Oasis Academy Marksbury Road Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Maintain the outstanding effectiveness of the school as it grows and takes on a new key stage.
• Ensure that boys achieve as well as girls in all year groups.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• The principal leads the school with passion, pride and determination. She has extremely high expectations of pupils and staff and is uncompromising in her ambition for every pupil. The school’s motto, ‘building and achieving brilliance’, permeates all aspects of its work. As a result, pupils thrive, and their achievements are outstanding.
• The principal is highly skilled and evaluative. Leading a new and growing school, she rightly places the development of other leaders at the forefront of her work. The skilled and dedicated middle leadership team are ensuring that every aspect of the school develops as the school expands.
• The principal and academy council have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas that need developing further. They are not complacent about the effectiveness of their provision. Leaders know that the key is to maintain this very high standard of education as the school continues to grow so that key stage 2 is firmly established. The trust’s national monitoring and standards team carry out regular reviews into the school’s performance. Their close checks ensure additional funding, including pupil premium and sports premium, improve pupils’ outcomes.
• Teachers receive first-class support from the principal and middle leaders. Leaders’ observations of lessons help teaching staff to sharpen their practice and meet well-considered targets. The principal ensures that improvements are sustained. Working as a collaborative team, teachers share methods that are working well and quickly dispense with unnecessary activities. This continual focus on improvement ensures that teachers are highly skilled and valued. It also demonstrates the school’s capacity to maintain its high standards as it expands over the next few years.
• The purposeful and highly engaging curriculum captures pupils’ interests and ignites their enjoyment of learning. This includes high-quality opportunities to develop the pupils’ reading, writing and mathematical skills. Teachers skilfully provide a themed approach to ensure that pupils develop their knowledge and skills across all curriculum subject areas, including science, the humanities and creative arts. These topics make a strong contribution to developing a broad range of skills within a meaningful context. As a result, pupils of all abilities make substantial and sustained progress across a wide range of subjects.
• The leadership of provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is highly effective. The special educational needs coordinator works closely with her colleagues to ensure that the needs of these pupils are successfully met. Specialist training for support staff enables them to gain a deep knowledge of specific learning, behaviour, social and emotional needs. Leaders closely monitor the impact of the support that pupils receive. This considered approach ensures that pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make strong progress from their starting points.
• The principal, ably supported by her teaching team, are very skilled in identifying the barriers to learning for disadvantaged pupils. The pupil premium funding is used exceptionally well to provide academic, social and emotional support for these pupils. Staff carefully consider pupils’ individual needs and provide tailored support to ensure that they learn well and make excellent progress. Working closely together with her teaching team, the principal regularly checks that the support that pupils receive is making a positive difference. As a result, disadvantaged pupils achieve at least as well as, and in many cases better than, their peers.
• Sports premium funding is spent shrewdly to improve sporting and exercise opportunities for pupils. Additional training for teachers has enhanced the quality of physical education teaching. After-school clubs for football and dance are well attended. Leaders ensure that disadvantaged pupils are involved in these activities.
• Most parents who responded to the online inspection questionnaire or spoke to the inspector are very pleased with the school. A significant minority of parents explained that they were initially concerned about sending their children to a new school. One parent explained that ‘we were dubious as it was a brand-new school and we couldn’t talk to past parents or visit the school to see how it worked – but honestly couldn’t be any happier. The staff are amazing and do a fantastic job, as does the principal’.

Governance of the school

• Delegated by the trust board of the academy to provide challenge and support, the regional director undertakes this role robustly and communicates well with the executive board. As a result, the executive board has a clear understanding of the school’s priorities and the progress being made towards achieving them.
• Members of the academy council, in their role as a local stakeholder group, know the school well. They have a wide range of skills and ensure that they have received relevant training.
• Working effectively with the principal and the regional director, the academy council provides clear advice, coupled with strong support and challenge, to all aspects of school life.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Statutory checks on staff are completed before they commence employment. These checks are recorded well and monitored regularly by the principal and the national monitoring and standards team.
• Staff receive excellent safeguarding training to ensure that they are knowledgeable and highly vigilant. For example, to supplement the information they receive from the principal, staff regularly undertake online training which helps them to have a better understanding and awareness of child sexual exploitation, radicalisation and extremism.
• When staff identify a concern, they know exactly what to do and pass on information immediately. Leaders work closely with external agencies to get families the help they need.
• Pupils are taught to keep themselves safe. For example, they are clear that visitors wearing a red lanyard must be accompanied by a member of the school staff. They know what they would do in the event of a fire in school and have an age-appropriate awareness of keeping safe within their local community.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• Teachers and support staff form a highly skilled and enthusiastic team. Relationships between adults and pupils are very strong. Teaching staff make learning interesting, engaging and fun. Support staff provide highly effective support and challenge. Staff are skilled in giving pupils time to think and explore ideas for themselves.
• Classrooms are vibrant, and a strong learning ethos pervades the school. The inspiring learning experiences that teachers plan and deliver encourage pupils to be curious. Consequently, pupils are quickly immersed in their learning and have very positive attitudes to school.
• Teachers have high expectations and strong subject knowledge. Carefully planned lessons link learning and deepen pupils’ understanding over time. Teachers know their pupils extremely well and understand how different pupils learn. They effectively use a range of teaching methods to ensure suitable challenge for all pupils. Teaching is skilfully adapted for different groups of pupils.
• Tasks and activities have a clear purpose, and these are shared with the pupils at the start of each session. Teachers use verbal and written feedback effectively to ensure that all pupils deepen their understanding of key concepts. Consequently, pupils know what they need to do to improve their learning and are always eager to ‘have a go’ and be challenged.
• Teaching staff are highly effective in assessing what pupils know and understand. This enables them to provide appropriate support or challenge. Time is managed very well in lessons to ensure that a high level of focus is maintained. As a result, pupils make rapid progress in their learning.
• Topic work sparks pupils’ interests. The use of a special event to launch each topic starts to stimulate pupils’ thinking immediately and encourages them to find out more. For example, Year 2 pupils were recently posed the question, ‘Where is London?’ A day trip to London inspired the pupils to develop their knowledge of the history of London and their use of maps to locate famous landmarks.
• The school environment both supports and celebrates learning. It is very well organised and sets the high standard of presentation expected from all. Stimulating and thought-provoking displays encourage pupils to reflect on their learning. High-quality work celebrated in displays around the school reinforces the high expectations.
• The development of reading skills and a love of reading are high priorities for the school. The school’s expectation that all pupils will read regularly at home with their parents supports the high standards of reading and love of books. In school, texts are chosen with care to expose pupils to a wide range of quality books. Teachers make the most of opportunities to develop reading across the curriculum and in different situations. For example, ‘Billy’s Bucket’ was used effectively in Reception to launch their topic on the seaside.
• The teaching of phonics is a strength. Pupils learn to read fluently from an early age. Teaching staff carefully guide pupils to identify the links between letters and sounds. Pupils quickly learn to apply these to decode words in books and spell increasingly tricky words. Teachers’ close monitoring of pupils’ progress ensures that when pupils struggle, they are quickly helped to catch up. Pupils make rapid progress.
• The strong focus on developing pupils’ vocabulary and punctuation ensures that they become confident in their use of grammar. This leads to high-quality writing across all subject areas. Pupils use a range of punctuation accurately and confidently talk about and use connectives and adjectives. Pupils’ high-quality writing skills were demonstrated well in their correspondence to the chief executive of the Oasis Trust. Seeking permission to go on a trip to London, they produced reasoned, persuasive and thoughtful letters.
• Teachers ensure that pupils gain a strong understanding of the basics of mathematics. Pupils are constantly challenged to develop and use their skills. They solve problems and explain their reasoning from an early age. These explanations show how well pupils have understood new concepts and allow teachers to offer further support where necessary.
• Support for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is of the highest quality. Coupled with the specialist individual and group work they receive, they learn alongside their peers in a nurturing environment. This enables them to be fully included and challenged successfully.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. This is because staff share a strong commitment to supporting pupils’ well-being. Pupils explain that they feel safe in school and know that any of the adults in school will help them if they have a worry or concern.
• All pupils look after each other and demonstrate very high levels of care and friendship. Pupils of all ages mix socially in the playground and in the hall during lunchtimes. Year 2 pupils, who are currently the oldest pupils in the school, are very proud of the responsibilities they carry out. For example, they relish opportunities to organise activities for the younger ones, such as football matches and parachute games during playtimes.
• Pupils have an in-depth understanding of British values and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness is developed through Oasis Community Learning Trust’s ethos and ‘nine habits’. These are at the heart of the school. Pupils learn to discuss respectfully similarities and differences about each other. Classes elect academy council leaders, who carry out their roles sensibly and with great pride.
• Pupils observe key religious festivals such as Christmas, Chinese New Year, Eid and Diwali. Pupils are very clear about the school’s strong moral code and understand the implications if they do not adhere to it. Fundraising activities help pupils to empathise with those who have different life experiences to them, such as the pupils at a school in Uganda.
• The breakfast club enables pupils to start the day well. They know that they must first sit sensibly at a table to eat their cereals and toast before they can take part in well-supervised activities. Pupils also enjoy the activities provided for them at the after-school club.
• Parents made many positive comments regarding the caring nature of the school. For example, one parent explained: ‘They put the happiness and well-being of the children at the centre of all they do.’ Another parent praised the school for ‘the exceptional job of nurturing our children’.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Clear and high expectations, coupled with well-understood rewards and sanctions, support pupils to behave exceptionally well. Pupils’ conduct is exemplary. They move around the school calmly, with impressive levels of maturity. Pupils are polite, thoughtful and respectful, both to adults and to each other.
• Attitudes to learning are very positive and make a strong contribution to the pupils’ outstanding progress. They are confident and motivated learners. Pupils focus carefully on their work and demonstrate high levels of self-discipline. They work well together and respond very positively to adults during lessons.
• Pupils are proud of their achievements and talk enthusiastically about the exciting range of experiences that are planned for them. They know that to be a successful learner they need to be given activities which, as they confidently explain, ‘challenge us to think deeply’.
• Pupils report that incidents of poor behaviour are very rare. If they do occur, pupils are very clear that staff take swift and appropriate action to deal with them.
• Over the past three years, there have been considerable improvements made in the school’s attendance figures. This is as a result of the principal’s high expectations for regular attendance. She has implemented rigorous monitoring systems and developed a shared understanding with parents of the implications for unauthorised absences. Consequently, there has been a rapid rise in attendance and it is now in line with national averages. There has also been a significant decline in the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent.

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

• Children generally start school with skills lower than typically expected for their age. A high proportion of children have underdeveloped speech and a limited vocabulary. A small proportion of children arrive with learning and development well below those typically expected for their age. Over the past three years, outcomes at the end of Reception have been consistently above average. All children make exceptionally strong progress from their starting points and are well prepared for Year 1.
• In 2017 the proportion of pupils who reached the expected standard in the phonics screening check in 2017 was well above average. Pupils in the current Year 1 cohort demonstrate a very high level of phonics knowledge, both in their reading and their writing.
• Work in pupils’ books in Year 1 shows that pupils are making very good progress. Nearly all pupils are working at the standard expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics. Over half of the pupils are reading at a standard above that expected for their age. Approximately one-third of pupils are working at a standard above that expected for their age in writing and mathematics.
• Work in Year 2 books represents a similar picture of very strong progress. The vast majority of pupils are working at the expected standard for their age in reading, writing and mathematics. Over half of the pupils are reading at a standard above that expected for their age. Approximately one-third of pupils are working at a standard above that expected for their age in writing and mathematics.
• The progress of disadvantaged pupils is at least as good as, and sometimes better than, that of other pupils in the school. For example, Year 2 teacher assessments show that all pupils in receipt of pupil premium funding are working at the expected standard for their age group in mathematics. This is because leaders closely monitor these pupils’ progress and identify their individual needs precisely. Consequently, these pupils receive exactly the right support to enable them to succeed.
• Pupils also achieve exceptionally well in other subjects too. Topic books show that pupils make very good progress in history, geography, science and in the creative arts. Pupils confidently use technical vocabulary specific to the subject. Pupils strengthen their reading, writing and mathematical skills further by applying them across the curriculum.
• Pupils benefit from excellent support, including that provided by highly skilled teaching assistants. Leaders’ close monitoring and carefully tailored additional support ensure that pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make very good progress from their low starting points. However, in some but not all year groups, boys do not perform as well as girls.
• The most able pupils make strong and sustained progress. This is because teachers provide them with appropriately high levels of challenge.

Early years provision Outstanding

• Children get an excellent start to their education in Reception. This is because teaching staff have a very clear understanding of how young children learn. They have high expectations of what children can achieve and there is a continual drive for improvement.
• Leaders promote reading and writing extremely well across the early years. There is a strong focus on developing vocabulary. Phonic skills are taught well, and this ensures that children quickly learn to spell and read. Children take pride in presenting their work and write neatly and legibly.
• Children are equally keen on mathematics. The most able are confident counting and ordering numbers beyond 20. Teachers find innovative ways to present mathematics activities. For example, to secure number bonds, children were observed selecting cupcake cases which contained a range of different numbers. They then confidently created and then solved their own addition problems.
• The early years curriculum is well planned, with a good balance of different kinds of activities to stimulate and engage children. For example, children are engrossed when they pour water down a guttering pipe, finding different materials to make boats which will float.
• Children behave extremely well. Their attitudes to learning are exemplary. They listen to their teachers carefully and follow instructions without delay. This means that learning time is used to maximum effect. They are kind and thoughtful to each other and play very well together.
• Leaders ensure that the move from home or nursery into school is very smooth. Staff take time to gather information from pre-schools and parents to meet children’s needs from the outset.
• Initial assessments on entry into school are thorough and used very effectively to plan activities which will meet the children’s needs. Teachers carefully monitoring individual progress and fill in gaps that they spot. They consider the key knowledge and skills that children need to be able to make a flying start to the next stage of their education.
• Staff pay high regard to children’s welfare and fully adhere to the school’s safeguarding procedures to keep children safe in school.
• Parents are very pleased with the progress that their children make in early years. They are encouraged to attend a wide range of activities which help them to feel well informed about their children’s learning.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 140268 Bristol City of 10048306 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 Academy free school 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 148 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Principal Telephone number Website Email address Keith Dennis Clare Robinson 01173 126500

www.oasisacademymarksburyroad.org info@oasismarksburyroad.org

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Oasis Marksbury Road was opened in 2015 as a two-form entry school for pupils aged 4 to 11. It started with one class of Reception children. At the time of the inspection there were two Reception classes, two Year 1 classes and one Year 2 class. The school continues to grow year by year. The school is currently smaller than the average-sized school.
• The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of pupils from ethnic minority groups is below the national average, as is the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium funding is average.
• The school runs a breakfast and after-school club.
• The Trust Board of Oasis Community Learning provide governance in partnership with the regional director.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector visited every class in the school more than once to observe teaching and learning in a range of subjects. These visits were conducted with the principal.
• The inspector also scrutinised pupils’ work to review progress over time.
• The inspector met with staff, middle leaders, the regional director and members of the academy council.
• The inspector spoke to pupils both formally and informally, including at playtimes and lunchtimes, to gather their views on the school. She also listened to a group of pupils read.
• Documents relating to safeguarding, pupils’ outcomes, strategic planning, behaviour, attendance and the curriculum were scrutinised.
• The inspector gathered the views of parents by considering the 75 responses from the online Parent View survey and speaking to parents at the start of the school day. Inspectors also took account of the views of the 13 staff who completed the inspection online survey.

Inspection team

Lorna Brackstone, lead inspector

Her Majesty’s Inspector