Oakfield Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and enjoy coming to school. They attend regularly.

Pupils show kindness and respect to others and welcome everyone into their community. They know the '5 C' values of Oakfield well, and this is reflected in their behaviour across the school. Pupils feel safe and well looked after.

Relationships between staff and pupils are extremely positive.

Leaders are ambitious about what all pupils can achieve. Pupils are learning well and are proud to share their work.

Many pupils read with confidence and talk enthusiastically about their class novels. They also talk enthusiastically about the stories they have read independently. Leaders have e...nsured that pupils who need extra support to become fluent readers receive this quickly.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported to achieve well, too.

The vast majority of pupils participate in an array of activities, including competitions, assemblies and clubs. Leaders have ensured that pupils have many opportunities to take on responsibilities in school, where they act as 'buddies', organise lunchtime activities and become members of the school council.

Leaders have been careful to ensure that this is highly inclusive, meaning that pupils with SEND play an active part in these roles across the school.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum which is broad and reflects their high expectations for all. This includes pupils with SEND.

Pupils who attend the LAN Centre are provided with the specialist support they require, and the curriculum is expertly tailored to their needs. This ensures they make effective progress in relation to their specific starting points. In addition, teachers work closely with the special educational needs coordinator to carefully plan the adaptations needed for pupils with SEND across the wider school.

This means they are also learning well.

Leaders have a clear approach to reading. They have developed a strong culture of reading and pupils regularly share books and read independently.

Leaders also provide additional support for pupils who are at the earlier stages of reading. These pupils have regular opportunities to learn letter sounds and to practise reading. Leaders have ensured that books are closely matched to what pupils know to develop their reading fluency.

In some cases, teachers revisit this learning multiple times throughout the day, allowing pupils further practice. However, sometimes, pupils do not have enough opportunities to revisit this learning so are not catching up as rapidly as they could.

In mathematics, pupils are able to use the correct vocabulary and their mathematical knowledge to problem-solve.

Pupils demonstrate confidence and achieve highly. This is also the case in some foundation subjects, where pupils can recall key information about what they have learned.

In some subject areas, however, leaders are less clear about the precise knowledge pupils need and the order in which this should be taught.

Some activities teachers choose are not closely matched to what pupils need to learn. This also makes it difficult for teachers to track precisely what pupils know and can do and to address any gaps in knowledge as quickly as they could. Pupils, in these subjects, are less confident in recalling what they have been taught before and how it links to what they are learning now.

Pupils' personal development is highly effective. Leaders are rightly proud of the thoughtful programme they have designed. They have carefully considered how this is woven throughout the whole school.

Pupils talk confidently about what they have learned, including how they develop respectful and positive relationships and how they celebrate difference. In addition, leaders have ensured that the extra-curricular opportunities pupils have are carefully considered. Leaders ensure that pupils' talents and interests are encouraged to thrive.

Leaders monitor these opportunities thoroughly to ensure that pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with SEND are actively participating in these, too.

Leaders and governors take conscious steps to manage staff's workload and to support staff effectively. They provide many opportunities for staff to improve their knowledge, and staff value this highly.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding throughout the school. Systems for identifying and reporting concerns are robust.

Staff are alert to risks and take actions to manage these carefully. Leaders have ensured that staff are well trained, especially in understanding the additional risk that might be presented for pupils with SEND. Pupils receive the help they need quickly.

Leaders have also ensured that pupils know how to keep themselves safe, especially online. There are a range of approaches which pupils know how to use to report any worries that they have.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leaders have not carefully identified and sequenced the precise knowledge that pupils need to learn.

Therefore, teachers cannot identify gaps in learning and address any misconceptions as swiftly as they should. Pupils find it hard to recall what they have learned in these subjects. Leaders need to ensure that important knowledge is clearly identified in all subjects and is carefully sequenced to enable them to check what pupils know.

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