Oasis Academy Hadley

Inspection of a good school: Oasis Academy Hadley 143 South Street, Enfield, Middlesex EN3 4PX

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 September 2021

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Outcome

Oasis Academy Hadley continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school each day. One pupil summed up the views of many, saying that school is ‘better than the outside world’. Pupils feel safe and well cared for. Teachers challenge pupils to do their best. Pupils get help from teachers when they need it. Staff also celebrate pupils’ successes. Pupils enjoy strong and supportive relationships with teachers and each other. Sixth-form students are mature role models. Bullying does not happen often but if it does, teachers take it seriously.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They move around the school in a calm and purposeful way. Pupils can concentrate in class because low-level disruption is rare. Teachers make the learning fun and interactive. They set tasks that ask pupils to recall knowledge from previous lessons. This helps pupils to remember more.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Following the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, leaders are reinstating pupils’ usual range of trips and enrichment activities. For example, all pupils in Years 7 and 8 go on three free educational visits each year. Older pupils also enjoy two trips related to the curriculum per year. For Year 9 pupils, there is also a visit to a top university. In the sixth form, students complete a work experience placement. They also attend university open days.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have planned an ambitious curriculum. It combines learning from the early years through to primary, secondary and the sixth form. This works well in most subjects, for instance English. Staff benefit from sharing expertise across phases. For example, they have discussed the types of writing pupils will complete throughout their time at school. Pupils are first introduced to diary entries in Year 1, writing in the first person and using the past tense. They build on their knowledge effectively each year.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils enjoy their lessons and remember what they have learned before. Their concentration is not disturbed by low-level disruption. Leaders plan pupils’ learning 14 and 15 September 2021

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carefully. In mathematics, for example, teaching breaks down complex ideas into small steps. Pupils must master these before they move on. Teachers also set work so that pupils regularly go over and recall previous learning.

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Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They are skilled in using and adapting subject plans to ensure that pupils achieve well. For example, they explain new ideas clearly and help pupils to connect these ideas with previous learning. These strengths are not as firmly established in the primary phase, particularly in history and geography. In a few instances, teaching does not build up pupils’ knowledge as methodically. This is because leaders have not pinpointed the knowledge that teaching needs to emphasise.

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Leaders are ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils’ needs are identified effectively. They follow the same curriculum as others. Teachers provide additional support and resources so that pupils with SEND understand what they are learning. Staff check on how well pupils are progressing through the curriculum. They pick up on pupils’ misconceptions and teach knowledge again when pupils need it.

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In the early years, adults know what they want children to learn so they are prepared for Year 1. Adults model learning well and provide a suitable environment. The phonics programme used to teach early reading is well planned. This includes in the early years. Pupils’ books match their reading level. During the pandemic, leaders identified that some pupils were not keeping up with the phonics programme. High-quality support is helping these pupils catch up .

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Some pupils join the school in Year 7. Leaders check pupils’ reading abilities straight away. They know that being a confident reader will support pupils’ learning in all subjects. Weaker readers receive extra help. Leaders are improving the extra help pupils receive so that it systematically plugs any gaps in their phonics knowledge.

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Pupils’ development beyond the curriculum is well supported. Leaders’ planning for this aspect of the school’s work is a strength. For instance, pupils debate topics such as human rights and fair trade in philosophy and ethics lessons. Pupils also take part in ‘life’ days throughout the year. These days cover staying safe, relationships education and careers. Sixth-form students value the support they receive. They get help with organising work experience placements and applying for university.

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Teachers are positive about how leaders help them to manage their workload. Leaders seek and act on the views of staff. Teachers also support each other within subject teams, sharing feedback and planning. Staff access a range of helpful opportunities for professional development. This is both within the school and through the multi-academy trust. 14 and 15 September 2021

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils see school as a safe place. They have a trusted adult they can speak to if they have a concern. Staff understand the importance of reporting safeguarding issues quickly. They know about the local safeguarding challenges, such as gangs and knife crime. Leaders make sure that any concerns about pupils’ welfare are managed well.

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Safeguarding

Staff undertake regular training on a range of safeguarding topics. For instance, teachers have had additional training on peer-on-peer abuse this year. There is a zero tolerance approach to this in the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Although weaker readers in the secondary phase receive extra help, in the past it has not always focused on building up the phonics knowledge pupils need to read fluently. Leaders need to build on their existing work to support weaker readers in the secondary phase. This includes making sure that any gaps in pupils’ phonics knowledge are fully addressed.  The curriculum is ambitious and well planned, particularly in the secondary phase. However, expectations for pupils’ learning in some subjects are not as clearly mapped out in the primary phase. This is particularly the case in history and geography. Leaders need to refine planning for these subjects. They should make explicit how knowledge should be sequenced so that pupils are better prepared for what they are learning next.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2012. 14 and 15 September 2021

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 school and you are 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. 14 and 15 September 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10195722 Type of school All-through

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1544

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Date of previous inspection 22 June 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There has been a change of principal since the last inspection.  The academy includes provision for two-year-olds.  Leaders access the services of three alternative providers.  A small number of pupils attend an alternative provision run by the school.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation. 14 and 15 September 2021

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 Inspectors met with the principal and senior leaders across the early years, primary and secondary phases. They also met with the chief executive officer, regional director of secondary academies and national director of secondary academies from Oasis Community Learning.  The inspection team carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, English, mathematics and history. Inspectors looked at curriculum plans, visited lessons, reviewed pupils’ work, met with pupils to discuss their learning, and met with subject leaders and teachers. Inspectors also visited sixth-form lessons in economics and media studies.  Through discussions with leaders, trustees, pupils and staff, inspectors considered how effectively pupils are safeguarded. Inspectors also looked at records related to safeguarding, including records of checks carried out before staff are appointed.  Inspectors met with pupils from the primary and secondary phase, including the sixth

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form. They spoke to pupils during lesson visits. Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at break and lunchtimes. The inspection team spoke to staff about behaviour and about their workload in the school. Thirty staff responses were also considered, as well as written comments from parents.

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Inspection team

Lisa Strong, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Aliki Constantopoulou Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kanwaljit Singh Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 September 2021

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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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