Green Oak Academy

Inspection of Green Oak Academy 11–15 Woodstock Road, Moseley, Birmingham, West Midlands B13 9BB

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Requires improvement Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and feel safe in this small school. All staff know the pupils well. There is a mutual respect between staff and pupils. Pupils say that the teachers can get to know each person really well because class sizes are small. They can help them with any difficulties and discuss their aspirations. Anyone who needs help can talk to an adult. Teachers have plenty of time to help pupils who might be falling behind with their work. Pupils do well because of the wide and relevant curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils get on very well with each other. The headteacher and the pastoral manager always find time to support pupils to sort out even minor differences. Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. They say there is rarely any bullying. During assembly every Tuesday, pupils make presentations for the school. These presentations might be about current affairs, health and physical fitness, or other subjects. Sometimes, staff members lead assembly too.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy playing games in the outdoor area during physical education lessons. Pupils have plenty of help with decision-making about their future education and careers. Year 10 pupils enjoy work experience. Lessons across the curriculum are often interesting and fun.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that the school meets all the independent school standards and that the requirements of paragraph 3 of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010 are met. The headteacher and her leadership team are determined to strive for the success of their pupils but the role of the subject leader is underdeveloped. The headteacher receives outstanding support for school improvement from experienced and knowledgeable governors.

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better?

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. All parents who responded to the Ofsted Parent View survey said that staff have high expectations of their child. Leaders work well with a variety of other agencies.

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better?

Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. Attitudes to learning are outstanding. Pupils pay close attention to lessons and are proud of what they have learned. By the end of their time in this school, they have become independent learners who aspire for excellence. This shows in the quality of their written work. They are able to conduct good discussions independently of teachers. They collaborate well, listen to each other and respond to the ideas of others.

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better?

Staff morale is high. A large number of the teachers responded to the Ofsted staff questionnaire. They all said that they are proud to work in this school. All staff said that leaders strive to ensure that they have a good work/life balance.

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better?

Across the curriculum, schemes of work are well sequenced and lessons are interesting. The curriculum offers an appropriate level of challenge. Teachers usually 11–13 February 2020

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support less-able learners well. Most pupils read well, and many are deeply involved in reading for pleasure. However, leaders have not made sure that the small number of pupils who struggle with reading have enough practice in developing that skill.

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Leaders have ensured that teachers have appropriate support and training to develop and teach their subjects. All teachers have good subject knowledge for the subjects that they teach and use assessment well. Teachers deliver the curriculum that has been planned. However, subject leaders do not always ensure that there is sufficient collaboration between teachers in key stages 3 and 4 who teach the same subject. In some subjects, teachers are not sure what pupils have done or will do in the other key stage. Some teachers therefore fail to make enough links between what pupils are going to learn later or what they have learned before in the different key stage.

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Teachers place a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ spoken language and their use of vocabulary in every lesson. The effect of this emphasis is that pupils are articulate. This ability to speak well and use good vocabulary has a positive influence on the standard of their writing.

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Leaders have recently focused on improving pupils’ mathematical understanding, skills and fluency. New teaching strategies and review procedures have led to positive results. Pupils in Years 10 and 11, in particular, say that they are now proud of their improved mathematics ability. Teachers ensure that pupils take ownership of their own learning to become independent learners.

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Teachers make good links between subjects, for example science lessons are linked to personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. English lessons make good links with history. Curriculum subjects are supported by interesting educational visits, for example to Warwick Castle and to Carding Mill Valley.

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Worthwhile experiences help develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and economic knowledge and appreciation. They raise money for charity and collect toys and games for children in Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Through PSHE education lessons, assemblies and their Islamic studies, pupils develop a strong understanding of fundamental British values. They have a good knowledge of different religions. Religious education (RE) lessons are supported by visits to different places of worship. They have learned to respect all people, whatever religion they have or whether they have no religious beliefs. Teachers make sure that pupils learn about the protected characteristics outlined in The Equality Act 2010. They say, for example: ‘We should not leave people out. We should respect them for who they are.’ Good careers education supports pupils to make appropriate choices for their future lives. Pupils have high aspirations for themselves. They aspire, for example,

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to study medicine, engineering and social sciences. Pupils know how to keep healthy. They have some opportunities for extra-curricular activities, such as sewing and football. 11–13 February 2020

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff are vigilant about child protection and care strongly about the well-being of their pupils. They report their concerns in a timely way and document their findings carefully. They explicitly teach pupils how to keep themselves safe from danger. Pupils learn, for example, about forced marriage and about the dangers of radicalisation and extremism, as well as knife crime. Leaders invite external experts into school to support teaching in these areas. All staff are recruited safely. The school’s safeguarding policy is displayed on the school website and meets the latest government requirements.

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What does the school need to do to improve?

 Pupils who have difficulty reading do not improve their reading quickly enough. Consequently, they are not able to take full part in the learning that is appropriate for their age. Leaders and staff must work together to make sure that these pupils have the necessary early support and intervention that they need to be able to read fluently and with understanding.  Some subject leaders do not have sufficient impact on the quality of education. For example, they do not make sure that teachers in key stages 3 and 4 collaborate with each other often enough to discuss the sequencing of the curriculum. Consequently, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and understanding. Leaders should strengthen this aspect of leadership to ensure that subject leaders are skilled enough to confidently lead the subject for which they have responsibility across both key stages 3 and 4. Subject leaders should make sure that there is clear progression within the curriculum so that pupils

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What does the school need to do to improve?

progressively build on what they already know and can do. Any existing gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding should be filled as quickly as possible.

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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 are the provider and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 11–13 February 2020

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School details

Unique reference number 131164 DfE registration number 330/6094

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School details

Inspection number 10112492 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

Email address reception@greenoak.bham.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6–8 February 2018

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Information about this school

 Green Oak Academy is an independent girls’ secondary school in Birmingham.  This school used to be called Woodstock Girls’ School. Woodstock Girls’ School opened in 1996 and was owned by Hamza Mosque. The proprietor of the school is now Green Oak Academy. The school changed its name to Green Oak Academy in September 2018.  The school aims to deliver an outstanding academic education to its pupils, while simultaneously nurturing them spiritually and morally through Islamic teachings.  The school’s previous inspection was on 6–8 February 2018.  The present headteacher joined the school in October 2018. 11–13 February 2020

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 The school does not use any other site or provision.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about this inspection

 We held meetings with the chair of the governing body and one other governor, the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteacher, the pastoral manager and the designated safeguarding lead, as well as holding other more informal meetings with teachers.  We did deep dives in English, mathematics, science and RE. This means that, in each of these subjects, we interviewed the subject leader, teachers and pupils about that subject. We also visited lessons and scrutinised books in that subject. One inspector also conducted a learning walk to look at other subjects in the school.  I had a tour of the premises with the headteacher and the chair of the governing body to ensure that they provide an appropriate environment for pupils.  We examined a large number of policies, schemes of work and curriculum plans, as well as documentation related to health and safety and safeguarding.  I held a meeting with the designated safeguarding lead to discuss safeguarding

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Information about this inspection

procedures and safeguarding documentation. We also spoke to other staff about their knowledge of safeguarding procedures.  I considered findings from the Ofsted staff survey of views and Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Mary Maybank, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Naylor Ofsted Inspector 11–13 February 2020

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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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