Oyster Park Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and happy at Oyster Park Primary Academy. Staff are committed to supporting the well-being of pupils. The school has high expectations for what pupils will learn across the curriculum.

However, these expectations are not always realised. While leaders have made improvements to the curriculum, on occasions pupils are not supported well enough to learn and remember the most important knowledge. As a result, too many pupils have gaps in their learning.

Pupils behave well in lessons. They say that bullying can sometimes happen, but they know that they can tell a trusted adult, who will sort it out.

The school provides pupils with the opportunity t...o go out on trips and for visitors to come into the school.

Leaders consider these carefully and link them to what the pupils are learning in lessons. Visits include going to the library, visiting the church and the going to the local coastline. Pupils enjoy these opportunities, which help to make learning more memorable.

The school offers different clubs for pupils to attend. Pupils are happy with the range of clubs on offer. They can develop their talents and interests, such as singing, learning a musical instrument and competing in sports competitions.

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

Although the school has made changes to the wider curriculum, gaps in pupils' knowledge remain. The new curriculum maps out what pupils need to learn from early years to Year 6. However, gaps from the previous curriculum are not bridged, and pupils are not fully equipped to take advantage of the new knowledge on offer.

This limits how well they build knowledge and skills over time.

The school uses assessment well in the core subjects. Teachers recap relevant prior learning and address any misconceptions before moving on.

This supports pupils' development and ability to make links in their understanding. However, this is not consistently in place across the wider curriculum, where the school is less able to identify pupils' next steps in learning.

The school has prioritised reading.

Pupils take books home that are matched well to their reading ability. This helps them to practise what they have learned in lessons and to develop further confidence and fluency. The school has worked hard to improve the subject knowledge of all adults in the school.

However, the impact of this training is not being realised. The school does not teach the reading programme consistently well. This includes those sessions that pupils access if they fall behind in their reading.

The school has carefully considered the support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils have access to a bank of resources that are in line with their learning needs. These include concrete apparatus, word banks and writing frames.

This helps pupils with SEND to access learning alongside other pupils.

The school has a clear and ambitious vision for early years. Leaders provide all staff with regular training to support their development.

This helps staff to teach with confidence and skill. Staff use assessments well to identify what children need to learn next. Staff use this understanding to set up appropriate learning activities.

These activities build well from Nursery to Reception. Staff engage well with children and support their further development.

Leaders provide pupils with the opportunity to take on leadership roles in the school.

This includes roles such as reading ambassador. Pupils enjoy supporting younger children at playtimes and with their reading. These leadership roles develop pupils' understanding of citizenship and how they can have a positive impact on others.

The school teaches pupils about fundamental British values well. Leaders reinforce these values in school assemblies, with fundraising activities and by celebrating the school's own values. Pupils understand the importance of equality, respect and tolerance.

Consequently, pupils can talk with enthusiasm about the importance of the rights of everyone and that these should be listened to and respected.

The school has a clear and robust process for checking attendance. Leaders work closely with families to ensure that pupils understand the importance of attending school regularly.

Those responsible for governance attend meetings and visit the school regularly. However, the level of scrutiny and challenge is not detailed enough. As a result, trustees and governors do not have a clear understanding of what the school needs to do next to improve.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

On a few occasions, leaders have not fully documented the actions that they have taken to address low-level safeguarding concerns. Although pupils are safe, these gaps in records do not support the safeguarding culture in the same way as other aspects of the school's work.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The teaching of early reading is not consistent. Some adults do not model learning consistently well, and pupils' misconceptions can persist. Leaders need to ensure that all staff teach the phonics programme accurately, so that all pupils make the progress they need to.

The wider curriculum does not consistently develop pupils' skills and knowledge over time. As a result, pupils do not build their understanding well enough and they have gaps in their knowledge. The school needs to implement the new curriculum carefully to ensure that any gaps in pupils' subject knowledge are addressed.

• Some leaders, including those responsible for governance, do not have a detailed oversight of the wider curriculum. This means that they are not always able to identify gaps in learning and support teachers to address these. The school needs to ensure that assessment is used consistently well across the wider curriculum to identify and address any gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding.

• On a few occasions, leaders have not robustly documented the actions they have taken to address low-level safeguarding concerns. As a result, leaders are not evidencing in detail the steps they have taken to assure themselves that pupils are safe. Leaders need to ensure that they clearly record the actions taken to address low-level safeguarding concerns in order to provide the reassurance needed.