Oldfields Hall Middle School

Inspection of school: Oldfields Hall Middle School Stone Road, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire ST14 7PL

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Outcome

Oldfields Hall Middle School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a very friendly and welcoming school. Pupils are happy. They are eager to learn. This is because leaders have high expectations for all pupils. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum offers a broad range of subjects in both key stages.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school looks after its pupils very well. Its values of ‘respect others, enrich lives, and make a difference’ permeate everywhere. Pupils show respect to everyone in the school community. They are polite, friendly and kind. Pupils say they feel safe. They know who to speak to if they have a problem. Pupils behave well in lessons and at breaktimes. Pupils told inspectors that bullying is rare. When it does take place, staff are quick to deal with it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the wide range of activities beyond the classroom. There are lots of clubs, sporting activities, trips and residential opportunities for them. Year 7 pupils spoke with excitement about their recent trip on a narrow boat at the Black Country Museum.

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

The school provides a good quality of education for its pupils. Leaders have designed an ambitious and broad curriculum to meet pupils’ needs. They have ensured that the curriculum is carefully planned.

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

The curriculum covers a wide range of subjects taught by subject specialists. Staff have worked with the local secondary school to develop their curriculum. Leaders have also thought about the context of the school. They have recognised and responded to the need to widen pupils’ knowledge of the wider world. The ‘Oldfields goes global’ strategy enables pupils to learn about diversity. In English, pupils read texts about different cultures, people’s lives and experiences. Pupils also use ideas from Aboriginal art in their own work.

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

Reading is a priority. Pupils read frequently across a variety of subjects. This helps them develop and broaden their vocabulary. The teaching of phonics supports pupils who struggle 4 and 5 May 2022

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with reading. As a result, they are able to read new words with fluency. The library provides an extensive range of texts to suit all interests.

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Teachers have high expectations for their pupils, including those with SEND. Pupils are able to learn successfully because teachers explain things very well. Teaching assistants work very effectively with pupils who need extra support. However, some pupils do not contribute very much in some lessons. This is because teachers do not provide the right opportunities to encourage all pupils to answer questions and join in.

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Pupils appreciate their teachers’ feedback. They say it helps them improve their work. Teachers in English recognised that pupils needed to improve their writing following lockdown. They made this a priority. Pupils are now developing their extended writing skills well as a result.

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Pupils conduct themselves in a calm and orderly way. They are considerate to each other and have established very good friendships. Many spoke about the new friends they have made since joining the school. The school provides excellent pastoral care for them. The school has established strong relationships with families. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly supportive of the school.

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The school offers a very wide range of opportunities beyond the classroom. These include arts, sport and cultural activities. These opportunities bring pupils together from all year groups, such as in school shows. Those who take part in the many sports clubs are able to engage with pupils from other schools in inter-school competitions.

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Staff are very proud of the school. They enjoy working there. They say that leaders listen to them and value them enormously. Staff work together and support each other very well. They enjoy high-quality training to further develop their subject knowledge and skills. Governors know the school well and make frequent visits. They provide effective support and challenge for leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding. They manage staff recruitment robustly. They ensure that only suitable adults work with children.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide relevant training for staff on a regular basis. This means that staff know how to recognise signs of abuse and what they have to do if they have a concern about a pupil. Leaders use a range of external services to support pupils and their families when they need it. They say that the school provides them with advice on specific issues like online safety.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including when online. 4 and 5 May 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some lessons, only a few pupils respond to questioning and discussion activities. Consequently, they are not developing their speaking skills and confidence well enough. Leaders should ensure that teaching and learning activities engage all pupils.

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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 first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Oldfields Hall Middle School, to be good in June 2016.

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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. 4 and 5 May 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227743 Type of school Middle deemed secondary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school does not use alternative provision.  The school joined Uttoxeter Learning Trust in January 2018.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in English, reading, mathematics, geography and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also visited lessons in other subjects.  The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils read in Years 5 and 8.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for behaviour, personal development, looked after children, pupil premium and the provision for pupils with SEND.  Inspectors met with pupils to discuss their learning, behaviour and welfare. 4 and 5 May 2022

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 The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding leader to discuss the actions taken to keep pupils safe. She reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s single central record.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plan.  The lead inspector met with a group of staff.  The lead inspector met with governors, including the chair of the governing body, the chief executive officer and a trustee.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and the results of the staff’s questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Nicola Walters, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

David Hermitt Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 May 2022

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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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