Oakfield Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel happy and safe at school. Treating one another equally and with respect is a trait pupils understand.

Pupils told inspectors, 'people are kind here'. If pupils have a concern, they know staff will listen. The 'support and guidance' room is a place where they know they will receive the help they need.

The school has introduced a new behaviour policy. Pupils and staff understand the expectations and routines. As a result, most pupils focus well in lessons.

However, some parts of the curriculum are not well implemented. When this happens, pupils are less motivated. During breaktime, pupils enjoy their time sensibly.

Leaders have taken steps ...to manage the challenging behaviour of a minority of pupils. If there is an issue, staff deal with it promptly.

Pupils and staff are proud of the wide range of clubs, trips and school productions.

For example, pupils participate in mixed-sports clubs, Shakespeare club and coding. Pupils relish the different ways in which they take on leadership roles, such as taking part in the academy council and acting as ambassadors or prefects. Through these forums, pupils share their thoughts and contribute to the school.

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

The school has planned a broad curriculum. This sets out what pupils will learn. In some subjects, such as geography, the curriculum is carefully sequenced.

However, in other subjects, the curriculum is not implemented as intended. In mathematics, for example, some classes learn different concepts that do not build on what they already know. As a result, they do not have the skill to apply their learning to more complex problem-solving.

In English, some parts of the curriculum are not taught with the intended depth. Pupils do not experience all the curriculum as the school intends.

Teachers plan adaptations to help pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils contribute to the planning of these strategies to support their learning. This means pupils with SEND receive effective support across some of the curriculum. However, where the quality of the curriculum is not effective, this hinders pupils, particularly those with SEND.

The school has prioritised reading across the school. A daily reading programme for all pupils promotes the ambition to read for pleasure. The school tracks reading through a whole-school reading programme.

However, the school has not planned precisely for pupils who are at the early stages of learning to read. Pupils learn phonics and letter sounds. However, this learning is not well matched to what pupils need to know next.

Often, it is not age-appropriate. As a result, this does not improve pupils' reading in a timely way.

The school is ambitious for all pupils to be successful.

Most pupils attend school regularly. For pupils who need it, the school uses a range of alternative provision appropriately to support their needs.

The school has implemented a well-planned personal, social and health education curriculum.

Pupils learn about relationships and sex education at appropriate ages. The school makes sure that pupils learn how to look after their mental and physical health. Pupils are well informed and find this helpful.

Pupils from Year 5 to Year 8 learn about careers. Pupils experience careers fairs and enterprise week, and local providers frequently visit. As a result, Year 8 pupils are well prepared to make their option choices in preparation for their next steps.

The school has focused on developing the curriculum. It has successfully embedded the provision for pupils with SEND in some areas. However, the systems to check on the quality of education have not been rigorous.

As a result, the school has not recognised quickly the important actions needed to improve further. However, parents are positive about the nurturing nature of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school does not have effective mechanisms to review and evaluate the impact of the curriculum. This means important areas for development are not identified in a timely way. The school needs to ensure it reviews the curriculum in a way that identifies accurately the next stages for development.

• In some curriculum subjects, such as mathematics, the school has not identified the knowledge pupils will learn and when. As a result, pupils do not learn knowledge in a sequenced way, hindering their ability to remember more over time. The school must ensure the curriculum is sequenced effectively for all pupils.

• The school does not identify what pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read need to learn next. This means learning is not matched accurately to what pupils need to know. The school must make sure the teaching of reading is well matched to pupils' needs.