Olney Infant Academy

Inspection of Olney Infant Academy Spinney Hill Road, Olney, Buckinghamshire MK46 5AD

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under the Section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Ofsted has not previously inspected Olney Infant Academy under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Olney Infant School to be outstanding, before it opened as an academy. 22 and 23 June 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ love of learning stands out as the key feature of this school. Every member of staff facilitates pupils’ natural eagerness to find out about the world and their place in it. Pupils do very well, right from the start, at Olney Infant Academy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders represent the school’s core values with the word ‘CURIOUS’, (‘courage, unique, respect, independence, open minds, understanding and supportive’), and they are embedded into pupils’ experiences. During their time at the school, pupils develop into articulate, caring and self-confident learners.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils work and play happily together. Their behaviour is exemplary. Should a rare occurrence of unkindness occur, they are confident that their teachers will sort it out. This harmonious community is calm and purposeful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have consistently high expectations of pupils. Teaching staff are united in their aim to make sure there is no cap on pupils’ achievements. All staff provide hearty praise for every pupil’s success, so pupils are encouraged to do more.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The vast majority of parents are highly delighted with what Olney Infant Academy offers their children. A typical comment from a parent was, ‘Olney Infants has created a curriculum that inspires our daughter to learn, explore and grow.’

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better?

Exceptionally strong leadership at all levels ensures the success of this school. The highly effective headteacher and senior team have set an ambitious vision and ensure that pupils experience open-ended and challenging learning. Leaders have developed an aspirational curriculum based on this vision.

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better?

Leaders make sure that the content of the curriculum is planned with great precision, for example in mathematics, history and physical education (PE), so that pupils learn knowledge in depth. Pupils retain knowledge they have acquired very well and apply it to new learning very effectively. Teachers create vibrant learning environments, both inside and outside classrooms. Pupils tackle learning activities with huge enthusiasm.

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better?

Staff expertise is very strong as a result of the effective training leaders provide. Teachers’ and teaching assistants’ detailed knowledge of individual pupils’ strengths and weaknesses ensures that they pitch learning activities at exactly the right level. Teaching inspires pupils in all subjects because staff fully capture pupils’ attention. Pupils are highly motivated to write about their learning, showing their growing knowledge and expertise. 22 and 23 June 2022

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Pupils learn to read exceptionally well. Well-trained staff guide pupils through the building blocks needed to read fluently. Any pupil that falls behind is helped swiftly to catch up. Pupils relish the opportunity to read books appropriate to their ability. A pupil said, typical of the attitude of others, ‘We love reading, when it gets harder its exciting when we find out new words.’ Pupils are enthralled when listening to their teachers read to them.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are served very well. All staff keep a close eye on pupils’ learning and flag up any concerns that there may be as a result of an unidentified additional need. Teachers make appropriate adaptions to teaching or provide extra help to meet pupils’ needs precisely. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve exceptionally well.

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Early years provision provides an exceptional experience for children. Teaching staff establish clear routines and expectations. As in the rest of the school, the early years curriculum is rich and very well planned. Staff have a very precise understanding of what children know and what they need to learn next. Children thrive in the vibrant environment. They develop maturity and personal skills beyond their years. Parents of children in the early years speak in glowing terms about the support their children receive and the kindness of the staff.

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Pupils’ behaviour is impressive, partly because they feel so positive about their learning. Pupils have a great sense of pride in themselves, their peers and their school. Any pupils with difficulties in regulating themselves are supported expertly. Pupils’ leadership skills are developed very well. Older pupils model positive behaviour to their younger peers.

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Pupils develop characteristics that provide a springboard for their future lives. Personal, social and health education is highly effective in enabling pupils to understand how to be healthy in body and mind. Staff develop pupils’ talents and interests very well, especially those pupils eligible for pupil premium funding. Leaders have supplemented the taught curriculum with a wide range of clubs available, such as infant strings, yoga and science.

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The academy trust and local governance provide strong support and challenge to leaders. Staff are appreciative of the opportunities to work with other trust schools to hone their skills. Staff feel well supported and say they love working at the school. All governance functions lead to ensuring that pupils get an excellent educational experience at Olney Infant Academy.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders’ meticulous attention to detail typifies their approach to safeguarding. Staff are quick to let the designated safeguarding leads know if they have any safeguarding concerns about pupils. The designated safeguarding leads work well with external agencies to support pupils’ welfare. 22 and 23 June 2022

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Staff put pupils’ safety at the forefront. Teachers ensure that pupils know in an age- appropriate way about how to keep themselves safe including when online.

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Leaders make sure that staff and visitors are suitable to work with children. The academy trust and local governance provide double checks to the school’s system to ensure it is as reliable as it could be.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 22 and 23 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10228891 Type of school Infant

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Olney Infant Academy became an academy in 2011.  Olney Infant Academy joined the Inspiring Futures through Learning (IFtL) Multi- Academy Trust in January 2017.  The current headteacher was appointed in September 2020.  The school offers wraparound care for pupils at the school.  This was the first section 5 inspection since the school converted to an academy.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 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 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders, staff and pupils. The lead inspector spoke with governors and members of the trust. 22 and 23 June 2022

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, PE and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors viewed the website and looked at a number of policies and documents. They also considered views of staff by looking at their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.  Inspectors spoke with a number of parents and considered parents’ responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View.  To inspect safeguarding, the lead inspector checked the single central record of recruitment checks and other safeguarding records. Inspectors also met with the designated safeguarding lead and spoke to staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Sue Child, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Rachel McDonald-Taylor Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 June 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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