Oak Hill Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Accelerate the progress of the most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, in mathematics by:
  • ensuring that all teachers provide the most able pupils with challenging learning opportunities to match their abilities
  • analysing the progress of these pupils more robustly and putting in place timely and appropriate support.
• Improve pupils‟ progress in foundation subjects by ensuring that subject leaders in these subjects sharply evaluate the impact of their work on pupils‟ learning.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The newly appointed principal, together with the executive principal, are sharply focusing on checking the progress that different groups of pupils are making in reading, writing and mathematics. Most teachers are using assessment information more carefully, to plan learning that matches pupils‟ needs. As a result, the majority of pupils are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.
• The curriculum is interwoven with interesting and challenging opportunities, developing pupils‟ understanding of the wider world. Pupils‟ horizons are broadened through stimulating and interesting visits. Displays indicate the rich and diverse learning opportunities pupils experience across the curriculum. British values are embedded within the curriculum. For example, Year 6 pupils study second world war heroes, and gain an understanding of democracy and individual liberty.
• The primary school physical education (PE) and sport funding is well spent. Specialist coaches provide high-quality continued professional development for staff. Pupils benefit from a wide range of sporting clubs, including tag rugby, tennis, cheerleading and athletics. Pupils participate in competitive sport within the school, as well as across the local authority. As a result, more pupils are participating in sporting activities.
• The effective programme of professional development has been key to improvement. Teachers and teaching assistants have access to high-quality training that helps them to improve their knowledge and skills. Teachers who are starting off their career value the training and support that leaders offer and are using this training to develop their skills. Middle leaders drive forward improvements in mathematics and English. They are committed to ensuring that pupils make good progress in these subjects. Consequently, pupils‟ progress in reading, writing and mathematics is improving quickly.
• Pupils‟ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is well catered for. Leaders have created a culture of community within the school, resulting in pupils learning to value individuality and to consider the needs of others. Pupils‟ decisions influence the school‟s areas for improvement. For example, the pupils‟ prime minister and deputy prime minister meet with governors regularly to give their views on whole-school matters.
• The majority of parents are supportive of the school and positive about the education and support their children receive. Parents appreciate the open approach of leaders and staff. In particular, parents value seeing teachers on the playground in the morning, and being able to contact teachers via email.
• Leaders agree that in subjects other than reading, writing, mathematics and science, teachers do not rigorously track pupils‟ progress. Consequently, pupils‟ progress in the wider curriculum is inconsistent.
• The pupil premium grant is used effectively. The progress that most disadvantaged pupils make is increasing in reading, writing and mathematics. However, the most able disadvantaged pupils do not make as much progress as they are capable of in mathematics.
• Leaders have identified that the current mathematics resources being used by teachers do not sufficiently challenge the most able mathematicians across the school. Consequently, the progress of the most able mathematicians is also slow.

Governance of the school

• Governors fulfil their statutory duties effectively, including those related to safeguarding. They regularly monitor the single central record to ensure that staff are checked in line with the latest guidance. All governors have completed „Prevent‟ training, and this contributes to the vigilant safeguarding culture.
• Governors, together with the officers from the Aspirations Trust, undertake regular learning walks and meet with pupils and staff as well as with subject leaders. As a result, governors have a clear view of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.
• Governors ask challenging questions and hold leaders to account.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Procedures for identifying and reporting concerns are robust. Members of staff are provided with training on the latest safeguarding guidance, including the prevention of radicalisation and extremism. Staff use this training effectively to identify early warning signs. They know what to do to make sure that a vulnerable pupil receives early help.
• Leaders ensure that secure systems are in place to keep pupils safe. Hence, staff feel confident about what to do if they need to raise a concern. Leaders are tenacious in following up referrals to external agencies.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers use their secure subject knowledge in English and mathematics to plan engaging activities that capture pupils‟ interests. As a result, most pupils make strong gains in their knowledge, understanding and skills in these subjects.
• Pupils have a wide range of opportunities to develop their writing skills. They receive prompt and skilful guidance, allowing them to correct their mistakes and improve upon their next piece of work. Pupils are becoming more proficient in assessing and improving their own work. This is why pupils make good progress in writing over time from their different starting points, with many pupils reaching the higher standard of writing at the end of key stage 2.
• Additional adults make a positive contribution to the progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work closely with teachers and senior leaders to pinpoint exactly what each pupil needs to concentrate on to make good progress. Pupils are encouraged to persevere even when the learning is difficult.
• Relationships between teachers and pupils are strong, which means that classrooms are pleasant places for both adults and children to work. Lessons are purposeful and well organised, creating a positive climate for pupils to learn in. For example, at the end of a Year 5 writing lesson a pupil remarked, „Please can we continue with our writing. This is so much fun!‟
• Teachers have high expectations of the attitudes pupils should have and how they should behave. Pupils respond well to this. They work hard, and their behaviour is outstanding. This helps most pupils to make good progress in reading, writing, mathematics and science.
• Teachers know their pupils well and plan to meet most of the different needs of pupils within their class. Their expectations of what pupils can achieve have risen, particularly in writing, where expectations for quality and quantity of work are high. In mathematics, there is a focus on mastering the basic skills. For example, pupils practise their times tables daily. However, the most able pupils are not consistently challenged to deepen and extend their basic mathematics skills. Too often, the learning for this group of pupils is too easy. As a result, in mathematics the most able pupils do not make as much progress as they are capable of.
• Teachers carefully monitor the progress that pupils make in reading, writing and mathematics. This careful monitoring is not always applied to foundation subjects, resulting in pupils not making consistently strong progress across these subjects.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school‟s work to promote pupils‟ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils have excellent attitudes in the way they approach their learning. They are kind and courteous to each other and are confident to chat to visitors about their work and school. Teachers encourage pupils to learn both independently and through group work. As a result, most pupils learn to persevere with learning that challenges them.
• Through the curriculum, pupils learn how to keep safe. For example, inspectors visited a Year 6 lesson, where pupils were undertaking a first aid course.
• Pupils are kept safe at this school. Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe in school and are confident that adults will help and support them. One pupil said, „They really care for us at this school because they even phone us at home when we don‟t come to school.‟ The majority of parents agree that their children feel safe at the school.
• Pupils understand the difference between bullying and short-term problems with friends. They know about the different types of bullying, including cyber bullying and the misuse of social media. Older pupils are more confident in their ability to stay safe online than younger pupils.
• The displays around the school celebrate the wide range of pupils‟ backgrounds and provide pupils with an understanding of people and communities beyond their immediate experiences. For example, pupils learn about a different country each month.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils move sensibly around the building, and get on well with each other.
• Leaders are quick to identify behaviour that does not meet their high expectations at playtimes. Adults who supervise pupils at playtime receive appropriate training to maintain pupils‟ exemplary behaviour. Therefore, pupils know exactly what is expected of them and respond well.
• Peer mediators receive training to equip them with the skills needed to resolve conflicts amongst their classmates.
• Pupils have good relationships with each other and adults in the school. They are respectful, polite and communicate well with each other and adults. The majority of parents agree that the school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.
• Pupils enjoy coming to school, and this is reflected in their regular attendance. Leaders work with parents to improve punctuality and persistent absence. This is successful, and is demonstrated in the school‟s attendance and punctuality records.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• At the end of key stage 2 in 2016, the proportion of pupils working at or above the expected level was higher than the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils‟ progress in writing was particularly strong for all groups of pupils. However, in reading and mathematics, pupils‟ progress was broadly average.
• Pupils continue to make rapid progress in writing and have many opportunities to apply their writing skills in the wider curriculum. This ensures that pupils embed and deepen their learning in writing. For example, in Year 4, pupils write well-balanced arguments on the use of technology: „One good thing about technology is that you can use it to help you find out about facts, like an on-line library. This is helpful if you don‟t live near a library. On the other hand, technology damages the environment.‟
• The principal, together with the English subject leaders, has taken action to improve pupils‟ progress in reading. Reading resources are purposefully selected to engage specific groups of pupils. The newly formed book club is a great success, and pupils are developing a positive attitude to reading. Pupils commented, „I‟m loving book club! We are reading the “Hitchhiker‟s Guide to the Galaxy”. It is a super book.‟ Pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 talk confidently about who their favourite author is and formulate well-reasoned responses to support their points of view. All groups of pupils are being challenged to read more demanding texts. Consequently, pupils‟ progress in reading is improving across the school.
• Pupils who enter the school with standards below those expected for their age, in reading, writing and mathematics, make good progress and catch up with their peers. This is because leaders quickly assess pupils‟ learning needs and provide appropriate support.
• Outcomes for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities continue to improve. Leaders track and monitor the progress of these pupils effectively to ensure that provision is meeting their needs appropriately.
• Evidence from lessons and books, as well as the school records, shows that current pupils are making at least expected progress in reading, writing, mathematics and science. The rate of progress varies in different parts of the school.
• Disadvantaged pupils make good progress in writing from their different starting points by the time they reach Year 6. Work in pupils‟ books and school records show that the majority of disadvantaged pupils are making increasing gains in reading and mathematics from each of their different starting points. However, progress for the most able disadvantaged pupils in mathematics is slower.
• Progress across the wider curriculum is too variable. This is because subject and senior leaders do not carefully track and monitor pupils‟ progress in these subjects. Leaders agree that this is an area to improve on.
• The most able pupils make good progress in writing and reading from their higher starting points. Progress in mathematics, for the most able as well as the most able disadvantaged pupils, is slower.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 140718 Hounslow 10023562 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Junior school School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy converter 7 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 473 Appropriate authority Aspirations Academies Trust Chair Principal Telephone number Website Email address Mrs Dee Howley Mrs Rachael Saim 0208 890 4560 www.oakhill-aspirations.org office@oakhill-aspirations.org Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Oak Hill Academy is a large junior school that joined the Aspirations Academy Trust in April 2014.
• The Aspirations Academies Trust has three other schools within the district. One of these is a primary school, one is a secondary school and one is a studio school.
• The principal at Oak Hill Academy took up her post in September 2016. The Aspirations Academies Trust also appointed an executive principal to the school for two days per week. The executive principal was also appointed in September 2016.
• Most pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds and a high proportion speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium is above average. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is broadly similar to most schools.
• In 2015, the school met the government‟s floor standards.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school does not comply with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish about „how the school is to measure the impact and effect of its expenditure of the pupil premium allocation‟ and „the date of the school‟s next review of its pupil premium strategy‟. By the end of the inspection, the school had updated the website to include this information.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited all classes during the inspection. Observations were undertaken jointly with the principal and senior leaders.
• Discussions were held with senior leaders, teachers and governors from the local advisory board and the trust.
• Inspectors met with a group of pupils. Many other pupils were spoken with during lessons and at breaktime. Pupils‟ responses to Ofsted‟s online questionnaire were also considered. Pupils‟ behaviour in lessons, as well as before school and during lunch, was observed by inspectors. Inspectors also listened to pupils read.
• Inspectors observed the school‟s work and considered a range of documents, including: improvement plans; information about pupils‟ progress and attendance; the school‟s self-evaluation; the school‟s website; minutes of governors‟ meetings; and safeguarding documentation.
• Inspectors took account of the 17 responses to Parent View, the school‟s own surveys of parents, and spoke informally with parents at the start of the day. The responses to the staff questionnaire were also considered.

Inspection team

Jenell Chetty, lead inspector Susan Ladipo Hilary Ryan

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector