Oak Tree Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Implement an effective curriculum to support the teaching of subjects other than English and mathematics, so pupils acquire knowledge and skills well across the school.
• Through the more effective teaching of religious education, develop pupils’ deeper understanding, knowledge and appreciation of faiths and cultures other than their own.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders have wasted no time in addressing the areas of weakness cited in the previous inspection report and monitoring visit. The headteacher has brought the leadership team with her on the journey of improvement by having a consistent ethos of high expectations and continuous learning. As a result, standards have significantly improved across the school, pupils make good progress and behave exceptionally well.
• Senior leaders have developed effective systems to check on the progress made in meeting the school’s priorities. Leaders are excellent practitioners and act as very good role models for other teachers. Their work to improve teaching through coaching and training has been successful. They have drawn upon academic research and the skills of specialist leaders in education to refine teaching.
• Subject leaders for English and mathematics have a deep understanding of their subject. They have developed strong curricular plans which have led to pupils’ improved progress and attainment in each year group.
• Leaders have set up robust systems to check the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress. The tracking system is simple but informative, so that all staff know individual pupils and different groups who are not making the progress they should. The implementation of support for any underachieving pupil is effective. Pupil-progress meetings effectively hold teachers to account.
• The use of the pupil premium funding to support disadvantaged pupils is evaluated carefully each year. The way in which support is provided for these pupils has been refined. The work of the learning mentor and improved parental engagement have been strengthened so eligible pupils make the progress they should.
• The leadership of the provision for pupils with SEND is effective. The range of specialist and in-class support is used to best effect. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly supportive of the school’s sensitive work to support their children.
• The curriculum to support subjects other than English and mathematics is strengthening. For example, learning in history is deepened through extended projects, role play and visiting exhibitions. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding of science is developed well, through exciting experiments and using the science laboratories in the local secondary school. Pupils have access to a wide range of musical instruments and regularly take part in regional singing events. However, the curriculum plans for other subjects, such as geography, religious education, art and design and languages, are not implemented as well.
• The school’s work to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding has made a positive difference to pupils’ attitudes. Pupils demonstrate sound moral and social values in their everyday behaviour and attitudes. Assemblies cover some major festivals from other religions and cultures other than Christianity. However, pupils’ deeper knowledge and appreciation of these are limited.
• British values are promoted well. Pupils participate in democratic processes through elections for various leadership posts, including membership of the school council. They learn about tolerance and understanding of other people’s points of view through debates and their approaches to resolving conflict with pupils.
• The sport and PE funding is used very well and its impact on pupils’ participation in activities and promotion of health and fitness is monitored well. Leaders monitor and evaluate well the impact of the funding. Pupils identified as requiring more input are targeted for further support and encouragement. For example, those pupils who walk to school receive rewards as an incentive, and cheerleading has been introduced to increase participation by some pupils. The daily run is reported by staff and pupils to improve pupils’ readiness to learn.
• Leaders ensure that the curriculum to support pupils’ personal, social and health education (PSHE) is well thought out and meets pupils’ needs. Classes use PSHE lessons to deepen their understanding about particular themes, such as e-safety, stranger danger, the risks of smoking, promotion of good relationships, and bullying. Pupils are helped to challenge stereotypes and value other people’s differences.
• Leaders have tackled pupils’ absence and any misbehaviour extremely well. Pupils’ behaviour in class and around the school is exemplary. Pupils regulate their own and each other’s behaviour.
• Leaders enjoy very effective support from staff, parents and pupils. The parents’ group is active in supporting the school and has raised money to improve the play facilities for pupils. This group’s views and opinions are regularly heard through link meetings with the headteacher. Pupils enjoy school and praise the support they receive from their teachers.
• The local authority has provided effective support for the school, especially in relation to governance and curriculum development. Their brokered support from other schools and specialist leaders in education has been successful and led to significant improvements in the early stages after the school’s last section 5 inspection.

Governance of the school

• Governors are highly skilled and knowledgeable about education and school improvement. Since their reorganisation after the previous inspection they have strengthened their work in monitoring and supporting the school’s work extremely well.
• The governing body strikes the right balance between support and challenge. Governors’ regular, calendared visits are focused and relate closely to the school improvement priorities. The ‘next steps’ they record after each visit are insightful and helpful. Their work is highly valued by the headteacher and staff. They have improved opportunities for parents to share their views and ideas about the school.
• Governors work very well to ensure that the government funding is spent wisely, for example the pupil premium champion is a very experienced education professional. The strategy to support eligible pupils is monitored closely and has led to rapid improvements in provision.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Staff are vigilant in looking for any signs of risk to pupils. Systems to report signs of abuse are well used. They are trained well by the designated safeguarding leader. All staff receive safeguarding training, including Level 1 and in the ‘Prevent’ duty.
• Leaders deal promptly and effectively with pupils’ concerns at every level. Leaders have close relationships with outside agencies and the local authority.
• Leaders are highly attuned to the risks in the local community. The curriculum is carefully designed to help pupils protect themselves. Pupils learn about e-safety and how to recognise danger. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 are helped to spot the signs of extremism through discussions about national and world events in PSHE lessons.
• Bullying is rare. Pupils feel safe and they are very well supported by the staff in the school. All parents spoken with and who responded to the online questionnaire agree.
• The work to support pupils’ mental health is highly regarded by pupils and their parents.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching is good. As a result of focused training and development, the quality of teaching for English and mathematics has significantly improved since the previous inspection. Teachers new to the profession are supported well.
• Teachers have developed their strategies and adhere consistently to agreed principles for teaching across the school. In particular, they all use well the information about pupils’ progress to plan learning.
• The vast majority of pupils are highly engaged in their learning. Teachers engender excellent attitudes among pupils by modelling them every day. They reinforce excellent behaviour and social skills. Consequently, pupils work well with one another in group work and in discussions.
• The teaching of reading is effective. Teachers have developed their practice well, especially in the teaching of phonics. Pupils develop good skills from a young age to decode unfamiliar words and read with confidence and with good expression. Their comprehension skills have improved further through focused reading sessions, and whole-class reading time, using a single reading book.
• The teaching of mathematics is a strength of the school’s work. Teachers are well supported by the mathematics leaders. Pupils regularly apply their skills to real-life situations. Pupils are encouraged from a young age to apply their reasoning skills to explain how they reached their answers. Teachers insist that pupils’ arithmetic skills are practised weekly and, as a result, most pupils are confident with number facts and times tables, especially in key stage 2. A typical remark was, ‘Our teacher pushes us in our maths… he has high expectations of us.’
• Pupils’ writing skills are also a strength. From Reception to Year 6, teachers encourage writing. Pupils demonstrate increasing complexity in their use of a range of vocabulary, punctuation and grammar as they get older. They regularly practise writing for different audiences.
• The learning areas for pupils are lively and rich in vocabulary. Pupils are encouraged to be ambitious in their use of new, complex and exciting words.
• The teaching of subjects other than English and mathematics is improving across the school. Teachers know and understand the curriculum requirements for all subjects but do not develop pupils’ knowledge and skills sufficiently during the year, with the exception of a few subjects. For example, pupils are highly engaged with their history work. The periods of history that pupils study are brought alive through a range of interesting resources, visitors, trips and project work.
• The new leader for science has developed the curriculum further this year. Teachers use a range of strategies to promote scientific enquiry and knowledge, including linking with a local secondary school.
• Teaching assistants are skilled. Teaching assistants who support pupils with SEND are particularly effective because they are suitably trained. They skilfully ask questions to promote pupils’ better learning.
• Homework has been developed well as a result of consultation with parents, pupils and staff. Teachers set homework to develop pupils’ skills in English and arithmetic. Pupils enjoy the 100 book reading challenge. Pupils and parents have praised this new approach. Typically pupils said, ‘I read a lot more than I used to… I never thought I would like adventure stories.’
• In line with the school’s policy, teachers effectively encourage pupils to know what the next steps are to improve their work. Pupils verbally feed back on the quality of each other’s work. They use ‘magpie’ time to steal good ideas. As a result, pupils improve their work and learn from good examples elsewhere in the class.
• Teachers promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding in a variety of ways and to good effect. For example, through assemblies, Christian and other religious festivals are celebrated, and in personal, social and health education lessons pupils discuss social issues, such as healthy eating and smoking. For the vast majority of pupils, their knowledge and understanding of religions other than their own is limited. This is because the religious education teaching is too superficial.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils’ sense of social responsibility, especially towards each other and those less fortunate than themselves, is developed well. Pupils carry out fundraising activities regularly for charitable causes. They keep their environment clean and tidy and take pride in receiving the ‘golden broom’, from the caretaker, for the best kept classroom.
• The school council and other pupil leaders, such as the playground leaders, are well respected by pupils. Pupils carry out their duties responsibly. As a result of their views, pupils will have lockers in which to keep their personal belongings. The school listens to pupils’ opinions.
• Older pupils say they have benefited from mindfulness techniques. Parents report that pupils approach examinations more confidently because they are taught how to be resilient and keep calm. Pupils demonstrated their skills by persevering with difficult tasks and asking for help when needed.
• Pupils are knowledgeable about how to keep safe, especially online. They know by heart the ‘SMART’ rules for using the internet safely.
• Pupils take part in a wide variety of activities to develop their interests and skills. Pupils take part in a number of sporting events, including competitions with other schools. During the inspection, pupils in Year 5 represented their school in the Young Voices festival. The gardening time and mindfulness classes are highly praised by pupils. Each class has a ‘chicken team’ to help in the care of the resident Oak Tree School chickens. This has helped pupils to develop empathy and responsibility towards animals.
• Pupils celebrated Chinese New Year and created colourful displays to demonstrate their knowledge. However, their knowledge and understanding of faiths and cultures that make up modern and diverse Britain is not well developed. Previous links with local places of worship, for example, have not continued.
• The after-school, breakfast and before-school clubs are attended by a large number of pupils. These pupils are safe and supported well by a number of supervisors. These sessions are planned well by staff to accommodate a range of interests and abilities.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils conduct themselves in and out of lessons in an exemplary manner. They move around sensibly the corridors and show impeccable manners. When moving to their different groups for reading sessions, for example, they are quiet and calm. Pupils work with each other without fuss.
• Pupils’ attitudes to their learning and towards each are highly positive. They are keen to learn and improve. They readily accept feedback from their teachers and their peers because they are taught that making mistakes means you learn. When some pupils have finished their comprehension tasks to the best of their ability, for example, they read their favourite book or choose one from the wide selection of reading materials available in each classroom.
• Pupils behave well in the canteen and in the playground. They enjoy the facilities available for them, such as the climbing frame. Pupils get on with each other harmoniously.
• Bullying is rare. Pupils and parents agree that tolerance and acceptance of difference characterise the school. For example, pupils with disabilities or those new to the school or country are treated with respect and kindness.
• Incidents of poor behaviour are very rare. Inspectors did not witness any lack of concentration or misbehaviour during the inspection. Often, pupils were so engrossed in their work they did not notice visitors in their classroom.
• Pupils who had previously struggled to manage their emotions and behaviour have been supported well to improve. The work of the learning mentor has been particularly successful in helping these pupils, some of whom have SEND or are disadvantaged.
• Pupils enjoy coming to school. Parents typically say their children ‘literally skip to school’ and others said, ‘my child cried when it was a snowy day’ because they could not attend. Previous high rates of absence by a few pupils have been reduced considerably over the past year. Very few pupils are now persistently absent. Often, these reasons are related to unavoidable medical needs.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Since the previous inspection, pupils’ attainment and progress have improved. In 2018 pupils’ progress was in line with the national average in all subjects, as had been the case in the previous two years.
• Pupils’ attainment in mathematics, reading and writing was at least in line with the national average in both key stages 1 and 2 in 2018. The proportions of pupils achieving greater depth at the end of Year 2 or the higher standards at the end of Year 6 were above the national average.
• Historically, boys have not always achieved as well as girls. Boys are disproportionally represented in groups of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND. Work to support these pupils has reaped rewards. The difference between boys’ attainment in all subjects compared to that of girls is much narrower currently than in previous years.
• Disadvantaged pupils make good progress, especially in mathematics and reading. Work to support their writing is making a positive difference.
• Pupils with SEND make good progress. Individuals are carefully supported by well-qualified teachers and assistants.
• Pupils reached the required standard in the national phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 and Year 2.
• In key stage 1, pupils made good progress from the end of the Reception Year, especially in writing and mathematics.
• Across the school, many more pupils than previously are reaching or exceeding age-related expectations in English, mathematics and science.
• Pupils read widely and often. They enjoy exploring different books from recommended authors. The culture of reading is promoted very well across the school.
• Pupils acquire a good range of skills and knowledge in some subjects other than English and mathematics in both key stages 1 and 2, such as history, science and PE. However, the depth of their work in other subjects is shallow, especially in religious education.
• Pupils are prepared well for secondary school. In tandem with their well-developed social skills, pupils’ good mathematical, English and science skills have meant they access the key stage 3 curriculum and settle comfortably into secondary school.

Early years provision Good

• The leadership of the early years is effective. The leader has implemented an effective assessment system, which has meant that children’s weaknesses when they start school are well understood. Assessments have been confirmed as accurate by external moderators. Parents play a significant role in forming that initial assessment.
• Children make good progress in the early years from starting points which are typical for their age. In 2018, more children than previously reached a good level of development, which was in line with the national average. An increasing proportion of children were exceeding a good level of development. Children develop a good knowledge and understanding of number and shapes. Their literacy skills are improving quickly. Where their moving and handling skills were recognised as weak, swift action has been taken by teachers to address this.
• Disadvantaged children are provided with good support when they need to catch up. For example, additional parents’ evenings and more structured daily support have proved successful for many children.
• Children with SEND are provided with skilled support so they can access all the play activities and make progress just like everyone else.
• The learning materials provided both indoors and outdoors are vibrant, interesting and constructive. Children play well with each other and with adult supervision. They are sensitive and kind to each other.
• Parents are very supportive of the provision and speak highly of the support and nurturing provided by staff.
• Early phonics skills are taught well. Staff prioritise communication and language skills, so children can access more of the learning. Children develop early a love for words and stories because the area is rich with images and vocabulary.
• The curriculum is well thought out and implemented. A single reading book is used to promote interest and excitement about a range of topics. For example, children tasted fruit and imagined life in Africa after reading ‘Handa’s Surprise’ by Eileen Browne.
• All staff are alert to children’s welfare and respond sensitively to their needs.
• Children are happy, safe and well cared for and their parents agree. The school encourages parental support through the ‘open door’ policy in the morning and through the e-learning journeys, where parents can comment and upload evidence about their children’s progress.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 106073 Stockport 10057920 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 Community 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 581 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Mr Liam Wareing Mrs Christine Slater Telephone number 0161 4851453 Website Email address www.oaktree.stockport.sch.uk headteacher@oaktree.stockport.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 12 October 2016

Information about this school

• This school is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is well below average.
• The associate headteacher has resigned from her post. The school is now led by one headteacher.
• The local governing body has been reconstituted.
• A breakfast and after-school club are run by the school.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors evaluated the quality of teaching and learning in all year groups, which included observing lessons and examining pupils’ workbooks in most subjects.
• Inspectors met with all leaders, including those who are also the leaders of English, mathematics and science, the coordinator for the provision for pupils with SEND, the sport and PE coordinator and the pupil premium lead. The lead inspector met with the chair and seven other members of the governing body.
• Scheduled events meant that Year 4 and Year 5 pupils were not present for the whole inspection.
• Inspectors took account of 217 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, 118 to the free-text facility, 62 responses to the staff survey and seven to the free-text facility. Pupils did not respond to the online survey because of a technical fault. Inspectors spoke with some parents before school and took account of comments sent to Ofsted from parents during the inspection. The lead inspector reviewed the school’s own parental surveys.
• Inspectors scrutinised a range of school documentation, including the school’s self-evaluation, the school improvement plan, behaviour logs, safeguarding records, performance information, external reviews and school policies.

Inspection team

Zarina Connolly, lead inspector Kathy Hall Michelle Joyce

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector