Oasis Academy Nunsthorpe

Oasis Academy Nunsthorpe Sutcliffe Avenue, Grimsby, Lincolnshire, DN33 1AW

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Pupils’ achievement requires improvement. This is because progress, including for pupils with special educational needs and the most able, has been too slow and pupils have fallen behind in their learning.  Standards in reading, writing and mathematics, especially at the end of Year 6, have been too low.  Too little attention is given to spelling, punctuation and extending pupils’ vocabulary and this is preventing pupils from making the best possible progress in English.  The quality of teaching has not been consistently good enough. Pupils’ learning is sometimes held back because work is too easy or too hard, some learning time is wasted and pupils are not always clear about how well they are doing.  The quality of marking is variable. Pupils are not always clear about what they need to do to improve to help them make good progress.  Subject leaders are not yet fully involved in checking how well pupils learn in lessons.

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 The development of mathematical skills across the curriculum is not given enough emphasis.

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The academy has the following strengths

 Pupils behave well, in lessons, in the playground and around the academy. They have good attitudes to learning.  Teaching is now improving rapidly across the academy, and as a result, pupils’ progress is accelerating.  Pupils feel safe and are well cared for.  Relationships are good at all levels.  A strong senior leadership team, led exceptionally well by the principal, sets high expectations, is tackling weaker performance successfully and is providing clear direction.  The academy sponsor provides very good support to the academy in its successful drive to secure rapid improvement.  Rigorous and regular checks of pupils’ progress are helping leaders to secure faster progress.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors visited 31 lessons taught by 20 teachers; six were joint observations, two with the principal, two with the deputy principal and two with the assistant principal.  They held meetings with the Academy Council, staff and pupils, including the student council, and talked to representatives of the academy sponsor.  Inspectors listened to three pupils read in Years 1, 2 and 6.  They observed pupils’ work in all classes, especially focusing on Years 2, 4 and 6.  Inspectors studied a range of documents including: the academy’s own views about how well it is doing; plans for the academy’s future development; outcomes of leaders’ monitoring of lessons and other monitoring records; ‘Learning Review’ update reports carried out by the academy sponsor; safeguarding policies and records; the school’s analysis of data and summaries of performance on pupils’ progress; and attendance information.

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Information about this inspection

 There were too few responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) to enable inspectors to draw conclusions about parents’ views. However, inspectors spoke to a group of parents during the inspection. They also studied the analysis of the most recent questionnaire sent out to parents by the academy.

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Inspection team

Derek Pattinson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Kathleen Yates Additional Inspector Pamela Hemphill Additional Inspector Tony Price Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a well-above average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is well above average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is above average.  The proportion of pupils who are supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  The academy meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Since the academy opened its doors for the first time in September 2012, there have been many changes of staff.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Build upon the rapid improvements taking place to ensure that all teaching is good or better in order to accelerate progress and raise attainment further in reading, writing and mathematics by:  making certain that all teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve, including how pupils present their work  making sure that no learning time is wasted and activities are always challenging, especially in mathematics  checking that pupils are clear about what they have to learn and how well they are doing  giving more attention to improving pupils’ spelling, punctuation and extending their vocabulary  ensuring that pupils always have opportunities to share what they have learnt, and what they are unsure about, to help teachers plan carefully what they need to do next  always using teaching assistants well to help pupils make the best possible progress  making sure that teachers’ marking always provides points for development, especially in

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

mathematics, and that pupils respond to them.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen further the effectiveness of the good leadership and management by:  developing the role of middle leaders so that they have regular opportunities to check how well pupils are learning in lessons so that they make the best possible contribution to driving up standards and to holding teachers fully to account for pupils’ achievement  promoting the development and use of mathematics’ skills more widely across the curriculum.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because too few pupils make good progress. As a result, standards by the end of Years 2 and 6, given pupils’ previous starting points, are below average. However, the progress of most pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, more able pupils and the many who receive support through the pupil premium, is now accelerating. This is because teaching is steadily improving and pupils’ progress is checked rigorously and regularly. However, some pupils, especially in Key Stage 2, are still catching up on some previous underachievement.  Children start school with skills that are typically well below those expected for their age in all areas of learning. The caring and supportive approach of adults in the Early Years Foundation Stage, combined with sound and sometimes good teaching and provision, ensures that children

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

make expected, and sometimes better than expected, progress in developing the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to learn well in Key Stage 1.  In the Key Stage 1 and 2 national tests and assessments in 2013, standards in reading, writing and mathematics were well below average, with all groups performing far less well than the same groups nationally. Indeed, the progress of many was too slow, with pupils falling behind. This was the result of high staff turnover which significantly reduced leaders’ ability to secure further improvement.  A now stable staffing structure and steadily improving teaching is helping pupils to catch up rapidly. Indeed, projections for the current Year 6 indicate that the proportion making expected and better than expected progress will be average, a considerable improvement on the previous year’s results. Evidence from leaders’ current tracking of progress shows that pupils in other year

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

groups, who had fallen behind, are catching up quickly too.  Despite clear signs of progress accelerating across the academy, progress slows where there is weaker teaching. Furthermore, standards in spelling and punctuation are not good because they, and opportunities to extend pupils’ vocabulary, are given too little emphasis.  In 2013, few pupils in Year 2 reached the higher Level 3 in reading and writing and no pupil achieved it in mathematics. The picture was similar in Year 6 with considerably fewer pupils than nationally attaining the higher Level 5 in reading, writing and mathematics. However, the achievement of the most able is improving steadily. Work is increasingly matched to pupils’ needs, although sometimes in mathematics pupils complete work they already understand before moving on to work that challenges them. However, projections show that many more pupils will achieve Level 5 in reading, writing and mathematics this year than in 2013.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The achievement of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs was well below that of this group nationally in 2013. However, their progress is now accelerating because of strong leadership and the targeted, mostly good support they receive from teaching assistants.  In Year 6 in 2013, pupils receiving support through the pupil premium, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, did far less well in reading, writing and mathematics than other pupils. However, projections for Year 6 this year show that the gap in performance between pupils in receipt of the pupil premium and others is likely to be very small. This provides clear evidence of impact of the way funds are carefully targeted to help boost learning for these pupils and that equality of opportunity is promoted increasingly well.  In the most recent national checks at the end of Year 1 on pupils’ ability to link letters to the

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

sounds they make (phonics), the percentage of pupils achieving the expected standard was close to the national picture. The development of reading has been high profile in the academy’s work. For example, there are regular visits by authors to help pupils develop a love of reading. Phonics is taught increasingly well and pupils read widely and often. As a result, pupils’ progress in reading is also accelerating. Nevertheless, pupils do not use dictionaries or thesauruses enough to help extend their often limited vocabulary.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Some teaching since the academy opened has been inadequate but the overall quality is improving rapidly – a view confirmed from the school’s own monitoring records. However, this is not yet good because it varies between classes. Nevertheless, the rapidly improving teaching helps to explain pupils’ accelerating progress and the average standards predicted for this year.  However, there are still weaknesses which slow pupils’ progress over time. For example, pupils do not always learn at a good rate. This is because expectations are sometimes not high enough and work set is too easy. Similarly, on occasions, teachers do not always ensure that pupils know what they have to learn or how well they are doing so that they can see how much progress they are making. Sometimes tasks set are too difficult or learning time is wasted.  Sometimes, pupils do not have opportunities to share what they have learnt and what they are

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

unsure about so that teachers can plan carefully what pupils need to know next. Very occasionally, teaching assistants are not used well enough to help pupils make the best possible progress.  The quality of marking of pupils’ work is variable. Marking does not always make it clear enough to pupils what they need to do to improve, especially in mathematics. Some pupils say that the ‘pink peril and purple power’ marking system sometimes lacks comments to help them make the next step in their learning.  Strong relationships between staff and pupils underpin learning in all classes and pupils experience much encouragement. Most pupils enjoy coming to school, are keen to learn and are respectful. As a result, activities in class run smoothly.  Sound and sometimes good provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage involves children in conversation, stimulates their curiosity, extends their knowledge, develops important skills and

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

nurtures their independence. For example, pupils act out a nursery rhyme with the help of a crocodile glove puppet, make marks on paper as a precursor to writing, enjoy the story of ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff’, learn to count using information technology and engage in sand play, choosing from a range of resources.  Teachers have good subject knowledge and sometimes ask thoughtful, probing and effective questions of their pupils to help them learn well. For example, in Years 2 and 3 pupils are encouraged to use their own strategy for solving mathematical problems with the good support of teaching assistants to help pupils learn. As a result, in an atmosphere where it is ‘safe to fail’, many pupils show a willingness to ‘have a go’ and make better than expected progress.  The teaching of reading and writing is rapidly becoming more effective. Pupils are increasingly provided with opportunities to write for different purposes. For example, pupils in Year 1 compile

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

a simple information text while those in Year 6 write a balanced argument. However, too little attention is given to improving pupils’ spelling, punctuation and extending their vocabulary. These weaknesses hamper pupils’ achievement in writing.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  It is underpinned by good relationships at all levels. This is confirmed by records, observations and discussions with pupils.  ‘It’s pretty cool here’, sums up the view of most pupils about the academy and helps to explain pupils’ improving attendance which is now a little above average. The promotion of good attendance is high profile, such as through weekly presentations of ‘Diamond the Dog’ to the class with the highest attendance.  Behaviour in the canteen is calm and orderly with many informal conversations taking place in a friendly and supportive atmosphere. Pupils move about the academy sensibly even in corridors which often become congested, such as when classes leave and return to their classrooms. Most play happily in the playground because of good levels of adult supervision and the many mixed- age and mixed-gender activities organised.  In lessons, most pupils pay attention and listen carefully to instructions. They listen particularly

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

attentively and join in enthusiastically if the subject material is presented in a way that interests and inspires them.  The academy’s core values, such as, ‘Believe in Yourself’, Achieve the Best You Can’ and ‘Become Your Dream’ are high profile and promoted consistently across the academy. This helps to explain why spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is at the heart of its work.  Behaviour is almost always managed well. For example, pupils who repeatedly misbehave, struggle to follow rules or need extra help to settle into academy life spend time in the Horizons Unit where they are helped to improve their personal and social skills before returning to their classrooms.  Sometimes, pupils lose focus on their learning when given work which does not inspire them, is not matched to their needs or if they are required to listen for too long. Very occasionally, pupils say that there is inappropriate behaviour and that the perpetrators know what they are doing,

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

but they also add that, in their words, ‘It almost never interferes with their learning.’ Indeed, most pupils are unreservedly positive about behaviour. Pupils like the systems in place to reward them for their efforts.  The student council makes an increasing contribution to the academy’s work and is valued by other pupils. Councillors say they ‘are treated like adults’ and have ‘influence on what is happening’ They say, ‘Things have changed for the better since Oasis came’, with ‘big improvements’ in behaviour evident. Pupils now understand that they have choices and that ‘consequences’ will always be followed through.’  The academy’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. It is given strong emphasis. Pupils feel safe and secure in school and understand the importance of safe practices. For example, they comment that all visitors must wear a badge. They know that cyber-bullying is wrong and

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

comment that some websites are blocked because ‘the internet can be dangerous’.

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The leadership and management are good

 Standards in the past have been low and some teaching has been inadequate. However, the experienced principal, ably supported by his senior leaders, other staff and the Academy Council has provided strong, determined leadership, which is helping to drive up standards and improve teaching rapidly. Indeed, the chair of the student council commented, ‘The principal is the key to many improvements!’ Good team spirit is evident and all staff are committed to ongoing improvement.  The academy sponsor has worked very effectively with academy leaders to help provide well- focused challenge and support. Indeed, partnerships within the local ‘Oasis hub’ have helped the academy move forward, such as through links to help ensure the smoothest possible transition to the school to which pupils transfer, and teacher exchanges to help improve teaching quality.  The leadership of teaching is good. Professional development is strongly promoted. It is well

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The leadership and management are good

informed by secure, robust and sharply focused arrangements for managing teachers’ work so that teachers are held fully to account for pupils’ progress and for improving their teaching. As a result, weaknesses in teaching have been, and are continuing to be, rigorously tackled. Frequent observations of teaching by senior leaders ensure that there is a strong focus on how well pupils of different abilities learn.  Rigorous and regular reviews of test results provide leaders with accurate information about how well pupils are doing. Leaders use this information well to give immediate support to those falling behind and to set challenging targets to help accelerate progress. These arrangements provide further evidence of leaders’ successful drive to raise standards.  These improvements also mean that subject leaders and all teachers are now being increasingly held to account for pupils’ progress. Subject leaders are strengthening their contribution. For

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The leadership and management are good

example, they know what is working well and what needs doing to improve achievement further. However, they are not yet all involved in checking on how well pupils learn in lessons so that they can make the best possible contribution to driving up standards. As a result, teachers are still not held fully to account for pupils’ achievement.  Leaders have identified accurately the school’s priorities for development. They know, for example, that pupils who receive support from pupil premium funding did not perform as well as others in the Year 6 national tests in 2013. As a result, a task force was established which has been successful in closing the gaps in performance this year. This again shows that leaders are having a positive impact.  The curriculum promotes enjoyment of learning and helps to broaden pupils’ horizons, such as through its residential visits and trips for all year groups, its many clubs and its international

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The leadership and management are good

links with South Africa. Subjects are increasingly linked together in meaningful ways, such as, in science, information and communication technology and literacy to help bring learning alive. The curriculum promotes literacy skills well through its strong emphasis on reading, for example through its welcoming of visiting authors and its classroom ‘wonder walls’, which share examples of pupils’ writing. However, there are too few opportunities for pupils to develop mathematical skills through other subjects.  The primary school sports funding has been used wisely to develop a wider range of sporting activities, improve resources and appoint coaches to work alongside teachers. As a result, initiatives such as ‘the Early Risers Club’, the ‘Change for Life’ programme and the expansion of swimming are developing healthy lifestyles, better physical well-being and are starting to improve pupils’ performance in sport and games.

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The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding and child protection arrangements meet requirements. For example, arrangements to access the building are secure with pupils saying, ‘The building protects us.’  Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the academy. For example, they especially like and are appreciative of the breakfast club, arrangements for transfer to their child’s next school, sports days, the support given for pupils with special educational needs and the work of the academy’s pastoral team.  The governance of the school:  The four key roles of the Academy Council are being increasingly well met to enable it to make the best possible contribution to the work of the academy. Presentations from subject leaders, regular reviews of how well pupils and teachers are performing and checking on the progress towards meeting the academy’s important priorities are key features of its work. Furthermore, the pupil premium funding is carefully targeted to ensure that pupils who receive support from

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The leadership and management are good

this funding are well supported. For example, the funding has been used successfully to increase attendance and improve punctuality. The academy council knows that pay increases for teachers are linked securely to pupils’ performance. Councillors are not afraid to ask searching questions, for example about the performance of specific groups of pupils. The academy council is increasingly effective in both supporting and challenging the principal and other senior leaders.

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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 138237 Local authority North East Lincolnshire Inspection number 425688

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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 Academy sponsor-led Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 601 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Simon Cross Headteacher Mark Gilllyon Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01472 310013 Fax number 01472 310014 Email address office@oasisnunsthorpe.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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