King’s Oak Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

King's Oak Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils treat each other with kindness and care at this school.

At breaktimes, pupils play sensibly together. If anyone were to get upset, pupils would help them feel better and encourage them to join in their game. Pupils are happy and proud of the school.

They share ideas with elected pupil school council representatives to make the school even better. For example, pupils are excited that their suggestion to paint the playground wall will soon be realised.

Typically, pupils achieve well here.

The school has high expectations for pupils' achievement. Pupils who... attend the specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (specially resourced provision) receive the specialist help and support they need. This includes therapeutic and language support from trained experts.

The school ensures that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access all that the school has to offer. This includes the broad curriculum and the wide range of opportunities and activities that leaders organise beyond the academic curriculum. Pupils enjoy the weekly 'golden time' activities, including origami, sports and art.

The school supports all pupils to access the range of educational visits and extra-curricular clubs that the school organises.

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

The school takes account of pupils' starting points when they join the school. The school places high importance on developing pupils' spoken language and early reading from when they join the school.

Pupils who need additional support with communication and language, including pupils at the early stages of speaking English as an additional language (EAL), are supported to help them develop their spoken and written English quickly. Published outcomes for phonics are weaker than national averages. However, the school's approach to teaching early reading is well structured and effective in helping pupils catch up.

Phonics teaching begins in the early years and continues for as long as pupils need it. This includes pupils with SEND and pupils who speak EAL. The school checks pupils' knowledge of phonics when pupils start part way through their primary education.

Teaching is carefully matched to pupils' phonics knowledge. Where needed, additional support is put in place to help pupils keep up. Pupils enjoy reading and develop the confidence and skills to read fluently.

There is a broad and ambitious curriculum in place. Pupils learn a range of subjects in line with the national curriculum. Pupils who attend the specially resourced provision learn most of the curriculum alongside their peers in the main school.

The school makes effective adaptations to teaching and resources for pupils with SEND so that they learn the full curriculum. The school works together with parents, carers and a range of experts to understand and meet pupils' specific needs. Teaching staff receive appropriate training from specialists.

Pupils with SEND receive strong help and support.

In all subjects, the school sets out the most important knowledge for pupils to learn and remember from the early years onwards. Knowledge is sequenced logically to ensure that pupils build on content that they have already learned.

For example, in the early years, children use and learn the names of primary colours, red, yellow and blue. In Year 1, pupils mix colours together to make secondary colours and use them in their artwork. The school checks that pupils remember important knowledge and use this information to adjust teaching and learning opportunities.

However, sometimes gaps in pupils' knowledge of foundation subjects are missed and therefore not addressed. As a result, some pupils sometimes struggle to remember what they have learned previously and link it to current learning.

The school's curriculum includes teaching about a range of religious traditions and beliefs.

Pupils are taught about diverse types of families and the importance of showing respect for others and their differences. The school encourages pupils to keep themselves safe, including when online, and to look after their physical and mental health. Pupils are taught age-appropriate information about relationships.

Pupils are encouraged to reflect calmly, think about their feelings and regulate their emotions.

Parents and pupils receive messages from leaders, including via weekly newsletters and assemblies, emphasising the importance of attending school regularly. The school analyses the reasons for pupils' absence and provides practical help for pupils and their families if absence is a concern.

The governing body provides effective support and challenge, including on issues that may impact pupils' welfare. Leaders and the governing body consult school staff regularly on issues that may have an impact on their workload. Pupils know what the school expects of their conduct and attitudes.

Lessons and learning the curriculum are rarely interrupted by low-level disruption.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, gaps in pupils' knowledge and recall are not routinely identified and addressed in foundation subjects.

Where this is the case, some pupils sometimes struggle to remember what they learned before and link it to current learning. The school must ensure that checks of pupils' recall of the most important prior knowledge identify and address any gaps.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2018.

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