Oasis Academy Aspinal

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and children in the early years arrive at school keen to get their day started. They said that teachers make learning fun. Pupils explained that they are proud to be part of the Oasis Academy Aspinal community.

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders provide appropriate support for any pupils who need to catch up with their learning, especially those who are at the early stages of learning to speak English. Most pupils, including children in the early years, learn a lot of new knowledge and skills.

Pupils feel happy and safe in school. They told inspectors that it is easy ...to make friends. Pupils know who they would speak to if they had any worries.

They are confident that their concerns will be dealt with by staff. Pupils said that leaders deal with bullying effectively.

Many pupils carry out a range of leadership roles across the school.

They learn how to make a positive contribution to their school and the wider local community. Older pupils take up roles as well-being or physical health champions. Pupils enjoy the range of extra-curricular opportunities on offer to them.

Teachers expect all pupils to behave well. Most pupils engage well in lessons. Pupils are respectful and courteous to one another.

They also play harmoniously together using the equipment on the playground at breaktimes and lunchtimes.

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

Leaders, governors and trustees have a strong oversight of the quality of education that pupils receive. They have taken great care to develop an ambitious curriculum that meets pupils' learning needs.

For example, in key stages 1 and 2, pupils study a curriculum that is commensurate with the national curriculum. Leaders have also successfully established the knowledge that pupils must learn and the order in which it will be taught. Leaders have made sure that the curriculum in key stages 1 and 2 successfully builds on the strong foundations that children gain in the early years.

Leaders ensure that teachers have the guidance that they need to deliver the curriculum effectively. Teachers receive appropriate ongoing training and support to develop their subject knowledge. They explain new ideas and concepts well.

Teachers help pupils to make secure links between different subjects and topics.

Teachers routinely check what pupils have understood and remembered of the curriculum content. In most subjects, pupils can successfully recall their learning.

However, on occasions, some teachers do not identify quickly enough those pupils who have developed misconceptions in their learning. This means that, in some subjects, a few pupils occasionally develop gaps in their knowledge.Despite this, pupils across the school achieve well.

They are well prepared for the next stages of their education.

Highly trained staff identify and support pupils with SEND, including in the early years. Leaders ensure that children and pupils with SEND receive the support they need to access the same curriculum as other pupils.

Leaders successfully prioritise reading, including in the early years. All staff are appropriately trained to deliver the phonics programme. Children begin to learn sounds as soon as they come into the Nursery class.

Leaders identify pupils who may be falling behind with their reading swiftly. Pupils receive the support that they need to catch up quickly.

Leaders and teachers foster a love of reading.

Older pupils talked with confidence about the different authors that they had learned about in class. They said that they enjoy the competitions that teachers hold, which encourage them to read as often as they can. Younger pupils also enjoy reading.

However, on occasions, the books that younger pupils read do not match the sounds that they know closely enough. This means that, on occasions, some pupils struggle to read words and some lose accuracy and fluency in their reading.

Most pupils pay attention to their teachers and concentrate on their learning.

In the main, pupils and children in the early years display positive attitudes to their learning. On those rare occasions where pupils and children drift off task, teachers are quick to reengage them.

Leaders ensure that there is a suitably wide range of personal development opportunities available to pupils.

For example, pupils have the chance to take on extra leadership roles in school, including by becoming members of the school parliament. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. For instance, they learn to respect different faiths and beliefs to their own.

Pupils attend different clubs, such as art and design or quiet club, at lunchtimes. Leaders have appropriate plans in place to increase the take up of extra-curricular clubs for disadvantaged pupils and for those with SEND.

Parents and carers are complimentary about the quality of education that their children receive.

Staff value the emphasis that leaders, governors and trustees place on their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders take their safeguarding responsibilities very seriously.

They work closely with pupils and their families. Leaders keep a close check on pupils to identify those who may need extra support. They liaise well with different agencies to help pupils, when required.

They are tenacious in ensuring that vulnerable pupils receive the timely support that they need.

Leaders ensure that all staff receive up-to-date safeguarding training. Staff pass on any concerns to the leaders responsible for safeguarding in a timely manner.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. They understand how to work safely online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The books that some pupils read are not matched closely enough to their phonics knowledge.

This means that, on occasions, some pupils have words in their books that they cannot read. As a result, some pupils lose fluency in reading and begin to guess words. Leaders must ensure that the books that pupils read closely match their phonics knowledge.

• Sometimes, teachers do not check effectively enough that all pupils have understood their learning. As a result, some pupils develop the occasional misconception. Leaders must ensure that all teachers check that pupils have understood the concepts and topics that they are learning so that pupils do not develop gaps in their knowledge.