Osbaldwick Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's motto: 'Be safe, be kind, aim high' underpins the work of the school.Leaders expect all pupils to 'aim high'.

They teach children about careers throughout school. Pupils can also learn enterprise skills. In some curriculum subjects, ambitious curriculum thinking helps pupils to do well.

However, in some subjects, and in the early years foundation stage, the curriculum design is not as well established. In these areas, important pieces of knowledge are not clearly identified or broken down into small sequential steps.

Osbaldwick Primary Academy is a happy school.

No stone is left unturned when ensuring all pupils feel valued and cared for.... For example, leaders ensure there are opportunities for every pupil to represent the school in sport or music events. The vast majority of pupils attend at least one extra-curricular club from the vast array on offer.

Parents are overwhelmingly positive. They particularly value the kind and respectful relationships between pupils and adults.

Pupils behave well.

They like the school's system where they can move to 'Wow' rewards for great behaviour. Pupils say that bullying is very rare. If it did happen, they are confident that adults would sort it out promptly.

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

There is variability in the strength of the curriculum between subjects. Some subject curriculums are well designed. Leaders have developed a well-sequenced curriculum in subjects, such as mathematics and music.

However, in the early years, and in other subjects such as history, leaders have not identified the essential facts that they want pupils to learn over time. This means that sometimes pupils do not have the prior knowledge that they need to make sense of the new learning. For example, in English, pupils in key stage 2 do not know how paragraphs are used to show changes in time, topic or in speech.

Leaders have not identified how learning about this should be broken down into small, precise steps and when each idea should be taught. Curriculum leaders know that there is more work to do in developing the curriculum in some subjects, to ensure precise steps in learning are identified and children are ready for the next year group or key stage. This includes early years, where children are not well prepared for the full demands of key stage 1.

Most pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well in school. Leaders ensure that these pupils feel valued and included. Pupils particularly value the 'HUB' ('Helping Us Belong') nurture area in school.

Leaders have prioritised reading within the curriculum. They have ensured all adults are well trained and consistently use the same language and methods to teach reading. However, assessment is not used effectively to ensure the weakest readers catch up to their peers quickly.

Although, 'keep up sessions' are skilfully delivered, some whole-class phonics sessions are too difficult for pupils who are still at the very early stages of learning to read. For some of these pupils, their reading books are not well matched to their phonic ability and understanding.

Leaders want all pupils to feel valued and to develop tolerance and acceptance of individual differences.

They ensure that the resources in school represent diverse groups of people in society. Pupils learn about people from different faiths through visitors to schools, such as the local Iman and a local Christian charity group. Pupils learn about different types of families.

They also learn to respect different generations through reading alternative traditional tales, such as 'Jim and the Beanstalk'.

Pupils and children in early years behave well. They cooperate and play well to-gether.

Adults model respectful and kind relationships across school and pupils copy this in their own interactions. Children in the early years are encouraged to make healthy choices with their food and drinks.

Governors are committed to the school.

They provide challenge and support to school leaders. However, leaders' evaluation of school standards is over generous in terms of the quality of education, including in the early years. Staff are overwhelmingly proud to work at Osbaldwick Primary Academy.

They say that leaders have created a happy and positive school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders adopt an 'it could happen here' approach to safeguarding.

They have put in place robust systems to ensure that all adults are well trained and understand their roles and responsibilities. There are clear, and well managed, systems for identifying any risks and leaders are persistent in securing appropriate help and support for pupils. They work well with a range of external agencies.

Careful consideration has been given to online safety. Pupils use chrome books to learn in many subjects and leaders have put in place systems to ensure they are safe online. School leaders are well supported by the trust, who oversee safeguarding processes and procedures.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Assessment is not used effectively to ensure that provision is right for pupils who are still at the early stages of learning to read. This means that the weakest readers are not catching up to their peers quickly enough. Leaders should ensure that assessment in early reading is used to ensure pupils access reading books which match their ability and identify next steps to support pupils to build understanding and confidence in reading.

• In some subjects, composites of learning are not broken down into precise, well-sequenced steps. This means that pupils are not building important knowledge over time. Leaders should ensure that they identify the precise components of learning required to understand more complex ideas, and the order in which they should be taught.

• In early years, there is not a clear, well-sequenced curriculum in place. This means that children are not fully prepared for key stage 1. Leaders should ensure that the early years curriculum is carefully considered and broken down into precise, well-sequenced steps.

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