Oakmeadow Church of England Primary and Nursery School

Oakmeadow CofE Primary and Nursery School Long Meadow, Bayston Hill, Shrewsbury, SY3 0NU

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 The inspirational headteacher, ably supported by other senior leaders, provides highly effective leadership and works with governors to drive school improvement forward. Together, they have secured rapid improvements since the last inspection and developed a strong culture for good teaching and learning across the school.  Teaching has improved and is now good. Consequently, pupils’ outcomes are good and rising rapidly across the school. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.  Progress and attainment in writing have increased rapidly because of the carefully planned approach to teaching.  Pupils are courteous, respectful and friendly. Their conduct around the school is excellent.  Children get off to a very rapid start in the early years, where they are very well taught and supported by all the adults who work with them.  Since the previous inspection, the governing body has taken effective actions to hold the school to

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This is a good school

account and improve the quality of teaching and outcomes for pupils.  The school is successful in creating a safe and secure environment where pupils recognise that everyone has their welfare at heart. Staff provide strong pastoral care to promote pupils’ welfare effectively. Safeguarding is highly effective.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school. Pupils enjoy opportunities to undertake positions of responsibility in the school.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Standards and progress in reading are not as rapid as those seen in mathematics and writing.  There are variations in the effectiveness of pupils’ daily reading sessions.  A few pupils do not have a correct pencil grip and have not developed a fluent handwriting style.  The teaching of artistic learning occasionally lacks depth.  On a few occasions, pupils do not give full attention to their teacher or their learning tasks.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and pupil outcomes by: fully implementing the guided reading strategy across the school and ensuring that these sessions are of a consistently high standard ensuring that the needs of pupils are consistently met and that they make the progress they are capable of effectively promoting handwriting and pencil grip for those pupils who have not developed a fluent style checking that pupils consistently give their fullest attention in class enabling staff to share and learn from the best practice that exists within the school ensuring that there is sufficient depth to the teaching and promotion of pupils’ artistic learning across the school.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 The leadership at all levels in the school has improved since the last inspection. Through her drive and determination, the headteacher has built a highly effective team which has brought about substantial improvement to the school in many areas. She receives excellent support from the deputy headteacher and other senior leaders to ensure that the school continues to improve. Staff are all committed to raising pupils’ achievement and their morale is high.  The relentless drive to improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement has been successful and these areas have improved rapidly since the last inspection. Senior leaders are driving improvements in teaching and learning forward through the continuous support and training of staff and by robustly tackling weaknesses in teaching. Weak teaching has been eradicated and teaching is now good.  Leaders check the quality of teaching rigorously through observation of lessons, scrutiny of pupils’ work

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

and analysis of pupils’ outcomes. They hold teachers to account for the outcomes of every individual in every class.  Leaders know their strengths and areas for development in the school very well. Leaders have an excellent understanding of what the school is doing well, what needs to improve and how that might be achieved. They also ensure that they are subject to external support and challenge through local authority and school improvement partner arrangements. These include a regular review of outcomes for pupils.  The pupil premium funding is used very effectively to provide support in the classroom for disadvantaged pupils. It also ensures that pupils can participate in additional activities and trips which enhance their learning. Leaders evaluate the impact of the grant and make changes accordingly.  Leaders make sure that the sport premium funding is used well and that its impact is monitored. The

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

funding has been used to increase pupils’ participation in sport and competitions. Teachers have received training from sports coaches which has led them to develop the confidence to teach physical education themselves.  The school is providing well for the new curriculum. Pupils say they enjoy topics, visits and special events. During the inspection, pupils in Year 1 were studying the life cycle of a chick. Pupils observed the hatching of a chick and were inspired to write about it. To enhance the curriculum, pupils have access to a variety of clubs in both key stage 1 and key stage 2. In addition to sports clubs, there are clubs for activities such as French, poetry and computing. On occasions, the teaching of artistic learning lacks depth, and leaders have already put plans in place to rectify this through the development of a creative curriculum.  Leaders promote universal values including British values very well through the Christian ethos of the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

school. These values are reflected in lessons and assemblies. Pupils get a chance to learn about democracy, rights and responsibilities and tolerance. This contributes significantly to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Nearly all parents and carers who spoke to inspectors were positive about the school. They also praised the hardworking staff who are committed to ensuring that all children progress well. A few parents who responded to the online questionnaire expressed concerns, especially about staffing changes. Inspectors considered a range of evidence when looking at the impact of these changes. Inspectors are satisfied that leaders and governors have made decisions in the best interests of pupils and the school is improving rapidly as a result.  The governance of the school Governors have a range of expertise and have an accurate view of how the school is doing. They hold

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

leaders to account through regular scrutiny of information linked to pupils’ performance. They make sure that the school’s systems for managing the performance of teachers and teaching assistants are rigorous and have supported leaders in eradicating weak teaching. Governors evaluate the impact of support for disadvantaged pupils, and pupils who have special educational needs or disability. They check that pupil premium and sports funding is used effectively. Astute management of the school’s finances has enabled the continued improvement of the quality of teaching, learning and outcomes for pupils.  The arrangements for safeguarding are robust and effective. All staff receive up-to-date training to ensure that all requirements are fully met, including an informed awareness of the dangers posed by extremism and radicalisation. Staff are vigilant and swiftly report any concerns to the headteacher.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

Parents and pupils who spoke with inspectors and those parents who responded to Parent View were confident that the school gives a high priority to keeping children safe.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is much improved since the last inspection. As a result, pupils are making good progress as they move through the school. The strongest teaching leads to rapid progress because teachers have strong subject knowledge and are very clear about the next steps in pupils’ learning. Senior leaders are already working extremely well to secure more of this very high- quality teaching throughout the school.  Teachers assess pupils’ work accurately. They have a good understanding of the expectations for each year group. They work with other schools to secure their judgements about standards.  Staff know pupils well and consistently set challenges to develop pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding. This is particularly the case for the most able pupils who, as a result, make good progress from their starting points in reading, writing and mathematics.  The teaching of reading and phonics (letters and the sounds they that make) is a strength of the school’s

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

work. This is because children get an excellent start in the early years and key stage 1 where they are systematically taught how to use sounds to read unfamiliar words.  The teaching of writing has improved significantly since the last inspection as a result of effective training in this area. Teachers have a good knowledge of the technical aspects of writing and find engaging ways to encourage all pupils to write. Consequently, standards in writing are high and progress is good and often better.  In mathematics, pupils are making good progress in developing their calculation skills and mental arithmetic. There are some good examples, especially in upper key stage 2, of pupils being given opportunities to develop their mathematical reasoning and to apply their understanding to solve problems.  Since the last inspection, teachers have worked hard to develop a consistent whole-school approach to giving pupils precise guidance about how to improve their work. This is working extremely well across the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

school.  Teaching assistants make an important contribution to pupils’ learning. They have a good understanding of how to meet pupils’ needs, especially those with special educational needs or disability, or who are disadvantaged. This enables these pupils to make good progress.  There are some slight inconsistencies in the quality of teaching across the school. For example, the effectiveness of teaching during guided reading sessions varies across the school, and pupils do not make quite as much progress in reading as in writing and mathematics. A few pupils do not have a correct pencil grip and as a result do not have a fluent handwriting style.  The best practice in the school is not yet shared as effectively as it could be so that staff can learn from each other.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Pupils develop strong moral values. Their attitudes are shaped by the school’s position as a values-based school and its work as a church school. Pupils show great respect for others and tolerance for differences.  There is strong emphasis on collaborative working in the school. This is successful because of the very positive relationships between pupils and adults. Their support for one another’s learning is effective. They readily discuss ideas and work effectively in groups.  Pupils make a positive contribution to school life through the roles they take on maturely and with pride. For example, prefects help with the daily running of some routines and the school council has a say in the life of the school.  All pupils spoken to said that bullying was rare. Any previous isolated incidents were dealt with effectively

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Personal development and welfare

by leaders. Pupils were confident that any problems would be addressed effectively.  Pupils have an excellent understanding of how to keep themselves safe, including how to keep safe online.  The school admits a small number of pupils who have been permanently excluded from other mainstream schools. During the inspection, inspectors observed strong and consistent support from adults in the school which enabled these pupils to be fully integrated into the classes and engage in highly purposeful learning.  Parents who spoke to inspectors were confident that their children were safe. The vast majority of parents who responded to Parent View agreed that their children were safe in school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  In lessons, pupils behave well and this was seen by inspectors. However, on a few occasions there was some inattentiveness from a small minority of pupils. This is why behaviour has been judged as good, rather than outstanding.  Pupils conduct themselves responsibly and they move around the school well in an orderly fashion and are very courteous and polite to visitors. During the inspection, inspectors consistently had doors held open by pupils and were escorted to classrooms and other areas of the school. Pupils play well together at playtime, resulting in a harmonious community.  Pupils understand and are motivated by the school’s reward system. They especially like the positive praise for pupils who consistently behave well and do their best.  Pupils enjoy coming to school, and this is shown in their improved and above-average attendance. Senior leaders have high expectations for pupils’ attendance, which is monitored closely. Few pupils are

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 The progress made by pupils has risen considerably since the time of the last inspection and is now good across the school. Some pupils are making rapid progress from their individual starting points.  The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check has been above the national average for the last three years.  Attainment at the end of key stage 1 has been significantly above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics for the last two years. This is a significant improvement from the outcomes at the time of the last inspection.  The attainment of the most able pupils has been above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 for the past two years. This is particularly the case in reading and writing.  The pupils’ attainment and progress in writing has risen very quickly at the end of key stage 2 since the

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Outcomes for pupils are good

last inspection. For the last two years, attainment in writing has been significantly above the national average. Pupils’ work shows they develop the stamina to write extended pieces in a range of styles. They apply skills they have learned to ensure their work is grammatically correct.  The pupils’ attainment and progress in mathematics has risen since the time of the last inspection and in 2015 was above the national average. Attainment in reading was not quite as strong and was just above the national average in 2015.  In 2015, the proportion of pupils making expected progress and more than expected progress was above the national average in writing and mathematics. Reading was broadly in line with the national average.  The school’s current assessment information and work in pupils’ books confirms the view that pupils are making good progress, and in some cases rapidly improving progress, across the school in reading,

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Outcomes for pupils are good

writing and mathematics. Attainment and progress are strongest in writing and mathematics, which were areas for improvement identified at the last inspection.  Pupils with special educational needs or disability are making good progress. This is because they are supported by well-trained staff. Pupils’ progress is checked carefully and the support is then adjusted to meet their needs. Some pupils arrive with challenging behaviour and additional needs as the school has an arrangement with the local authority to admit a small number of pupils who have been permanently excluded from other schools. During the inspection, inspectors observed these pupils receiving effective and consistent support which enabled them to engage and make gains in learning.  Leaders are committed to ensuring that the progress of the disadvantaged pupils in the school is in line with their peers. The school’s current assessment information and pupils’ work seen during the inspection

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Outcomes for pupils are good

indicates that disadvantaged pupils are making good progress from their starting points. Last year, the progress made by disadvantaged pupils by the end of key stage 2 was above that of other pupils in the school.

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Early years provision is outstanding

 Children in the early years are making very rapid progress from their typical starting points. They receive highly effective provision from the well-qualified leaders and other adults who work with them.  The proportions of children reaching a good level of development by the time they leave Reception have been above the national figure for the last two years. This means that children are extremely well prepared for the next phase of their education in Year 1.  The setting for early years, especially the stimulating outdoor environment, is particularly conducive to all areas of development. Children are kept safe, enjoy learning and do extremely well.  Children are developing their phonics skills extremely well from the start of Nursery and throughout the early years.  The children’s excellent behaviour and desire to learn and explore contribute significantly to their learning. They are respectful and tolerant of others. During an assembly, pupils discussed attitudes to

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Early years provision is outstanding

learning with confidence. For example, they talked about being a ‘thinkosaurus’ and ‘stickosaurus’ and the importance of this in their learning.  Accurate assessment information enables adults to identify clearly where support is needed. All adults record what children have said and done as supporting evidence for their progress and as a means to identify next steps in their learning. Evidence to support children’s progress is presented well in the excellent ‘learning journeys’.  Leadership of the early years is outstanding and there is a strong team spirit among the staff. Leadership is having an excellent impact on improving the quality of teaching and the children’s rapid progress.

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School details

Unique reference number 135787 Local authority Shropshire Inspection number 10012379 This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 372 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Gary Felton Headteacher Carla Whelan Telephone number 01743 875 020 Website www.oakmeadowprimary.co.uk Email address head@oakmeadowprimary.co.uk Date of previous inspection 1–2 April 2014

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Nearly all pupils are of a White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority) is below average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is below average. The proportion with a statement of educational needs or an education, health and care plan is above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited lessons to observe pupils learning in all classes across the school; several of these observations were conducted jointly with senior leaders.  Parents’ comments on and responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, were considered. Inspectors also talked with parents before and at the end of the school day.  Pupils’ work on display and in books was looked at. Inspectors and senior leaders also evaluated pupils’ books together in lessons.  Inspectors held regular meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders.  In addition, meetings were held with governors, subject leaders and the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator.  A range of school information and documentation was examined that related to behaviour, the curriculum, attendance, school governance, pupils’ progress, safeguarding, school improvement planning and evaluation, staff performance management and monitoring of teaching.

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Information about this inspection

 The lead inspector met with a representative of the local authority and took account of the staff questionnaires.  Inspectors met with pupils formally and informally at breaktimes and in meetings.

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Inspection team

Sarah Somers, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Graham Prince Ofsted Inspector Lesley Else Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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