Oakwood Infant and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Oakwood Infant and Nursery School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school every day. They enjoy their schoolwork because they enjoy their lessons and describe learning as fun.

Pupils like their teachers and say they make learning interesting. Teachers have high expectations for what pupils can achieve in lessons. Pupils are keen to answer questions and learn more.

Pupils achieve well in most areas of the curriculum.

Pupils describe the behaviour in school as calm. This is evident in lessons, around the school and in the dining hall at lunchtime.

Pupils work well together in lessons and like helpi...ng each other. Pupils say they are confident to talk to adults if they have a problem of any kind.

Pupils feel safe and happy at school.

They say there is no bullying and if someone is unkind, this is rapidly sorted out. School ambassadors enjoy their responsibilities at breaktime and lunchtime. They help make sure all pupils join in with play.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, pupils enjoyed a wide range of activities, clubs, visitors and visits within the local community. These activities are starting again as restrictions are lifted. Forest school activities on site enable pupils to learn useful skills, such as collaborating on shared projects.

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

Leaders are ambitious for what all pupils can achieve. They are determined to help pupils do their best. Leaders provided an effective curriculum throughout the COVID-19 lockdown periods.

Consequently, any gaps in pupils' learning are rapidly closing.

Leaders have carefully thought about what pupils need to learn in all subjects. This starts in Nursery.

Some plans have been recently introduced and are being led by newly appointed subject leaders. These leaders are beginning to make sure that important knowledge, concepts and skills are taught in a logical order. This is helping pupils to know more and remember more as they progress through the school.

Teachers have the knowledge they need to teach most subjects effectively. They find working together in year teams helps share the workload of planning. Teachers' clear explanations mean pupils understand what they are learning and why.

If a pupil misunderstands something, adults help them think this through. This means pupils are confident to make improvements to their own work.

Reading has a high priority for school leaders.

Staff have been well trained to teach phonics and reading. Children learn their sounds rapidly in Nursery and by the end of Reception are starting to read simple books. Children develop a love of reading because interesting books and stories are a focus of their learning in Nursery and Reception.

Pupils continue to achieve well in reading through key stage 1. By the end of Year 2, pupils are beginning to read fluently and with good understanding.

Reading books are well matched to the sounds pupils have learned.

Pupils keep the same book until they can read all the words in the book. Parents, carers and teachers use reading diaries well to record how pupils are getting on with their reading. Teachers rapidly identify any pupils falling behind with their reading.

Pupils get the support they need to catch up.

There is effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders ensure there are detailed assessments of each pupil, and pupils receive the best support to meet their needs.

Leaders work with teachers on their subject plans to consider pupils' needs, so pupils with SEND can typically be supported to stay in class and access the same curriculum as their friends.

In the early years, adults join in with children's imaginative play. They ask skilful questions that help children think more deeply about their learning.

Pupils learn about friendship and to respect people from different cultures and backgrounds. This contributes to pupils' understanding of how to work and play together in harmony.

Governors know the school and check that all subjects are taught.

However, they are not as clear about how leaders organise the curriculum to have the greatest impact on what pupils know in all subjects.

Leaders have put in place a range of strategies to reduce staff's workload and support well-being. This is starting to have a positive impact.

Leaders are working to ensure that all staff can benefit from these routines.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have put robust and highly effective systems in place to ensure all pupils are safe.

Staff have regular training. They are confident to share concerns about a child's safety with leaders. Leaders respond swiftly to any concerns and are tenacious in ensuring that pupils get the help they need.

All safeguarding processes and procedures are stringently checked by governors and the local authority. Leaders work effectively with outside agencies as required.

Pupils learn and know about a wide range of risks to their safety.

They understand how to keep themselves safe online, especially when playing their favourite computer games.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some subject leaders are new to their role. Senior leaders should ensure new subject leaders support teachers in planning sequences of lessons that enable pupils to learn and remember more as they progress through the school.

• Governors have a broad understanding of what needs to be taught in the curriculum but have less expertise to evaluate how well the curriculum is being implemented. Those with responsibility for governance should identify the appropriate support and training opportunities that will help them to hold leaders to account more effectively.

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

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2016.