The Oaks Primary School & Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

A strong inclusive ethos is at the heart of this school.

It is committed to serving and welcoming all pupils and their families. The care given to pupils by staff show the school's values of kindness, ambition and respect. Pupils embrace these values to help them make the right choices, meeting the staff's high expectations and behaving well.

The school is ambitious for pupils' achievements, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils. The school has a strong understanding of individual pupils' needs. Staff think carefully about how to make every day successful for every pupil.

As a result, pupils ach...ieve well.

Pupils are polite, well-mannered and respectful. At social times, pupils eat and play sensibly with their friends.

Pupil leadership opportunities, such as those of school ambassadors and librarians, enable them to learn tolerance and empathy for others. The school provides a varied set of experiences for pupils. These include curriculum visits that enhance pupils' learning, such as visiting local museums and going to the theatre.

Pupils love clubs that the school run, such as beat boxing. Pupils also benefit from helping provide food and support to the local care home.

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

Over the last few years, the school has worked hard to develop a more ambitious curriculum for pupils.

This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In nearly all subjects, the school has created a curriculum that ensures pupils learn the most important knowledge. It is well-sequenced from the early years to Year 6.

These improvements were reflected in the school's positive published outcomes in reading and writing in 2023. Although, in a few subjects this knowledge is not detailed precisely enough. This means that staff are not as clear on what to teach and when in these subjects.

In almost all subjects, teachers now have a good understanding of what to teach, and they explain new ideas clearly. Improvements have been particularly strong in mathematics. Staff check on pupils' learning in lessons effectively.

This helps them to identify and address pupils' mistakes. The school makes precise, individual adaptions for pupils with SEND. Consequently, pupils with SEND achieve well.

In some subjects, such as reading, mathematics and physical education, teachers check pupils have remembered the most important knowledge. However, in other subjects teachers do not routinely check what pupils have remembered. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they could in these subjects.

As soon as children enter Reception the school prioritises phonics teaching. This means pupils at the earliest stages of reading are getting the effective support that they need. Teachers regularly assess how well pupils are learning phonics.

The school provides any necessary additional support swiftly for pupils. Pupils enjoy the texts that they read.Pupils of all ages speak with enthusiasm and understanding of the books that their teachers read to them.

As soon as pupils start school in early years, staff ensure that pupils develop their language skills well. Staff model key vocabulary and give pupils many opportunities to practise using these words. This helps pupils to develop their language across the whole curriculum.

Pupils then use and develop this knowledge further as they move through the school.

Pupils show a strong sense of right and wrong. This creates classroom environments where pupils can learn.

Pupils work hard in lessons because they want to learn. Their learning is rarely disrupted by the behaviour of others. Outside, pupils play well with one another.

The school has a calm and reassuring approach to pupils who sometimes find it hard to behave in the way the school would like. Well-trained staff ensure that pupils can recognise and reflect on their feelings and the impact on themselves and others. As a result, there is a warm and happy atmosphere in the school.

The school's approach to developing pupils' personal development is well planned. Children benefit from a wide range of experiences that develops their understanding of the world around them. For example, pupils visit places of worship that deepen their understanding of different cultures.

Year 6 pupils attend a citizenship day that teaches them how to stay safe both online and offline. Pupils display high levels of tolerance and acceptance for the differences they see in each other.

Leaders are highly ambitious for all pupils, staff and the community that they serve.

A well-structured programme of training supports strong teaching. The school considers staff workload and well-being. Staff value the collaborative working within the trust schools, which supports their teaching.

The trust and local governing board fulfil their statutory duties. They ensure that there is a strong and ever developing partnership across the trust.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Assessment in some subjects does not support pupils' learning sufficiently well. This means that pupils have gaps in their learning. The school should support staff to routinely check pupils' understanding of the key content and then use this information to inform future teaching so that gaps in learning and misconceptions are swiftly addressed.

• In a small number of subjects, the school has not identified the most important knowledge pupils need to learn and in what order. This means staff are not clear about what they are teaching and when. Leaders should continue to identify the key content clearly so teachers are clear about the knowledge pupils need to learn from the early years to the end of key stage 2.

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