Oasis Academy Foundry

Inspection of a good school: Oasis Academy Foundry Foundry Road, Birmingham, West Midlands B18 4LP

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Outcome

Oasis Academy Foundry continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a section 5 inspection now. The school’s next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders at this school are focused on delivering a first-class education for every pupil. Pupils are happy and safe. They value school life and enjoy attending. Staff swiftly resolve any issues or concerns pupils have. Bullying is not tolerated at the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have designed a unique and highly ambitious curriculum so that every pupil can experience success. Each pupil receives an electronic device. Pupils say that these are ‘treasured possessions’ that they use for their learning daily in school and at home.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love reading. A wide range of experiences allows pupils to develop their talents and interests. These include, for example, sports clubs, bell boating, football workshops and Royal Ballet auditions. Pupils recently developed their historical knowledge during a workshop on the Stone Age. They enjoyed a visiting pantomime before Christmas. Pupils in Year 6 look forward to their planned residential trip to Shropshire later this term.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a calm, orderly environment. Leaders expect pupils to behave well and pupils meet these expectations. The school’s ‘nine habits’ are central to school life. Pupils listen carefully and concentrate in lessons. They play well together at social times. Parents and carers are positive about the school. One parent’s comment was typical of many when they said, ‘I am very happy with the school.’

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

Leaders have carefully structured the curriculum to build up pupils’ knowledge and vocabulary over time. Staff have the knowledge they need to teach the curriculum really well across all subjects. Leaders have established effective teaching routines that allow pupils to know and remember more. Teachers have high expectations of all pupils. They check on pupils’ learning and provide strong additional support to those pupils who need 17 and 18 May 2022

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it. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils are well supported to access the same curriculum as other pupils. As a result, all pupils are successful.

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Leaders prioritise reading. Pupils read daily in school. Staff receive regular, suitable training, particularly in phonics. As a result, early reading is taught highly effectively. Pupils enjoy reading a variety of books in school and at home. They learn about a range of different authors and develop a love of reading. Children in early years are happy and safe. They benefit from clear and consistent routines. This means that the youngest children know what is expected of them. Staff carefully structure learning in the classroom and outside to engage children well. However, they do not consistently help children to build on previous learning. This means that they do not always achieve as well as they could. Mini-rugby sessions help children to develop their core strength. Children in Nursery develop a solid understanding of numbers. For example, they sing ‘Five currant buns’ with confidence and enjoyment. In

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Reception, children learn about life cycles. They read ‘The hungry caterpillar’ and learn words such as ‘cocoon’.

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The personal development curriculum offer is a strength. It helps pupils to develop character and resilience. Staff teach pupils how to recognise and respect individual differences. Opportunities such as those of play leader and member of the mini senior leadership team allow pupils to take on responsibilities. In doing so, they develop communication skills and confidence. Pupils work with local charities to conserve the local environment, for example by planting seedlings on the allotment and tidying the local canal area. Pupils enjoy the range of clubs on offer, such as the chess, drama and wildlife clubs. During the inspection, pupils enjoyed learning about the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. They have taken part in a research project and shared their experience of COVID-19 with researchers from a local university.

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Parents are proud of and value the Oasis Hub provided by the trust. It offers a range of help and support to pupils, their families and the wider community. This includes pastoral support, mentoring, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) courses, stay-and- play sessions and childcare qualifications. During the pandemic, the food pantry was a huge source of support for the local community.

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Oasis Community Learning is dedicated to improving outcomes for all pupils. Senior leaders and trust members have correctly identified the school’s priorities and areas for improvement. They have a clear vision and are ambitious for every child’s future. Leaders know the school’s strengths. They maintained the rapid pace of improvement throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders talk with passion about the school’s journey and its future. Staff feel well supported by school leaders to manage their workload and well- being. Staff are well trained through the Oasis Community Learning professional development programme.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 17 and 18 May 2022

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Leaders prioritise pupils’ welfare. They ensure that staff attend regular safeguarding training. This includes coverage of neglect, child sexual harassment and child criminal exploitation. Staff are vigilant. They record and report concerns swiftly. Leaders work in partnership with external agencies as required. They secure help for those pupils who need it.

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Pupils learn about healthy relationships, online safety and how to keep safe near water and railways. They know how to raise concerns with trusted adults in school.

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Leaders ensure that staff undertake the necessary safeguarding checks before they start work at Oasis Academy Foundry.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Children in early years do not always apply what they have learned in focused sessions when working independently. This means that they do not always deepen their learning and achieve as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that staff in early years help children to make connections in their learning when working independently so that they deepen their learning.

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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 a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 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. 17 and 18 May 2022

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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. 17 and 18 May 2022

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School details

Principal Emma Johnson (Executive Principal)

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Date of previous inspection

22 and 23 November 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders, and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and geography. This included visiting lessons, looking at pupils’ work, examining curriculum documents and talking with pupils and staff. The inspector also looked at work from a sample of other subjects.  The inspector listened to pupils read and reviewed reading resources.  The inspector looked at a range of documentation on the school’s website as part of the preparatory work.  The inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding arrangements. This included examining the record of employment checks on school staff. 17 and 18 May 2022

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 The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at other times during the day.  During the inspection, the inspector had formal meetings with the executive headteacher, the head of school, assistant principal, subject leaders, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, the designated safeguarding lead, governors and trust representatives.  The inspector took account of responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and responses to the pupil survey and the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Lorraine Lord, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 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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