Oakfield Church of England Aided Primary School, Ryde

Oakfield Church of England Aided Primary School, Ryde Appley Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight, PO33 1HE

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The very caring and supportive ethos of the school helps pupils to thrive. This is especially effective in helping those pupils at risk of underachieving to do well.  Pupils’ achievement is good and, despite entering the school with well below average literacy and numeracy skills, most reach the levels expected for their age in English and mathematics by Year 6.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength. As a result, behaviour is good and pupils get on well together and enjoy school. The behaviour of pupils who find good behaviour difficult improves very well over time.  Pupils are well taught. A real strength is teachers’ ability to focus on individual needs. The use of pupils’ targets to help them improve and the marking of their work are very good.  Disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and pupils in receipt of pupil premium are enabled to learn successfully and the gap

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

in achievement with their peers is closing rapidly.  The headteacher is a very strong leader, and is especially good at developing the skills of other senior staff. Consequently self-evaluation and development planning are helping drive forward improvement in the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement.  The governing body checks the school’s work closely, including teaching and pupils’ progress. Governors support and challenge the school well.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 The proportion of pupils attaining levels above those expected for their age is rising, but is still below the national average in writing and mathematics and in reading for Year 2 pupils.  Although teaching is generally good, not all teachers are well skilled at helping pupils to become independent learners and sometimes questioning does not reinforce key learning points. Inspection report: Oakfield Church of England Aided Primary School, Ryde, 24–25 September 2013 2 of 10

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 13 lessons, including some joint observations with the headteacher. In addition the inspection team made a number of other short visits to lessons, heard a sample of pupils read and scrutinised a selection of pupils’ written work.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, members of the governing body and staff including senior and middle managers, and representatives of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Strategic Partnership (the local authority).  A visit was made to observe the breakfast club, which is managed by the governing body.  Inspectors took account of the 22 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and a small number of parents and carers bringing their children to school were also spoken to.  Responses from the 23 staff questionnaires were analysed.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and scrutinised a number of documents including the school’s records on current pupils’ progress, behaviour and attendance. Documents relating to

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Information about this inspection

planning and monitoring and safeguarding were also looked at.

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Inspection team

Diane Wilkinson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Robert Arnold Additional Inspector Inspection report: Oakfield Church of England Aided Primary School, Ryde, 24–25 September 2013 3 of 10

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Information about this school

 Oakfield is a slightly smaller than average sized primary school. The majority of pupils are taught in mixed-age classes. Due to reorganisation, since September 2011 it has provided classes for Years 5 and 6 pupils at the school.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs supported by school action and by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is high when compared to the national average. The school provides a nurture group and its own alternative provision class for a number of these pupils.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds including those who speak English as an additional language, is low.  The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding, which in this school is received by those eligible for free school meals and pupils in local authority care, is significantly above the national average.  There is a high level of social need within the school’s catchment area.

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Information about this school

 The proportion of pupils joining or leaving the school between Reception and Year 6 is much greater than in most schools.  Oakfield is part of a federation with Arreton St Georges Church of England Controlled Primary School which also shares a governing body.  The school runs its own breakfast club which was inspected. Oakfield Preschool shares the site. This is run by a private provider and is subject to separate inspection arrangements.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Build on the strategies in place to raise pupils’ attainment and increase the proportion of pupils exceeding the levels expected for their age by:  improving younger pupils’ comprehension skills (understanding the main points of what they are reading)  ensuring that, by Year 6, more pupils write independently in a wide range of formats, organising their work in paragraphs and using complex sentences and imaginative and precise vocabulary, including in different subjects  providing more opportunities for pupils to apply their numeracy skills in a range of investigations that they plan and carry out independently.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the effectiveness of teaching so that more lessons are outstanding by:  taking more steps to promote pupils’ independent learning skills so that they are able to complete tasks with the minimum of support  providing more opportunities for pupils to discuss their work with others, test out new ideas and consider how activities should be tackled  ensuring that all teaching assistants model new learning effectively, use well-judged questions to help pupils’ understanding and consistently reinforce behaviour expectations. Inspection report: Oakfield Church of England Aided Primary School, Ryde, 24–25 September 2013 4 of 10

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment on entry to Reception is well below the level expected, with considerable weaknesses in children’s communication and literacy skills, and in their personal, social and emotional development. Children make good progress, especially in learning phonics (the sounds that letters make), although by the end of the year attainment is still below average. In particular, very few children exceed the levels expected when they transfer to Year 1.  The high level of turbulence (over 50% of pupils, often more, join the school after Reception) makes it very difficult to judge the rate of progress of different year groups over time. The school’s own tracking data indicate that during the time pupils spend in this school, most typically make good progress.  The very good start made in phonics is built on well so that results in the Year 1 screening check were above average in 2012 and 2013. By the end of Year 2 a greater proportion of pupils reach

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The achievement of pupils is good

the expected level in reading than did so when they were in Reception. Attainment, however, remains below average, as their comprehension skills have not been as good, so fewer pupils than nationally are achieving the higher levels. Improving this is a current priority and during the inspection pupils now in Year 2 were doing much better in this aspect than previously.  The school works very hard to compensate for this and, by the end of Year 6, more pupils than seen nationally exceed the levels expected for their age. Attainment in reading is above average.  The strong emphasis on linking phonics to writing benefits younger pupils’ spelling, and good handwriting is encouraged successfully in all years. Due to the very limited vocabulary pupils use when they enter school, a very strong focus is placed on broadening this so that, by the time they leave, most pupils use language effectively, such as ‘terror, frozen and hopeless’ to engage

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The achievement of pupils is good

the reader in a poem titled ‘Fear’. However, fewer pupils than in reading exceed the levels expected in writing, and attainment in English is average overall. Achievement in this subject is good.  Most pupils in the school achieve well in mathematics because place value and calculation skills are particularly well developed and, by Year 6, most use these effectively when working with measures or data. However, weak teaching of mathematics for Year 6 pupils in the past meant that they did not make sufficient progress. Although the school put successful strategies in place to address this there was insufficient time to raise this groups’ attainment, which was well below average in the national tests.  Rapid improvement during 2013, and Year 6 pupils’ good progress from Year 3, saw most in the group reaching the levels expected for their age. This is a strong testament to good teaching, as over a third of these pupils had special educational needs.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment in mathematics is much improved although it is slightly below average because a lower proportion of pupils than nationally exceed the expected levels. This is because they are less skilled at using their skills in independent mathematical investigations.  The few pupils who are more able when they enter the school achieve well and the good progress made by other pupils is successfully helping more to exceed the level expected for their age. The proportion doing so is increasing, with attainment levels well placed to rise in future years.  The school’s excellent focus on meeting the needs of its most vulnerable pupils means the gap in achievement is closing rapidly. Virtually all those supported by pupil premium funding, both those eligible for free school meals and pupils in the care of the local authority, attain the levels expected by the time they leave. This is also the case for disabled pupils and those with special

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The achievement of pupils is good

educational needs except when their needs are complex or significant. This validates the school’s strong commitment to providing equality of opportunity. Inspection report: Oakfield Church of England Aided Primary School, Ryde, 24–25 September 2013 5 of 10

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The quality of teaching is good

 The strong commitment of staff to meeting the needs of individual pupils is a key to their success. Weak teaching has been eradicated in mathematics and the quality continues to improve. Lessons are well planned, with activities effectively targeted at different ability groups to help them do well.  Reception children’s good start is due to effective teaching which meets their needs well across all development areas.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, and pupils in receipt of pupil premium funding are especially well taught in the range of group or individual activities targeted for their needs. Teaching in the new class for pupils with complex and significant needs is outstanding although this class is relatively new and the full effect on pupils’ learning is not yet evident.  Staff subject knowledge is good. Teachers consistently explain and demonstrate new concepts clearly, questioning pupils effectively to help extend their learning. However, there is a range in

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The quality of teaching is good

the quality of these skills among teaching assistants that has yet to be tackled.  Management of inappropriate behaviour is very good although when working in small groups monitored by a teaching assistant occasionally too much idle talk disrupts some pupils’ concentration.  Pupils told inspectors that they enjoy learning and have such positive attitudes because staff help them to do well. Inspection evidence supports this view, but inspectors acknowledge that there are too few opportunities for pupils to discuss their work with others or to work with little adult help. When this happens good learning is hampered.  When lesson activities are highly motivating, exciting and practical, as observed in an excellent lesson where pupils were devising and acting out advertisements, outstanding learning takes place. However, learning is exceptional on a small minority of occasions.  Marking and target setting arrangements are especially good at helping pupils to improve and

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The quality of teaching is good

inspiring them to do even better. The thorough assessments undertaken at the time when pupils enter this school are especially effective in ensuring that activities are well tailored to specific needs.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 In lessons and around the school pupils behave well. This is a strong testament to the excellent support given to the above average proportion of pupils with behavioural, social and emotional needs, whose behaviour improves very well over time. In this the nurture group plays a key role.  Pupils’ good attitudes to school help them to learn well. They regularly check their individual targets to see how well they are doing although until recently took on less responsibility for their own learning.  Pupils say very little bullying or unkind behaviour takes place and that which does occur is always speedily and successfully dealt with. This demonstrates the school’s successful discouragement of discrimination.  Good relationships are fostered exceptionally well through the mutual respect encouraged by staff. Pupils are very supportive of one another and polite and friendly towards adults.  Pupils willingly take on a wide range of responsibilities; for example deciding how playtime

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

activities should be run and monitoring them.  Pupils are well briefed about how to keep themselves safe, including how to avoid cyber bullying. The school is a very happy and safe place to be and their parents and carers agree that pupils are cared for well.  Staff work very closely with parents and carers who need to ensure their children attend more regularly. The range of strategies in place to support this, including in the well-run and caring breakfast club, is successfully ensuring these pupils do not miss important learning. Attendance levels, which dipped last year due to very limited support from the educational welfare service, are rising again. Inspection report: Oakfield Church of England Aided Primary School, Ryde, 24–25 September 2013 6 of 10

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The leadership and management are good

 The key to the school’s success is the very strong and determined leadership of the headteacher and the commitment of staff and governors towards providing the best education for pupils, many of whom have significant learning, behavioural or social needs.  Senior and middle leaders play an effective role in checking the school’s work and its impact on pupils’ progress. This is thorough and on-going so that weaknesses can be quickly identified and addressed. The response to the dip in achievement in the Year 6 class due to inadequate teaching led to a comprehensive range of strategies being put in place to make sure that this did not happen again. The improvement since then has been rapid and attainment in mathematics has risen considerably.  Development planning is very well targeted at remaining weaknesses and those identified by inspection evidence are already being addressed, as was seen in the improved attainment in

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The leadership and management are good

Year 2 reading this year. This gives confidence that the school is well placed to improve further.  The support for and performance management of teaching are effectively maintaining the good quality despite a number of recent staff changes and absences. The new system for monitoring and coaching has helped increase the proportion of outstanding teaching although this remains a development area. Development and monitoring activities benefit from links with Arreton St Georges and other schools locally.  The curriculum is especially well adapted to meet the specific needs of pupils, capitalising on their interests as well as ensuring they acquire important literacy, numeracy and social skills. The programmes to help disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and others who need help to catch up are exceptionally effective.  The school works especially well with a range of partners to benefit pupils in this school. The

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The leadership and management are good

work of the federation helps widen the skills of the governing body and supports school development effectively through shared training and monitoring work.  Safeguarding fully meets requirements. The school’s work with a range of agencies to support child protection and welfare is excellent.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very effectively promoted through links with the church and a range of activities, including overseas visits, to help prepare pupils as citizens in a global society.  Parents and carers are appreciative of the school and praise staff although not all parents and carers give good support for their children’s homework. Nevertheless the school provides a very good range of opportunities for parents and carers to engage in its work.  As a good school previously the school received ‘light touch’ support from the local authority, until concerns about attainment in 2012 led to a range of effective strategies being put in place

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The leadership and management are good

to help the school eradicate its weaknesses. Now returned to the ‘light touch’ category the school has requested further joint working with local authority officers to help it reach its goal of becoming outstanding.  The governance of the school:  Governors are knowledgeable and supportive and have worked well with staff to help address the previous weaknesses in mathematics.  Governors are strongly committed to holding the school to account and effectively use data to compare its performance with similar schools and those nationally. This is evident in their commitment to training across a wide range of areas including for safeguarding.  They benefit considerably from federation governors’ expertise, including in data analysis and in building work. The time spent on current building concerns has inevitably limited that for first-hand monitoring of other improvement priorities. However, regular meetings and reports

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The leadership and management are good

from subject and senior leaders give governors an accurate view of how well the school is doing.  Governors benefit from the clear and regular updates on progress towards performance management targets which allow them to make good decisions when agreeing salary increases. Inspection report: Oakfield Church of England Aided Primary School, Ryde, 24–25 September 2013 7 of 10

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The leadership and management are good

 Allocation of pupil premium funding for a range of social, emotional and learning support, and regular monitoring of its effect has helped these pupils to close the achievement gap exceptionally well with their peers.  Additional funding for physical education and sport to support pupils’ well-being has only just been received, but the school’s strong commitment to this is evident in the large range of opportunities on offer, including in the very popular after-school clubs. Inspection report: Oakfield Church of England Aided Primary School, Ryde, 24–25 September 2013 8 of 10

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. Inspection report: Oakfield Church of England Aided Primary School, Ryde, 24–25 September 2013 9 of 10

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School details

Unique reference number 118193 Local authority Isle of Wight Inspection number 426684

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 226 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rev Malcolm Stinton Headteacher Laura Bosworth Date of previous school inspection 29–30 September 2010 Telephone number 01983 563732 Fax number 01983 614274 Email address Office@oakfieldcepri.iow.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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