Oldfield Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

At Oldfield Primary School, there is a strong sense of community.

Staff make sure pupils feel valued. Pupils say that staff listen to any worries they may have. Bullying is rare.

Leaders address any poor behaviour quickly and effectively. This helps pupils to feel safe.

Leaders have high expectations for pupils' learning.

This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff have created a curriculum that enables pupils to know and remember more over time. In lessons, pupils listen attentively to staff.

They make the most of opportunities to learn. Pupils enjoy their lessons. They take pride in their work.
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They make sure it reflects adults' high expectations.

At social times, pupils treat each other with care and respect. Older pupils support the younger children.

They join in with their games and model good behaviour. All pupils can take part in visits to local cultural events and museums. Older pupils have opportunities to develop entrepreneurial skills, such as planning for a fundraising tuck shop, before they leave the school.

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

Leaders have redesigned parts of the curriculum to allow children to know and remember more. The curriculum is ambitious and exciting. Leaders have developed the curriculum by using powerful texts as a starting point to help pupils understand evolution.

Until recently, the senior leadership team has overseen curriculum development. Senior leaders have passed responsibility for the curriculum to middle leaders. However, some subject leaders are unable to clearly identify what pupils should know and when.

In these subjects, leaders have not adapted the curriculum to meet the needs of pupils in mixed-age classes, and children make slower progress. Leaders are addressing this through a training programme for subject leaders. Leaders also provide training to develop the subject knowledge of teachers.

This is strengthening teachers' understanding of how to plan clear, focused lessons.

All pupils, including those with SEND, follow the full curriculum. Regular assessments are used to check pupils' understanding in English and mathematics.

In other subjects, staff plan quizzes and recap activities to identify what pupils remember about their learning. Pupils are proud of their work. Classroom displays highlight quality work from across the wider curriculum.

The early years curriculum is well designed. High-quality texts and stories are used to introduce children to different cultures. Adults encourage children to use a wide range of vocabulary in their talk.

The classroom has a range of resources to aid children's development. Adults encourage children to learn from their mistakes. This strengthens their resilience and helps deepen their understanding.

Staff support children to be ready for their next steps in learning.Leaders have prioritised reading. They introduced a new early reading programme.

Staff understand how to deliver the programme. Staff use regular assessment to check that pupils' phonic knowledge is secure. Pupils who struggle with reading have daily support.

Pupils read with increasing fluency across the school.

Leaders have carefully chosen books and stories to support learning across the curriculum. These books are well matched to pupils' needs.

Staff encourage pupils to read widely and often. Pupils talk with confidence about what they read. They say that they enjoy reading.

Leaders identify the support required for pupils with SEND. Teachers make some adaptations to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. However, staff are not provided with enough detailed information about the needs of individual pupils.

This means that the adaptations in place do not consistently meet individual needs well.Pupils support each other and behave well. They engage well during lessons.

Leaders ensure that pupils respect other cultures and backgrounds. New links with local schools are developing this understanding. Leaders use assemblies and focus events to celebrate a range of festivals and events.

Children develop life skills through activities and residential visits that are carefully thought through. This helps to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and governors ensure that adults know how to keep children safe. Staff have regular training. Safeguarding checks are up to date.

Staff are trained in safer recruitment practices. The school makes prompt and effective referrals to local agencies.

Governors visit the school regularly.

They have a detailed overview of safeguarding systems.

Pupils have a trusted adult in school to speak to if they are worried about anything. Staff take appropriate action.

Pupils know appropriate strategies to keep themselves safe. This includes road safety and online safety.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Documentation for pupils with SEND does not contain sufficient information about their needs or effective adaptations that will support them.

Some pupils with SEND do not make the progress that they could. Leaders should make sure that pupils' needs are clearly identified so that staff support pupils more effectively. ? Some new curriculum leaders do not have the expertise to identify clearly in the curriculum what pupils should know and remember, and when.

This means that the curriculum in some subjects does not build progressively over time, especially in some mixed-age classes. Leaders should make sure that all learning is planned sequentially to prepare pupils for the next stage of their learning. Senior leaders should ensure that all staff are sufficiently trained to lead subjects confidently.