King’s Academy Oakwood

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and happy at this exceptional school.

They are highly respectful towards adults. Pupils support each other and model exemplary behaviour. They take on roles such as 'peer mediators', who are trained to help resolve potential friendship issues in highly effective ways.

Pupils enjoy and value roles that help them to build their confidence, such as school councillors and house captains. One pupil summed this up, saying, 'We hear our friends' voices and then take action to make the school better.'

The school is highly inclusive.

Pupils appreciate the many extra-curricular activities the school offers, such as choir, art, netball, rugby ...and the 'Conqueror Adventures', which encourages fitness and healthy lifestyles. All pupils develop their talents and interests through highly thoughtful enrichment opportunities. For example, activities such as piano lessons, singing, karate and boccia are designed to include every pupil and allow all pupils to feel rightly proud of their achievements.

Pupils' attitudes to their education are excellent. Pupils share ideas and debate issues with insight and in balanced ways, such as discussing whether food is distributed fairly throughout the world. Pupils have detailed knowledge of how to keep themselves safe, including when online, and the potential harms of social media.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff have the highest ambition for all pupils. This starts in the early years where children develop their communication and language skills very successfully. In Reception, staff pay meticulous attention to detail when implementing the curriculum.

They use songs, rhymes and games successfully to support children's learning. Through 'words of the week' and the inspirational learning environment, staff help pupils to develop increasingly complex vocabulary. Staff and parents work together to prioritise children's language development.

They collaborate to remove any barriers to learning that might exist, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This supports all children in developing the knowledge and skills that they need.

Subjects across the curriculum are designed and sequenced extremely well.

There is a rigorous approach to the curriculum that builds pupils' knowledge and connects ideas across subjects into carefully woven tapestries of ideas. The curriculum links subjects such as history, English and art to assemblies, trips and visits. This helps the school to make learning memorable for all pupils.

For example, when studying Victorian Britain, pupils read a linked text in English, perform a play and produce high-quality work across other curriculum areas. Resources are carefully adapted so that pupils with SEND achieve well. Staff have very secure subject knowledge and prioritise pupils' vocabulary and language acquisition.

Staff adapt lessons very effectively to ensure that disadvantaged pupils thrive in their learning. Staff check how well pupils understand carefully. They tailor lessons to ensure that pupils' learning builds on what they know already.

As a result, pupils achieve exceptionally well, including in their end of key stage tests.

Pupils read wonderfully well. They have a deep love of reading that is nurtured from the beginning of Reception all the way through school to Year 6.

Staff teach phonics highly effectively. Books that pupils take home are closely matched to the sounds they have learned. If any pupils fall behind, they get support to help them catch up very quickly.

Pupils value the range of texts shared by their teachers and read to adults regularly. Pupils talk about book choices that are shared during daily story times and they can recall key events and key themes from the stories vividly.

Pupils know and understand the school's 'D.

A.R.E.'

values deeply. For example, they are coached to notice values such as 'determination' and 'respect' in each other. They respond enthusiastically to the school's house point system.

In the playground, pupils play well, share and take turns. Pupils learn about democracy and understand about democratic systems and processes, such as elections. Pupils value diversity and are incredibly knowledgeable about how to treat people equally and fairly.

They learn about finance and how to make thoughtful choices about money, saving and spending. Pupils have high levels of attendance. If pupils have any problems with attendance, staff take a robust approach, working in partnership with parents and families.

Staff are relentless in their determination to address any attendance issues.

Governors and trustees offer extraordinary support for the school. They know and understand their statutory responsibilities fully and engage with parents and carers well.

Governors and trustees have the highest aspirations for all pupils and are committed to success. All staff are proud to work at the school. They feel that their workload and well-being are managed effectively.

Staff report that they feel exceptionally well cared for. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive and appreciative.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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