Oasis Academy Arena

Inspection of Oasis Academy Arena Albert Road, South Norwood, London SE25 4QL

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate 6–7 November 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told us that their school has improved in the past 18 months. This includes in teaching and in behaviour. Parents and carers are noticing these changes too. Strong and effective inclusive values underpin the school’s work. Staff apply these values well. They make pupils feel welcome and safe, no matter what their background.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are able to study a full range of subjects throughout Years 7 to 9. The school also makes sure that pupils can choose GCSE subjects which help them with their next steps in education and for life after school. This is an improvement since the school was last inspected.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teaching staff expect pupils to work hard and behave well. Most pupils are meeting their teachers’ expectations. There is still a small amount of low-level misbehaviour in class, but in the main pupils are willing to work. Pupils are less well behaved at breaktimes and lunchtimes. In particular, a few older pupils do not always conduct themselves well in the corridors. However, pupils and parents said that any bullying is dealt with well by staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have worked effectively with parents to improve pupils’ attendance but too many still do not attend school as regularly as they should. Because of this, overall attendance remains low.

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better?

Key actions taken by leaders since the last inspection around the quality of education have been successful. A purposeful curriculum and a raft of new teachers, experts in their subjects, mean that pupils are learning more than they did. That said, more remains to be done before all pupils receive a good quality of education.

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better?

With the exception of computing, leaders have made sure that pupils experience a broad curriculum. Plans for each subject are clear and detail the knowledge to be taught. In art, pupils learn more complex techniques and ideas as they move through the school. However, in some subjects, teachers do not routinely check pupils’ understanding or help them remember knowledge. Incomplete work suggests remaining gaps in some pupils’ knowledge in subjects including English, science and geography.

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better?

Leaders know that deficiencies in pupils’ literacy skills at the start of Year 7 often get in the way of learning. Teachers across the school promote literacy well. They focus on key vocabulary. Where the teaching is effective, they also make sure that pupils understand any new terms that they encounter. In English, pupils read a wide range of literature and have access to a well-stocked library. The school provides extra teaching for pupils who find reading difficult. As a result of all this, pupils’ reading is improving quickly. 6–7 November 2019

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The needs of pupils with SEND are well met. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) provides useful information for teachers which they include in their planning. The school has a centre for pupils with autism spectrum disorder. These pupils are well supported in lessons and get the same curriculum opportunities as other pupils.

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Pupils are fortunate to have access to supportive services, such as counselling. They take part in clubs and activities that help to build their character. The careers programme gives pupils an insight into the world of work. It helps them to understand college life and the courses they can follow. Nevertheless, pupils would benefit from more opportunities to develop their interests, talents and leadership skills. Pupils have some opportunities to gain a wider view of the world but require more to support their development into confident young citizens.

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Exclusions have reduced considerably and behaviour in lessons has improved. Pupils say that they are now better able to learn.

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Pupils’ attendance remains low. Leaders and staff are working hard with pupils and their families to explain the importance of good attendance. This is having impact, although disadvantaged pupils are still absent more often than their classmates.

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The trust has given effective support to the school. It provides leaders with appropriate training. Staff speak positively about the support and training that they receive from leaders and from the trust. Leaders consider the well-being of staff carefully when introducing new ways of working.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have made sure that they make the correct checks on adults before they work in school. Staff receive appropriate safeguarding training. The identification of children needing early help is effective. The school understands its community and the pressures on children and their families. Leaders make sure that pupils get the help that they need. Leaders seek and act on expert advice quickly when it is needed.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to protect themselves from the different risks they might face outside school. For example, they know about the dangers of knife crime and protecting themselves from exploitation.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Although subject leaders have redesigned their curriculum plans, these are not fully implemented across the school. Consequently, pupils are still not achieving 6–7 November 2019

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good outcomes. Leaders need to ensure that curriculum plans in all subjects are delivered well and in full, so that pupils build up the breadth and depth of knowledge that they need.  Few lessons are disrupted by low-level poor behaviour. However, leaders need to strengthen behaviour management and pupils’ abilities to self-regulate their behaviour, particularly when they are in the corridors during lesson changeover, and at breaktimes and lunchtimes.  Pupils still do not attend school regularly enough, particularly disadvantaged pupils. Leaders need to increase their efforts with these pupils and their families to significantly reduce individuals’ absence and improve the school’s overall attendance figures.  Leaders need to provide pupils with more opportunities to develop their understanding of the wider world, as well as providing greater opportunities to develop their leadership skills.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 6–7 November 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10110367 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21–22 March 2018

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Information about this school

 The school received a monitoring inspection in February 2019.  The school has an additional resource base for pupils with autism spectrum disorder. Eight pupils currently benefit from provision in this specialist resource base.  The school uses Saffron Valley Collegiate for off-site alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. In accordance with section 13(5) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement.

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Information about this inspection

 We met with: the headteacher; other members of the school’s senior leadership team; the special educational needs coordinator; curriculum leaders; teachers; support staff; the regional director and the chief executive officer of the trust.  We did deep dives in art, English, geography, and science. In each subject, we visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, and met curriculum leaders, teachers and 6–7 November 2019

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pupils.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, we reviewed school policies, looked at school records of checks carried out on adults working at the school and discussed actions taken by the school.  We took account of responses to Ofsted’s pupil, parent and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Carolyn Dickinson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Susan Maguire Ofsted Inspector 6–7 November 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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