Oliver’s Battery Primary and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Oliver's Battery Primary and Nursery School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be members of this school. Staff have high expectations of how all pupils behave and apply themselves to learning.

Pupils are encouraged to meet these high standards by the caring and considerate staff. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the support they need to access the ambitious curriculum alongside their friends. Pupils enjoy the wide range of opportunities to learn and play in the outside areas, particularly the edible playground and forest, where... they grow and eat healthy food.

Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning, and they work hard in lessons. Pupils achieve well across a wide range of subjects. Regular high-quality trips and events help pupils to embed their learning.

The school values of 'ready, respectful and safe' are clearly understood and used by pupils. For example, they show respect through the polite and courteous way in which they behave towards each other and staff. Pupils are eager to earn points for their house by showing these values in action.

From Reception Year to Year 6, pupils enjoy the many roles of responsibility they have. The 'Eco Ambassadors' are passionate advocates for the environment. They lead a range of projects, from reducing the use of plastic to planting hedges for increased biodiversity.

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

The school curriculum is broad and ambitious. Pupils are excited to learn, both in their classrooms and while using the extensive outdoor learning spaces. For example, pupils in Reception Year observe the trees in the forest to learn about the seasons.

They then develop their pencil grip as they draw them. This well-sequenced approach extends throughout the school and helps pupils to achieve well. Staff address any misconceptions that pupils have before teaching something new.

In a few subjects, the school has not identified the most important knowledge that they want pupils to remember. As a result, the learning is not always broken down into manageable chunks as well as it could be. The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND accurately and quickly.

Staff work closely with families and external agencies so that these pupils get the support they need to access the full curriculum.

The school has made the development of proficiency in mathematics and English a priority. This starts in the Nursery with rhymes and counting songs, and continues throughout the school.

The school has selected a phonics programme to teach pupils to read. Teachers are skilled at helping children to learn the letters and their sounds. Children quickly become fluent and accurate readers.

Pupils relish reading increasingly complex books and tackling tricky problems in mathematics. Pupils talk animatedly about their work and viewpoints. They use discussions to shape interesting pieces of writing.

Sometimes, teachers do not check that pupils have used challenging vocabulary and techniques. This means some pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

The school takes every opportunity to promote and encourage good attendance and punctuality.

This is based on strong home-school relationships that are renewed by daily interactions at the school gate. Staff forensically analyse information about who is not in school and the reasons for the absences. They take swift and effective actions.

As a result, attendance has improved significantly. From the start of Nursery, pupils learn routines that help them to behave well and focus on their learning. They show kindness as they play together during social time, and all ages mix for conversations around the lunch tables.

Pupils' personal development is carefully woven through the curriculum. Pupils learn about the democratic process through voting for the school council and a range of pupil ambassador roles. Pupils are keen to hold these extra responsibilities and undertake them diligently.

The pupil well-being ambassador team puts together and monitors well-being boxes in each classroom. These pupils promote a shared understanding of strategies to support good mental health.

Pupils are confident that adults will listen to them.

Pupils value the 'worry boxes' around the school. They see them as a good way of expressing their concerns and receiving help quickly. Pupils are proud to welcome new people and learn about a range of cultures and world views.

Pupils learn how to stay safe online and offline. They develop independence because all staff expect them to 'have a go' at things that are challenging.

Staff and governors work closely together.

They are all committed to giving pupils the best education. Staff are appreciative of the way their workload is considered. Governors use careful monitoring to understand the school's strengths and priorities.

As a result, they provide effective support and challenge to the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority) ? In a few foundation subjects, the school has not precisely defined the key knowledge they want pupils to remember over time.

This means that teachers do not know what the most important things are for them to teach. The school should further refine the curriculum to prioritise the key content that it wants pupils to learn. ? When teachers check written work, they do not consistently focus on the use of higher-level vocabulary and grammatical structures.

This means that some pupils do not use these features as well as they could. In Year 6, greater depth writing outcomes are below those achieved nationally. The school should ensure that systems are fully implemented so that pupils' extended writing skills develop.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2016.