Oakfield Primary and Moderate Learning Difficulties Resource Provision

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

Oakfield is a good school, which is popular with parents and carers. It meets the needs of all pupils well, including those in the resource base. Outstanding care, guidance and support are reflected in the excellent links with parents and carers, in the promotion of pupils' well-being, and particularly in their attendance, good achievement and smooth transition to the next stage of their education.

Parents' and carers' support for the work of the school is reflected in such views as, 'My children have made good progress throughout their time in school because staff always have their best interests at heart and are very approachable'. All groups of pupils, including those with special educational needs... and/or disabilities, make equally good progress. Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with attainment which is below the expectations for their ages and make good progress so they are well prepared for Year 1.

Pupils' achievement throughout the school is good so that by the end of Year 6 they attain broadly average standards. Pupils' good behaviour has a positive impact on their learning. Good teaching, reflected in high expectations for learning and behaviour, and the ability to enthuse learning through a rich variety of activities ensure good learning and progress.

Teachers' good use of assessment in matching tasks to pupils' different abilities and in their marking to inform pupils of the next stages of their learning is not always reflected in the setting of clear targets for pupils in literacy and numeracy. Although there are strengths in pupils' spiritual, moral and social development, the school has rightly identified the need to improve their cultural development by providing more planned opportunities, within its recently revised curriculum, for pupils to learn about international communities and the wider world. Governance is good.

Members of the governing body hold the school to account for its work and ensure all legal requirements are met, especially those for safeguarding. Leaders, under the excellent direction of the headteacher and deputy headteacher, monitor teaching and its impact on learning well. They accurately evaluate the work of the school and set clear priorities for improvement.

As a result, there has been good improvement in the quality of marking and in raising attainment at Key Stage 1, both identified as issues at the last inspection. This, together with further developments to the curriculum and the quality of teaching, demonstrates a good capacity for sustained improvement.

Information about the school

Oakfield is an average-sized primary school.

Most pupils are of White British heritage. A few pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above average.

The proportion of pupils identified with special educational needs and/or disabilities is broadly average, and the proportion of those with a statement of special educational needs is above average. A few pupils join or leave the school other than at the usual time of admission. There are very few looked after children.

The school incorporates a resource base for up to nine pupils who have moderate learning difficulties, all of whom have a statement of special educational needs and many of whom have additional speech, language and/or communication difficulties. Since the last inspection, the school has made significant changes in senior management. The deputy headteacher has been appointed to the post of headteacher and a new deputy headteacher and Early Years Foundation Stage co-ordinator have been appointed.

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms