Oakfield Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

There has been turbulence in leadership in the school over recent years. The new leadership team is now bringing some stability. Leaders have high expectations for the pupils in this school.

However, these expectations have not been realised at this point. Leaders have an accurate view of the school's strengths and weaknesses. They are taking the right steps to bring about improvement in the school.

Leaders' actions are already having some positive impact on pupils. Pupils demonstrate a strong understanding of diversity. They meet visitors from a wide range of faiths, cultures and backgrounds during the school's diversity week.

This helps them to understand a...bout different groups in modern Britain. From as early as Reception, children are encouraged to think about what they might like to be when they are older. They learn about different careers through visitors to school, such as a local doctor and the police.

Pupils in the school feel happy, safe and confident. Most behave well. They know how to be a good friend.

They say that bullying does sometimes happen, but when it does adults sort it out quickly. Pupils know they can use the 'worry corner' or talk to a trusted adult if they are worried about something.

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

Over time, leaders have not been sufficiently proactive in ensuring that pupils receive a consistently high standard of education.

As a result, the school's effectiveness has declined since its last inspection. The new leadership team members know that there is work to do to ensure that all pupils achieve their full potential. They have identified 'golden threads', such as ambition, character and diversity, that will underpin their curriculum developments.

Leaders are acting to improve the curriculum. In mathematics, for example, a coherently planned curriculum that runs from Reception to Year 2 has been put in place. This sets out the knowledge that pupils should learn and ensures that pupils' understanding builds over time.

Leaders are currently working with staff to help them teach the curriculum well. However, some adults do not check carefully enough to make sure that pupils remember the content that they are taught in mathematics. This hinders some pupils' achievement.

In the early years, adults balance taught mathematics sessions with well-considered activities.

New leaders have rightly prioritised the teaching of phonics and reading. All staff are trained in how to teach phonics effectively.

Phonics teaching starts almost as soon as children begin Reception. It is delivered daily across the school. There are additional intervention sessions for those pupils who are at risk of falling behind.

Pupils' reading books match the sounds that they know. Leaders have thought carefully about the books that pupils read to ensure that they are exposed to a wide range of high-quality texts. Pupils speak positively about reading.

The curriculum in several subjects, such as science and history, is still in development. Some new subject leaders are in post. They have not identified the key knowledge that pupils should learn.

With the support of senior leaders, they are taking the right initial action to tackle weaknesses in their subject. Teachers present subject matter clearly and make use of generally well-chosen resources to support teaching. However, in the wider curriculum subjects, there is not an effective system in place to check what pupils know and can remember.

Teachers do not check to see if pupils have gaps in their knowledge in these subjects.

Typically, pupils behave well in lessons. There are occasional instances of off-task behaviour.

Although staff usually deal with this, some teachers have higher expectations for pupils' behaviour than others.

The curriculum in early years is coherently planned and sequenced. Leaders have thought carefully about what children need to know to ensure that they are ready for Year 1.

The early years leader is working with staff to ensure that the curriculum in key stage 1 builds on children's learning in Reception. Strong transition arrangements are in place with the nurseries that children attend prior to starting school. This means that adults understand what children know and can do.

Adults start to build on this as soon as children begin Reception. Activities are carefully planned. However, at times, adults do not give children sufficient support to access some of these activities successfully.

The newly appointed special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has a clear vision for the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Some pupils with SEND are already benefiting from changes made to individual support plans to ensure that provision is closely matched to pupils' needs. However, this is not the case for all pupils with SEND.

The SENCo is working with staff to improve their knowledge and understanding of how to cater for the needs of the pupils with SEND in their class.

New leaders have introduced opportunities for pupils to develop their wider talents and interests. Pupils can participate in after-school sport and music clubs.

They have opportunities to perform for an audience, for example at Sage Gateshead. There are a range of trips designed to broaden pupils' experiences, such as to Beamish Museum and a local farm. Leaders are working to ensure that these visits align closely with the curriculum.

Pupils speak proudly about contributing to their local community through, for example, donating food to the local food bank.

Several governors have recently been appointed to the governing body. They have an accurate view of the school's strengths and areas for development.

They are supportive of the new leadership team and are keen to see the school improve.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff and governors are appropriately trained in how to report and record concerns about both pupils and staff.

They are alert to signs that may indicate that a pupil is vulnerable or at risk from harm. Safeguarding records are accurately maintained.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe.

For example, they can talk about road safety, firework safety and stranger danger. Leaders are aware of contextual risks such as county lines. They have undertaken training in relation to this.

Several leaders and governors are trained in safer recruitment practices. Leaders draw upon external agencies where appropriate to ensure that safeguarding arrangements in the school are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects in the wider curriculum, such as history and geography, leaders have not identified the key knowledge that pupils should learn.

This means that teachers are not clear about the subject matter to deliver in some lessons. Leaders should ensure that curriculum plans set out the precise knowledge that pupils need to learn so that teachers can plan sharply focused lessons that enable pupils to build their knowledge over time. ? In some subjects, teachers do not check to make sure that pupils have remembered what they have been taught.

This means that teachers do not identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and therefore do not adapt teaching to match pupils' stage of learning. Leaders should ensure that systems are in place to check what pupils know so that teaching can be adapted appropriately. This will enable pupils to know more and remember more.

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