Oasis Academy Hadley

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Oasis Academy Hadley continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school each day.

One pupil summed up the views of many, saying that school is 'better than the outside world'. Pupils feel safe and well cared for. Teachers challenge pupils to do their best.

Pupils get help from teachers when they need it. Staff also celebrate pupils' successes. Pupils enjoy strong and supportive relationships with teachers and each other.

Sixth-form students are mature role models. Bullying does not happen often but if it does, teachers take it seriously.

Pupils behave well.

They move around the school in a calm and... purposeful way. Pupils can concentrate in class because low-level disruption is rare. Teachers make the learning fun and interactive.

They set tasks that ask pupils to recall knowledge from previous lessons. This helps pupils to remember more.

Following the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, leaders are reinstating pupils' usual range of trips and enrichment activities.

For example, all pupils in Years 7 and 8 go on three free educational visits each year. Older pupils also enjoy two trips related to the curriculum per year. For Year 9 pupils, there is also a visit to a top university.

In the sixth form, students complete a work experience placement. They also attend university open days.

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

Leaders have planned an ambitious curriculum.

It combines learning from the early years through to primary, secondary and the sixth form. This works well in most subjects, for instance English. Staff benefit from sharing expertise across phases.

For example, they have discussed the types of writing pupils will complete throughout their time at school. Pupils are first introduced to diary entries in Year 1, writing in the first person and using the past tense. They build on their knowledge effectively each year.

Pupils enjoy their lessons and remember what they have learned before. Their concentration is not disturbed by low-level disruption. Leaders plan pupils' learning carefully.

In mathematics, for example, teaching breaks down complex ideas into small steps. Pupils must master these before they move on. Teachers also set work so that pupils regularly go over and recall previous learning.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They are skilled in using and adapting subject plans to ensure that pupils achieve well. For example, they explain new ideas clearly and help pupils to connect these ideas with previous learning.

These strengths are not as firmly established in the primary phase, particularly in history and geography. In a few instances, teaching does not build up pupils' knowledge as methodically. This is because leaders have not pinpointed the knowledge that teaching needs to emphasise.

Leaders are ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils' needs are identified effectively. They follow the same curriculum as others.

Teachers provide additional support and resources so that pupils with SEND understand what they are learning. Staff check on how well pupils are progressing through the curriculum. They pick up on pupils' misconceptions and teach knowledge again when pupils need it.

In the early years, adults know what they want children to learn so they are prepared for Year 1. Adults model learning well and provide a suitable environment. The phonics programme used to teach early reading is well planned.

This includes in the early years. Pupils' books match their reading level. During the pandemic, leaders identified that some pupils were not keeping up with the phonics programme.

High-quality support is helping these pupils catch up.

Some pupils join the school in Year 7. Leaders check pupils' reading abilities straight away.

They know that being a confident reader will support pupils' learning in all subjects. Weaker readers receive extra help. Leaders are improving the extra help pupils receive so that it systematically plugs any gaps in their phonics knowledge.

Pupils' development beyond the curriculum is well supported. Leaders' planning for this aspect of the school's work is a strength. For instance, pupils debate topics such as human rights and fair trade in philosophy and ethics lessons.

Pupils also take part in 'life' days throughout the year. These days cover staying safe, relationships education and careers. Sixth-form students value the support they receive.

They get help with organising work experience placements and applying for university.

Teachers are positive about how leaders help them to manage their workload. Leaders seek and act on the views of staff.

Teachers also support each other within subject teams, sharing feedback and planning. Staff access a range of helpful opportunities for professional development. This is both within the school and through the multi-academy trust.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils see school as a safe place. They have a trusted adult they can speak to if they have a concern.

Staff understand the importance of reporting safeguarding issues quickly. They know about the local safeguarding challenges, such as gangs and knife crime. Leaders make sure that any concerns about pupils' welfare are managed well.

Staff undertake regular training on a range of safeguarding topics. For instance, teachers have had additional training on peer-on-peer abuse this year. There is a zero tolerance approach to this in the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Although weaker readers in the secondary phase receive extra help, in the past it has not always focused on building up the phonics knowledge pupils need to read fluently. Leaders need to build on their existing work to support weaker readers in the secondary phase. This includes making sure that any gaps in pupils' phonics knowledge are fully addressed.

• The curriculum is ambitious and well planned, particularly in the secondary phase. However, expectations for pupils' learning in some subjects are not as clearly mapped out in the primary phase. This is particularly the case in history and geography.

Leaders need to refine planning for these subjects. They should make explicit how knowledge should be sequenced so that pupils are better prepared for what they are learning next.

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 March 2012.

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