Oasis Academy Don Valley

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is an inclusive school that is committed to doing the best for its pupils and their community.

There is a relentless focus on ensuring that pupils benefit from a high-quality education that will serve them well in their next steps.

In the primary phase, the great majority of pupils behave well. They pay attention in lessons and play happily with their friends at social times.

Those in the early years are utterly captivated by the engaging learning environment and quickly settle into new routines. Pupils in both the primary and secondary phases know that they are looked after by kind staff who have their best interests at heart. However, some secondary pu...pils struggle to meet the school's expectations for good behaviour.

The Oasis habits are threaded through every aspect of the school's work. In the primary phase, nine 'habit champions' exemplify these attributes, which include being joyful and considerate. There are wide-ranging extra-curricular opportunities for pupils of all ages.

After-school clubs are well attended and enable pupils to broaden their talents and interests. There are a range of leadership opportunities available for both primary and secondary pupils. These pupil leaders are proud to be role models for younger pupils and to represent their school to visitors.

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

The trust curriculum is ambitious and well considered in all subjects. From the early years through to Year 11, the important knowledge that pupils should know and remember is clearly set out. Subject leaders adapt the curriculum content to better reflect the local context.

Teachers carefully consider what further changes are needed for their individual classes. In the early years foundation stage, the adaptations to the curriculum provide the right support with the right challenge so that all children rapidly gain the important knowledge they need to be ready for Year 1.

The majority of teaching staff have good subject knowledge and benefit from the support they get from school and trust subject leaders.

Teachers receive detailed information about how to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In the primary phase, which has been established for a longer period of time, the needs of pupils with SEND are more consistently met than in the secondary phase. All pupils, particularly those with SEND, benefit from the regular opportunities there are in many subjects to revisit important knowledge.

This helps pupils to remember what they have been taught before. However, in some subjects, including personal, social, health, citizenship and economic (PSHCE) education, pupils have gaps in their knowledge and struggle to remember important information. This is because in these subjects the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn is not prioritised or revisited as well as it is in other subjects.

There is a real focus on supporting pupils to develop a love of reading. When pupils join the school, those who need additional help to read fluently are swiftly identified.Trained staff carefully plan targeted support so that these pupils quickly learn to read.

Children in the early years setting rapidly learn their letters and the sounds these letters make. Many children do not have English as a first language. The transformation they undergo as they embrace learning to read, alongside all the other learning opportunities staff make available, is startling.

The learning environment in the primary phase is calm and orderly. The great majority of pupils follow the rules and behave respectfully, modelling the different habits that are displayed on classroom walls. The youngest children know the importance of having 'kind hands' and wait patiently to take turns with different classroom resources.

Older pupils help those who are younger. There is a respectful atmosphere. Across the school, bullying is rare.

Most pupils are confident to report any concerns, including about bullying, to a trusted adult. They know that staff will quickly act to help them. However, some secondary-aged pupils struggle to behave sufficiently well.

There can be disruption in some lessons and during social time. The school's actions to support and help these pupils to make better choices does not work consistently well. Some pupils and staff are worried by the behaviour they sometimes see.

Pupils are taught about what it means to be a British citizen in our multicultural and diverse country. The school is determined to develop pupils' character and their confidence and to contribute to their community. Topics are discussed and debated in some lessons such as PSHCE and through the advisory programme with tutors.

Pupils learn important safeguarding knowledge, including how to keep themselves safe when online and how to look after their physical and mental health. Many pupils are more confident to report any concerns they may have as a result.

The trust has accurate oversight of the school's strengths and areas for development.

Additional capacity to support the secondary phase, which doubled in size over the period of COVID-related lockdowns, is beginning to have impact. Most staff enjoy working at the school. They know that leaders have their best interests at heart and take account of their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The school is diligent in protecting pupils. Staff have the training they need to spot the signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm.

Staff report any concerns promptly and the school swiftly follows these up. However, on rare occasions, important safeguarding records do not always contain sufficient detail about the steps that leaders have taken to ensure that pupils are kept safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, the school does not ensure that important knowledge is emphasised and regularly returned to, so pupils can retain it in their long-term memory.

As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and struggle to make sense of new learning. This means that they do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that pupils have regular opportunities to retrieve and practise applying the most important knowledge, so that they are better prepared for future learning.

• Some secondary pupils do not consistently meet the school's high expectations for their behaviour. Some disruptive behaviours, including during social times, are not managed effectively. The school should ensure that there are strong systems to support good behaviour so that all pupils learn to follow routines and disruptions to learning are minimised.