Oasis Academy New Oak Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve leadership and management by:
  • fully establishing, and evaluating the effectiveness of, measures introduced recently to improve teaching and raise achievement
  • ensuring that support provided by the multi-academy trust is evaluated for impact and leads to more rapid improvement
  • monitoring the progress of disadvantaged pupils more effectively, in order to determine which pupil premium strategies are having most impact
  • continuing to develop the curriculum so that it is sufficiently rich, broad and balanced for all pupils
  • improving communication with parents so they feel well informed and involved
  • ensuring that leaders have a clearer, more detailed understanding of the progress of different groups of pupils.
• Improve the quality of teaching, and raise achievement, by:
  • ensuring that feedback provided by staff to pupils is consistently applied, in line with the school’s policy, and helps pupils to identify their mistakes and improve their work
  • establishing recently introduced assessment systems so that staff are able to use accurate information to monitor and promote pupils’ progress. A review of governance and the use of pupil premium funding is recommended to consider how these aspects of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Leaders have been slow to introduce initiatives to improve the quality of teaching. Consequently, strategies that are currently in place are not fully established. This means that, since the previous inspection, pupils’ achievement by the time they leave the school has not been good enough.
• Leaders have been too generous in their assessment of the school’s effectiveness. This has hampered the pace of improvement.
• The support provided by the multi-academy trust has not resulted in swift enough improvements to the quality of teaching and monitoring of pupils’ progress. Consequently, the achievement of pupils, particularly middle-ability and disadvantaged pupils, is not high enough in subjects such as reading. In February 2017, the principal took on the temporary part-time leadership of another school. This decision was taken at the multi-academy trust level. Considering the challenges at New Oak and low achievement in some areas, this decision was not in the best interests of the school.
• Leaders do not have a sufficiently robust and precise understanding of the progress being made by different groups of pupils. This is because they are using a wealth of complicated information that is difficult to interpret and does not provide them with a clear oversight of groups. A new assessment system has been adopted recently and staff are not yet fully confident in using it. Similarly, leaders are not confident or dextrous in their ability to use the system at a whole-school level.
• The principal has nurtured a caring and inclusive ethos during her time in post. Her integrity has informed a heartfelt desire to create a community in which all pupils and staff feel valued. She has been successful in this. Both staff and pupils report that they feel valued and well supported. As one pupil said to the lead inspector, ‘The school includes everybody.’
• The staff response to the survey issued during the inspection was very positive. The overwhelming majority of staff stated that they feel proud to be members of staff and that leaders are supportive of their well-being.
• The principal has faced some significant challenges this year, including a staffing restructure in order to save money. She has been diligent, honest and transparent in managing these issues, with the support of the multi-academy trust.
• The principal is currently in the process of successfully revising the curriculum so that it is more knowledge-based and intellectually stimulating for pupils. Subjects such as history, geography and science have been prioritised alongside English and mathematics. Nevertheless, this is a work in progress. Pupils do not currently have enough structured opportunities to experience subjects such as art, drama and music. Experiences of these subjects are often ad hoc and infrequent, depending on the year group.
• Leaders have not fully evaluated reasons for the underachievement of disadvantaged pupils. As a result, additional funding to support current pupils is not necessarily being directed where it is needed most. Leaders do not know if these strategies are making a difference.
• Although the number of middle leaders in the school is small, they are being well supported by the principal. Consequently, they are ‘up for the challenge’ and keen to develop their skills. The subject leader for mathematics is new to the role. Nevertheless, he is growing in confidence and expertise because he feels trusted to use his initiative to develop mathematics mastery in school.
• The school’s support for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is a strength. This area of the school’s work is led effectively, including the specialist provision offered to support pupils with hearing impairment and autism.
• The majority of parents who responded to the online survey, Parent View, are satisfied with the work of the school. However, a significant minority expressed concerns about leadership and felt that communication between home and school could be improved.

Governance of the school

• Responsibilities for governance are held jointly by the multi-academy trust and the academy council, which is a local body. In the case of New Oak, there has been very little contact and collaboration between these two groups, despite being jointly responsible for governance. This weakens the overall effectiveness of governance in offering joined-up support and challenge.
• Academy councillors are committed to the school. They visit regularly to provide support to staff, offer ideas and act as a ‘sounding board’. Multi-academy trust representatives visit the school often, to monitor performance and support the principal. However, these monitoring visits have not led to higher achievement in some areas.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Safeguarding procedures are robust and well managed. Designated staff are fully aware of their responsibilities, are organised and have clear oversight of all safeguarding matters. This is partly because the school benefits from using well established procedures that operate across the multi-academy trust. Checks to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children are robust and up to date. For example, a representative of the multi-academy trust audits the single central record regularly to ensure that it is complete.
• Staff are trained appropriately to recognise when children might be vulnerable or at risk. They know the systems to follow and whom to speak to should they have concerns about a child. Detailed online records are kept of ongoing cases so that staff can determine the right action to take and involve the right people. They work productively with external agencies, when necessary, in order to do this.
• Pupils report that they feel safe in school for different reasons. One reason is because they say that there is very little bullying in school and, if it does occur, it is dealt with effectively by staff. Another reason is because pupils practise emergency procedures such as fire alarm drills and ‘lock down’ scenarios. ‘Lock down’ drills are practised in the unlikely event that an intruder or wild animal should come on to the school site.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Teaching over time has not improved rapidly enough to overcome weaknesses in pupils’ reading by the time they leave the school. Although new initiatives have been introduced this year to improve teaching across subjects, such as increasing mastery in mathematics, they have not been fully established. It is too soon to judge their impact.
• Staffing absences in this small school have presented challenges. Efforts to improve teaching through training and professional development have been hampered as a result. Staff instability has affected some year groups more than others.
• Pupils across the school are not consistently using the feedback provided by teachers, in line with the school’s policy, to help them identify their mistakes and improve their work.
• Teachers do not consistently provide tailored support for some pupils, or match tasks to pupils’ abilities or backgrounds. This is particularly the case for middle-ability pupils and those who are disadvantaged. This is because teachers are not using assessment information fully to help them plan their teaching and monitor individual pupils’ progress sufficiently. However, support is very effective for lower-ability pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities.
• Teachers now have higher expectations of pupils. They are using their subject knowledge to plan activities that meet the demands of the new national curriculum more effectively.
• Pupils’ positive behaviour is the foundation for improving attitudes to learning. Pupils are attentive to teachers, follow instructions and set to work with a minimum of fuss. Furthermore, and beyond simply doing as instructed, pupils take an interest in the topics they study and the tasks that teachers set.
• Teachers are hard-working, enthusiastic and motivated. This is because the large majority feel well supported and enjoy the positive relationships they have with pupils. Staff ensure that classrooms are ‘safe’ spaces in which pupils can express their views and not feel intimidated asking questions or joining in discussion.
• Teaching assistants provide strong support to pupils, such is their expertise. They have responded well to recent training so that they know what is expected of them and take the initiative without having to be directed. They work with purpose and have high expectations of pupils. They enable pupils with high-level hearing and autism needs to access learning and make strong progress in mainstream classes.
• The learning environment, including classrooms and corridors, is colourful and vibrant. Wall displays are fresh and up to date, acting as an additional learning resource to help pupils. The school’s recent effort to improve reading is reflected in the number of displays that draw pupils’ attention to different books being studied, such as Roald Dahl’s ‘The BFG’ and Lemony Snicket’s ‘The Dark’. Displays also encourage pupils to see learning as a fun activity, celebrating the achievements of pupils and modelling their best work.
• Teaching lower down the school has been strong over time and has resulted in consistently positive outcomes in early years and at the end of key stage 1.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are well cared for in the school because staff know them well and have a good understanding of pupils’ pastoral needs. Staff have fostered positive relationships with pupils and this interaction underpins the welcoming, inclusive and friendly nature of the school. For example, in assembly, pupils were taught new signs to communicate with deaf children. They responded with enthusiasm and were keen to develop their use of sign language.
• Pupils are confident, cheerful and respectful of each other. They smile and greet visitors politely; a few pupils came up to the lead inspector at lunchtime and said ‘pleased to meet you’. Pupils enjoy their school experience and are keen to talk about it. Pupils in the group who spoke with the lead inspector took turns to let each other speak, no one pupil dominating the discussion at the expense of another.
• Staff provide opportunities for pupils to take on various roles of responsibility. For example, pupils can apply to become playground monitors, assisting younger pupils at breaktimes, or anti-bullying champions. Pupils can also apply to join the student council or become reading buddies to help other pupils with their reading.
• Older pupils show a good understanding of British values, such as democracy and the rule of law. They are able to say how these values are relevant and important to their own lives. Mock elections are held in school for some events, which provides pupils with an insight into how democracy works in practice. However, younger pupils are not as familiar with British values and their significance.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• The school is a calm and orderly environment. Pupils regulate their behaviour well, in lessons and during social time, even when unsupervised. Routines and expectations for behaviour are well established, so pupils are clear about what is expected of them. During lesson changeover, they move sensibly about the school and arrive promptly to lessons with the right equipment.
• Overall attendance has improved over the last few years to be in line with, or better than, the national average. The attendance of different groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities, is also above average. Similarly, the attendance of persistently absent pupils has improved and is now above the national average.
• Exclusions have been well below the national average, almost non-existent, over time. This is because staff manage behaviour well and pupils are clear about what is expected of them.
• All staff who responded to the staff survey indicated that the behaviour of pupils is good. The large majority agree that leaders support staff well in managing behaviour.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• In 2017, by the time pupils left the school, their progress in reading was below the national average, as was also the case in 2016. In writing, pupils’ progress was in line with the national average, having been above average in 2016. Progress in mathematics has been broadly in line with the national average for the last two years by the end of key stage 2.
• The progress of disadvantaged pupils at the end of key stage 2 was below average in reading and mathematics in 2017. Middle-ability pupils also underachieved in reading.
• Current pupils, particularly those who have SEN and/or disabilities, are making stronger progress judging by the work in their books. This is because strategies to improve teaching are having a positive effect. However, most groups of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, still have ground to make up given that these improvements are fairly recent.
• The school’s own assessment information also indicates that pupils in most year groups are making stronger progress. However, the reliability of this information is questionable, given that leaders are not interpreting and using it to best effect.
• Attainment at the end of key stage 1 was above average for all subjects in 2017. Current information shows that attainment is still broadly in line with the national average in 2018, with the exception of reading, which has dipped a little.
• The proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in the national phonics screening check has risen year on year to be in line with the national average.
• Pupils are increasingly taking pride in their work, although there was some inconsistency in the work of disadvantaged pupils looked at by inspectors. In the main, pupils are keen to learn from their mistakes and improve their work.
• Pupils in key stage 2 know how well they are doing in various subjects. They are able to articulate what they need to do to move forward in their learning.
• Pupils who have high levels of special educational needs make strong progress because of the quality of support they receive. Pupils receive bespoke support both in the separate hearing and autism units and in mainstream classes. They are attended to by highly qualified professionals who understand their needs well. These staff establish positive relationships with pupils and challenge pupils to try hard and aim high.

Early years provision Good

• Provision for children in the early years is good. This is because the leader of early years, who is also the Reception Year teacher, has a very secure understanding of strengths and weaknesses. She leads with confidence and ensures that all staff work as a team to support children’s development.
• Staff have high expectations of children. From an early age, children learn to hold their pencils in the correct way and practise their writing in a disciplined, cursive style. In one observed lesson, pupils were learning to incorporate the word ‘next’ into a sentence. They were given different activities, dependent on their abilities. One group of pupils, who worked with the teacher, was encouraged to write freely. Other groups were provided with more structured resources that enabled them to access the task better.
• The good quality of teaching has led to improving outcomes in early years. For the last three years, the proportion of children achieving a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year has been just above the national average. This is also the case in 2018 for children currently in Reception. Children’s achievement in reading, writing and mathematics has also been broadly in line with average over time. However, the attainment of disadvantaged children has been a little lower than average and that of their peers.
• Good-quality teaching is assisted by well-appointed inside and outdoor areas that contain a variety of resources. Both areas are safe and secure. They are well used by teachers to stimulate children’s interest and awaken curiosity.
• The online assessment system used by staff to monitor children’s progress and record their ongoing achievements provides staff with accurate information. They use this information to set more challenging goals for children and help them make stronger progress in their different areas of development.
• This online system also encourages parents to be involved with their child’s education. They too can see the progress being made and can contribute evidence from home to show how children continue to learn new things, even when out of the classroom.
• The good behaviour that is evident in the main school has its roots in the early years. As soon as children join the school, staff share their high expectations of behaviour with them. Children quickly learn the habits and routines that will continue into the main school. They learn to share with each other, play nicely and move calmly between activities.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 138710 Bristol City of 10047610 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 converter 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 211 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Principal Telephone number Website Email address Keith Dennis Muriel Wilkins 01275 894 570 www.oasisacademynewoak.org info@oasisnewoak.org Date of previous inspection 17–18 June 2014

Information about this school

• Oasis Academy New Oak is a smaller than average-sized primary school. It is part of the Oasis multi-academy trust. Statutory governance is provided by the trust board of Oasis Community Learning. The academy council serves as a local stakeholder group to offer support, guidance and advice to the school. Another aspect of the academy council role is to enhance the relationship between the school and the local community.
• The school has hearing impairment and autism centres on site. There are currently 15 pupils in the autism centre and eight pupils in the hearing impaired centre.
• The principal took up her post in September 2014, shortly after the previous inspection. The subject leader for English has temporarily taken on the role of vice principal to cover a maternity leave. The subject leader for mathematics took up post at the beginning of the academic year.
• The proportion of pupils whose first language is not, or believed not to be, English is below average.
• The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is above average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities and receive support is in line with the national average. The proportion of pupils who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is significantly above the national average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning and behaviour in lessons jointly with senior leaders.
• Meetings were held with senior leaders, a representative of the Oasis multi-academy trust, the subject leader for mathematics, the special educational needs coordinator and the coordinator for pupil premium funding.
• The lead inspector held a telephone conversation with the chair of the academy council.
• Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documentation. This included the school’s self-evaluation, progress information, academy council minutes, multi-academy trust monitoring reports, curriculum documents, attendance records and information relating to safeguarding.
• Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work jointly with staff and observed pupils’ conduct around the school, during assembly and at breaktimes.
• Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils.
• The team inspector listened to pupils read.
• The lead inspector took account of 71 responses to the online Parent View survey, free-text comments, and 27 responses to the staff survey.

Inspection team

Steve Smith, lead inspector Julie Nash

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector