Oasis Academy New Oak

School report Oasis Academy New Oak Walsh Avenue, Hengrove, Bristol, BS14 9SN

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 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.  Strong leadership provided by the executive principal, senior staff, the regional academy director and academy councillors has ensured that the school has improved since the last inspection and that teachers are rigorously held to account for pupil progress.  Achievement is now good in all areas of the school, especially reading and writing, because of the good teaching which has enabled pupils to make accelerated progress and therefore attainment has improved.  Schools leaders are very ambitious for the school and have correctly identified areas for further rapid improvement.  Teaching is good because activities are challenging. Detailed feedback from teachers ensures that pupils know how to improve their work.  Pupils are enthusiastic learners and enjoy being in school.  Pupils behave well, are polite and proud of their school. They feel safe and show respect for the adults in school.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school’s curriculum is well designed to motivate and excite pupils. This ensures that pupils of all abilities have good attitudes to learning and so make good progress.  The school’s effective spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision promotes the school’s positive ethos which encourages pupils to become effective learners and open and honest members of the community.  Parents are pleased with the school and agree that their child is safe and happy and making good progress.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 In a small number of lessons pupils are not yet sufficiently challenged to ensure that they make rapid progress.  The progress pupils make in mathematics is not as good as their gains in reading and writing.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited eighteen lessons including short visits to sessions where groups of pupils or individuals receive extra support with their learning. Seven lessons were observed jointly with the executive principal or assistant vice principals.  The inspectors heard pupils read, examined work in their books, attended an assembly and observed activities in the playground and dinner hall.  The inspectors held discussions with pupils, the executive principal, the school’s previous principal, assistant vice principals, other senior leaders and support staff.  Meetings were held with the regional academy director and members of the academy council responsible for the governance of the school.  Inspectors examined a range of documents including a summary of the school’s self-evaluation, the school improvement plan, detailed plans for improving pupil achievement and the information provided for the regional academy director and academy councillors. Inspectors also

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Information about this inspection

looked at documents showing how the quality of teaching is checked, the school’s information on pupils’ progress, and records relating to pupils’ safety, behaviour and attendance.  The inspectors analysed 21 returns to the on-line Parent View questionnaire and spoke informally to parents and carers to seek their views.  The views of pupils were gathered from discussions and from meetings with representative pupils. The views of the 20 staff who returned questionnaires were also considered.

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Inspection team

Chris Chamberlain, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Robert Arnold Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average-sized primary school.  The school has specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs. There are two specialist resource bases, one for pupils with autistic spectrum disorders (this affects how they relate to and communicate with others) and a learning base for pupils with hearing impairment. Twenty four pupils attend these and all have a statement of special educational needs. Both bases have two classes. One class is for younger pupils and the other for older pupils.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium (additional government funding for children in the care of the local authority and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals) is much higher than the national average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is similar to the national average.  The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs

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Information about this school

is well above average.  The large majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds.  The school has partially integrated a student to mainstream primary education from Woodstock School, which is a day school for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics in Year 6.  The school is part of Oasis Community Learning, which is a Multi-academy Trust.  The principal is executive principal of Oasis Academy New Oak and Oasis Academy John Williams. These schools are on adjacent sites.  The principal has been in post since April 2014.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching and accelerate pupils’ progress in all lessons by:  ensuring that the activities planned for pupils consistently provide an effective level of challenge for all pupils  ensuring that the progress pupils make in mathematics accelerates still further to match the rapid progress made in reading and writing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter Reception with skills and knowledge below those expected at that age, particularly in communication and language. Because of good teaching, pupils, including the most able, make rapid progress. By the time they finish their Reception year most children are working towards a good level of development.  This good progress continues in each year group across the school and by the time pupils leave the school at the end of Year 6 their attainment is above the national average. Although it is good, the progress made by pupils in mathematics is not yet as strong as the progress made in reading and writing. The school is aware of this issue and has plans in place to accelerate the rate of progress in mathematics.  Because of good teaching and support from additional adults, all groups of pupils, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs in the specialist resource bases,

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The achievement of pupils is good

make good progress. This ensures equality of opportunity across the school.  The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in phonics (the knowledge of letters and the sounds they make) in Year 1 has improved and is now in line with the national average.  Pupils who are entitled to the pupil premium make very good progress because of the additional support they receive funded by the grant. Currently, their attainment in current year groups is in line and sometimes higher than the pupils who are not entitled to the pupil premium. However, in 2013, there was still a gap in the attainment in mathematics for Year 6 pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium compared to others. They are up to six months behind. There was no gap in reading and writing.  Pupils have opportunities to read frequently in school. They experience a range of authors and older pupils explained that they thoroughly enjoy reading. Younger pupils readily use their

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The achievement of pupils is good

knowledge of phonics (the knowledge of letters and the sounds they make) to help them read words that they find difficult.  Achievement is not yet outstanding because in a very small number of classes progress slows because pupils are not sufficiently challenged.  All parents who responded on the Parent View website are very happy with the progress their children make.  In classes where teaching is good or better more able pupils are effectively challenged and make good progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection and is now good. There is some teaching which is outstanding.  In classes where pupils make good progress they are motivated and want to expand their knowledge and skills. They are also challenged to apply their knowledge to solve problems and encouraged to persevere. For example, in the Year 6 class, pupils were investigating the relationship between area and perimeter. The challenge for more able children was to produce a mathematical formula to explain the relationship between the two measurements. This was challenging work, but through gentle encouragement and positive relationships the teacher ensured that pupils remained on task and successfully produced a solution to the problem.  Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly and provide very constructive feedback so pupils know how to improve their work. Pupils say that these written comments, together with the conversations

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The quality of teaching is good

they have with their teacher, are a great help in guiding them to do better and to reach their ambitious targets.  Teachers check pupils’ learning regularly during lessons and skilfully give feedback to children so that they understand how to improve their work.  Highly motivated teaching assistants work very successfully with individuals and groups of pupils, developing their knowledge and skills and ensuring a good rate of progress through well- planned teaching sessions and effective relationships with pupils.  Teaching is good in both of the specialist resource units. Knowledgeable teachers and support staff work very well together to provide pupils with individualised learning programmes to ensure that effective progress is made.  Where teaching is less effective, pupils’ progress is slowed and lesson time wasted as the pupils sometimes wait for others in the class to catch up with them. Occasionally, they are given extra

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The quality of teaching is good

work when they complete a task which does little to extend their thinking or strengthen their skills.  Almost all parents who spoke to inspectors during the inspection or responded on the Parent View website agreed that their child is taught well at New Oak.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They are polite and well mannered. The school employs school and family link workers who successfully support and promote high standards of pupil behaviour during the school day.  The majority of pupils are keen to learn, are motivated and proud of their school.  Pupil behaviour at playtimes and lunchtimes is good. Systems that the school has put in place, such as increasing the number of lunchtime clubs, organising a wide range of sporting activities and training pupils to work as sports leaders, have ensured that pupils are fully occupied and well behaved. As part of their role, teaching assistants work as meal time assistants to ensure consistency in behaviour expectations between the classroom and the playground.  Attendance has improved and is now above the national average. The school engages effectively with families and, because of this, the level of persistent absentees has fallen.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour is not yet outstanding because in a small number of lessons pupils are not always well motivated because there is a lack of challenge and therefore pupils do not demonstrate a thirst for knowledge and love of learning.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel safe. They proudly explain that there is no bullying and are confident that adults in school will deal with any behaviour problems, including bullying, which may occur. One pupil commented, ‘The staff are great and listen well when we need to talk.’  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations. For example, they understand the importance of e-safety and were able to explain how to avoid cyber bullying.  All parents who responded on the Parent View website agreed that pupils are well looked after in school and are kept safe.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior and middle leaders are very ambitious for the continued success of the school. The executive principal is determinedly focused on rapid school improvement. The checks the school makes on how well it is doing are accurate and, because of this, action plans target the needs of the school appropriately. Therefore, the school is well placed to continue to improve.  Some middle leaders are new to their role, but those who have been at the school longer are effective. They monitor their areas of responsibility closely, evaluate the progress pupils make, develop action plans and lead staff training.  Training is well planned and based on the school improvement plan. There is a well embedded system of monitoring by senior leaders to ensure consistency in teaching and learning across the school. As a result, the quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection.  Systems for managing the performance of teachers ensure clear links between regular

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The leadership and management are good

monitoring, teacher appraisal and pay decisions. Support staff also have regular appraisal and are regularly included in training. This ensures that the support that additional adults give pupils is effective.  The academy council works closely with the school to promote equality and to reduce discrimination in the local community. It fully embeds its five core values, treating all people equally, honesty and openness, hope and perseverance, in all that it does.  The school benefits from being part of the multi-academy trust, as it is able to share economies of scale such as resources and training. Modern foreign language teachers based at Oasis Academy John Williams also teach pupils at New Oak. Pupils at New Oak walk to the secondary academy (John Williams) to use science laboratories and resources.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding meet statutory requirements.  The school uses the sport grant successfully to improve pupil participation in sport, increase staff

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The leadership and management are good

training in physical education and sport, and broaden the range of opportunities for pupils to play sport against schools in the wider community. Pupils are more active and, because of the sports activities organised at lunchtime, behaviour has also improved.  The school’s curriculum is designed effectively to take into account the diverse needs of the pupils in its local community, including the needs of those pupils in the two specialised resource bases. To ensure rapid progress the school organises support and intervention initiatives for pupils with particular needs or gaps in their learning.  The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is very good. It ensures that the social and cultural experiences of each pupil are expanded.  Pupils from the two specialist resource bases regularly spend time in the mainstream classes to ensure that they integrate fully in the life of the school. This also encourages an understanding

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The leadership and management are good

of diversity and tolerance amongst mainstream pupils across the school.  The governance of the school:  The regional academy director and academy council share the responsibility for governance of this school. They robustly hold the school to account. Regular school reviews take place each term, focusing on achievement, the quality of teaching, behaviour and safety and leadership and management. These reviews ensure that the school continues to improve rapidly and that the principal is challenged. Those responsible for governance visit classrooms to observe learning, speak to pupils, analyse pupils’ work and progress data, and have links with subject coordinators. This ensures that councillors and the regional academy director have a very accurate picture of the progress that the school is making and areas for further improvement. The regional academy director is responsible for setting the executive principal’s performance

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The leadership and management are good

management objectives, which are linked to the needs of the school. Financially, the school is very secure. It benefits from the economies of scale associated with being part of a large multi-academy trust. Those responsible for governance are fully aware of the targeted use and impact of the sport grant and pupil premium funding.

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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.

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School details

Unique reference number 138710 Local authority City of Bristol Inspection number 442509

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 212 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jill Rowe Executive Principal Victoria Boomer Date of previous school inspection 13 March 2013 Telephone number 01275 894570 Email address info@oasisnewoak.org 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 and 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

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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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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