Oasis Academy Brightstowe

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has reset the expectations for behaviour and learning.

As a result, pupils move around the school calmly. In lessons, pupils arrive punctually and are ready for their learning. Pupils learn an ambitious curriculum.

They understand the raised expectations the school has of them.

The school has been through an unsettled time. Published outcomes for pupils in Year 11 are low.

The school's changed culture has not yet impacted on results. However, higher expectations mean pupils' achievement is improving. Pupils and staff are positive about the changes they have seen in a short time.

The stability of staffing helps pupils to feel happy... and confident. As a result, suspension numbers have decreased significantly. The school responds promptly when pupils report bullying or derogatory behaviours.

Pupils are well supported by the pastoral and safeguarding team. They feel safe in school.

Pupils enjoy the regular house competitions.

The school plans a wide scope of activities, such as sports or arcade games. Clubs and enrichment activities run at lunch times and after school, such as band practice, the school production or cheerleading. As a result, pupil participation is good.

Pupils raise money for charity, such as cake sales or to support the local 'hub' food bank.

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

Following a period of turbulence, the new leadership has begun to get things back on track. Professional development is leading to improvements in teaching.

Staff value this and appreciate the support from the trust and the school. Staffing is now stable, and behaviour has improved. Pupils build positive relationships with the adults in the school.

The impact of this is pupils are achieving more. However, although improving, some areas of school development need to be better embedded.

The school has designed a well sequenced and ambitious curriculum.

This sets out the learning it wants pupils to know lesson by lesson. Teachers provide structured routines for pupils to recall and revisit their learning. Teachers use different strategies to check how well pupils remember their learning.

However, these are not fully effective. As a result, this does not provide teachers with a full understanding of what all pupils understand and know.

The school has put in place new and more effective processes for identifying and planning support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

This has led to an increase in the number of pupils identified as needing support. There are comprehensive interventions to help pupils, including a 'Step Up' curriculum. This has improved pupils' attendance and behaviour and prepares pupils for their next steps.

Pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read receive the specific teaching they need to become better readers. This includes learning phonics, practising reading with fluency, and developing comprehension. As a result of this, pupils make progress with their reading.

The school has adapted the mathematics curriculum for pupils who do not have a secure knowledge of basic numeracy. It has started to provide pupils with some appropriate additional support. However, the curriculum does not fully meet pupils' needs.

This is because it does not include the knowledge some pupils most need to learn. As a result, some pupils do not develop their numeracy skills.

The school has been relentless in its work to improve attendance.

It has put in place robust and innovative strategies. From low starting points, attendance is improving. Many pupils' attendance has improved significantly.

However, too many pupils do not attend school regularly. This hinders their learning and prevents them from achieving well.

The school plans a comprehensive careers curriculum for all pupils.

For example, a range of providers and employers visit the school. Older pupils complete work experience. Pupils receive appropriate guidance to help them make their next choices.

Pupils' personal development threads through the curriculum. Daily 'character development' time prepares pupils for life in modern Britain, such as learning about citizenship. The personal, social, health and education curriculum (PSHE) teaches age-appropriate content.

Pupils have the information they need to make informed decisions.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The strategies teachers use to check how well pupils have understood their learning are not fully effective.

This means that staff do not know what pupils have remembered and what they need to learn next. When this happens, pupils do not achieve well enough. The trust needs to ensure the assessment processes staff use to check learning are effective.

• Too many pupils do not attend school regularly enough. When this happens, pupils have barriers to understanding the curriculum and achieving well. Although attendance is improving, the trust must continue to be relentless in its work to raise pupils' attendance.

• The numeracy curriculum does not adapt sufficiently to meet the needs of pupils who do not have a secure knowledge of early numeracy. As a result, those pupils do not develop their mathematical knowledge and understanding. The trust must make sure the gaps some pupils have in their early numeracy knowledge are appropriately identified and taught.