsted inspection focused on behaviour and attendance, but those are only part of the story.

Inspectors found pupils were eager to take part in lessons, able to explain their thinking and developing the confidence to work independently.

Trips, visitors and enrichment activities are not seen as an added extra, but as part of everyday school life.

Pupil Max said some of his favourite memories involved residential visits and school trips.

"We have loads of trips," he said. "And all the friendships that we've made - I hope they last forever."

Another pupil, Inara, highlighted the school's leadership opportunities. As a member of the Eco Team, she helped create an environmental project that reached schools overseas.

"We actually got a response back from a school in India," she said. "They said they were going to save more energy, have more trees and recycle more.

"If you're in school a lot, then you get lots of opportunities."

The school places a strong focus on supporting disadvantaged pupils and children with special educational needs and disabilities.

"We know our community well," Scotney said.

"We know what our community needs and we make sure children have everything they need to thrive, whether that's emotionally or academically."

For much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Sandwell struggled with poor results, ageing school buildings and government intervention.

Ambitious rebuilding plans suffered a major setback in 2010 when Sandwell lost about £190m in Building Schools for the Future funding after the programme was scrapped by the coalition government.

Yet education leaders argue the progress made since shows that school improvement is about much more than buildings alone.

According to Sandwell Council, about 80% of schools in the borough were rated good or outstanding under Ofsted's previous inspection regime - a far cry from the challenges that once defined the area's education system.

Back at Moat Farm, pupils are unlikely to be thinking about inspection frameworks or report cards.

They are more likely to be looking forward to the next residential trip, Eco Team project, Attendance Cup, football match or after-school club.

Behaviour and attendance earned the headlines, but the report paints a wider picture - of a school determined to broaden horizons, raise aspirations and give children experiences they might never otherwise have had.

In a borough that has spent decades improving educational outcomes, that may be the strongest endorsement of all.

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