Oakwood Primary School

Inspection of Oakwood Primary School 117 Tennyson Road, Luton, Bedfordshire LU1 3RR

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Oakwood Primary is a welcoming and happy school. Pupils respect their teachers who they say help them to learn and achieve well. Pupils feel safe because they know that staff listen to, and care about them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. They understand the well-established rules and routines. This means that children in early years through to pupils in Year 6 know exactly how they are expected to behave. Bullying is very rare, and staff deal with any incidents swiftly. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are exemplary. Pupils are proud of their work and keen to learn more. Lessons run smoothly and without interruption.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn about themselves and others through the broad curriculum and their Islamic studies lessons. They discuss topical issues with confidence and sensitivity. Pupils are knowledgeable about, and considerate of, the views and beliefs of others. Pupils told us that ‘it’s important to remember our similarities as well as our differences’. Pupils are taught how to be good Muslims alongside how to be positive and active citizens in modern British society.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are very complementary about the education their children receive. They appreciate that leaders and staff always have their children’s best interests at heart.

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious and well-planned curriculum from early years to Year 6. Islamic and secular studies are carefully interwoven within the curriculum. The curriculum meets the needs of all pupils well, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Curriculum thinking in all subjects identifies the content to be taught for every year group, so that pupils are able to build on their knowledge and understanding over time.

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better?

Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to help pupils build on their skills and understanding. Pupils are supported to make links and deepen their understanding of what they learn, using what they know already. For example, Year 1 pupils explained the skills they had used during their art lessons to make simple pinch and coil clay pots. Year 5 pupils talked confidently about the different techniques they had used such as spirals, arches, and twists to make more sophisticated clay containers.

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better?

Curriculum leaders are knowledgeable about the subjects they lead. They provide teachers with the training and support to deliver curriculum plans as leaders intend. Some curriculum leaders are new to their role. They have not checked that their subject is being taught consistently across all year groups.

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better?

In English and mathematics, leaders make sure that teachers regularly check what pupils know and can do. Teachers use this information to plan the right content for the next lessons. Any pupils who are struggling or who cannot recall their learning 5 and 7 July 2022 get help quickly. In other subjects, such as art and computing, teachers do not check what pupils know as effectively. They do not check that pupils have remembered important knowledge. This means that teaching does not always support pupils to learn successfully over time.

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better?

Leaders have established a well-organised curriculum for teaching reading, including phonics, throughout all year groups. Well-trained teachers and teaching assistants deliver the phonics programme consistently and with continuity. Leaders give high importance to nurturing pupils’ love of reading. Pupils enjoy reading a wide range of high-quality texts. Pupils readily take part in reading challenges and competitions such as designing book covers and writing reviews.

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better?

Throughout the school, including in early years, there is a strong focus on developing pupils’ language. In the Nursery and Reception classes, staff share rhymes, stories and games so that children learn and understand new words. Across the school, teachers model subject-specific language to extend pupils’ vocabulary. This helps pupils to use a range of different words correctly to explain their ideas when reading and writing across different subjects.

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better?

Teaching staff make sure that pupils listen carefully in lessons and focus on their learning at all times. Pupils readily answer teachers’ questions and take an active role in lessons. This enables pupils to thrive and succeed. Pupils are very considerate when sharing resources and taking turns. They have many opportunities to discuss and share their ideas. Pupils say that they like to listen to each other so that they can learn even more. Despite the impact of the pandemic, pupils’ attendance and punctuality have remained consistently regular.

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better?

Leaders provide pupils with a wide range of opportunities to develop their talents and interests. These include clubs for art, baking and various sports. Pupils take part in a variety of trips and experiences linked to the curriculum. Pupils are encouraged to be confident and to develop a strength of character. During a recent ‘Enterprise Day’ pupils planned and organised fund-raising events. Through the school’s ‘mini- Baccalaureate’ programme, pupils are encouraged to get involved in charitable events and support the local community. Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships.

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better?

Leaders have created a positive and united school community. Staff feel valued and are well supported. Staff appreciate the training they are given to improve their practice further. They speak highly of the coaching support that senior leaders give to them.

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better?

Trustees ensure that the school meets all the independent school standards. Trustees make sure that the school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010 and the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage. Trustees bring a range of skills and expertise to the role. Trustees challenge and support leaders effectively in all aspects of the school’s work including safeguarding. They visit the school to review improvements and to check on pupils’ and staff well-being. Trustees have 5 and 7 July 2022 chosen to use external specialists to support them to evaluate the quality of education that the school provides and to check that this enables all pupils to achieve well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that pupils’ safety and welfare is given the highest priority. Leaders provide all staff with regular, up-to-date training. Staff understand the school’s policies and systems. They report any concerns without delay. Leaders take appropriate actions, and these are well documented. Leaders work well with external agencies, when necessary, to provide support for the pupils and families who need it.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. They use the class worry boxes or talk to staff directly if they have any concerns. Staff teach pupils different ways to keep themselves safe, including when online.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Some curriculum leaders do not have a full picture of how well their subject is being delivered across the school and what needs to be refined further. Curriculum leaders should monitor that all subjects are taught effectively, so that pupils learn successfully and achieve well across the curriculum.  Leaders need to assess pupils’ achievement across all the foundation subjects. This will enable teachers to identify what pupils know, understand and have remembered long term. Additionally, this will help teachers to make the right decisions about what pupils need to practise, reinforce or revisit to secure their learning overtime.

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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 provider and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 5 and 7 July 2022

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School details

Unique reference number 135539 DfE registration number 821/6011

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School details

Inspection number 10230308 Type of school Other Independent School

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School details

Email address admin@oakwoodprimary.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 and 14 March 2019 5 and 7 July 2022

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Information about this school

 Oakwood Primary School is an independent Muslim primary day school that opened in 2008. The school is situated in a residential area in central Luton. The school is registered to admit up to 150 boys and girls aged from three to 11 years, of any religious background.  The school is governed by a board of trustees, who are also the proprietor body of the school.  Leaders seek to help the school’s pupils achieve an understanding of their own faith, and the role of Islam in their lives.  A very small proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities attend the school. No pupils have an education, health and care plan.  A small number of children attend part-time provision in the school’s nursery.  The school does not make use of any alternative off-site provision.  To date, Ofsted has conducted a pre-registration visit, nine inspections and evaluated three action plans. The details of these are:

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Information about this school

– 18 Feb 2008, a pre-registration visit, and registration was recommended – 6 July 2009, the first standard inspection when the overall effectiveness of the school was judged to be satisfactory – 13 May 2011, a material change inspection, when the material change was not recommended – 20 October 2011, a monitoring inspection when the independent school standards checked were met – 12 September 2012, the second standard inspection when the overall effectiveness of the school was judged to be good – 6 October 2015, an emergency inspection when the independent school standards checked were not met – 28 January 2016, an evaluation of an action plan which was judged as not acceptable – 26 April 2016, the third standard inspection when the overall effectiveness of the school was judged to be good – 12 March 2019, the fourth standard inspection when the overall effectiveness of the school was judged as requires improvement

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Information about this school

– 26 July 2019, an evaluation of an action plan which was judged as not acceptable – 6 November 2019, a monitoring inspection when the independent school standards checked were not met – 25 February 2020, an evaluation of an action plan which was judged as acceptable 5 and 7 July 2022 – 8 February 2022, a monitoring inspection when the independent school standards checked were met.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors 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

The school meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out with a day’s notice.  During this inspection, inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and the office administrator. The deputy headteacher is also the designated safeguarding leader, the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) and the early years leader. Inspectors held a meeting with several teachers to discuss the impact of the support they receive from leaders.  The lead inspector met with two trustees from the proprietor body. Additionally, the lead inspector had a phone conversation with a local authority safeguarding adviser to discuss their work with the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history and art. Inspectors met with curriculum leaders for these subjects, visited lessons, looked at a range of pupils’ work and met with teachers and pupils.  Inspectors met with several groups of pupils to seek their views about the school.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors also spoke to pupils informally in lessons.  To check leaders’ management of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single central record, and records related to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding incidents. Inspectors considered the school’s processes for reporting safeguarding concerns. Inspectors spoke with pupils and staff to check their views on safeguarding.  The lead inspector toured the school with the headteacher to check that all the independent school standards relating to the premises were met.  Inspectors scrutinised the school’s website and a range of school documents, including all the required policies, the school’s own evaluation, improvement plans, minutes of the trustees’ meetings and a report from an external consultant.  Inspectors considered the 20 responses made by parents to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, and the 20 responses to Ofsted’s free-text system.

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Information about this inspection

An inspector also spoke to some parents on the third day. Additionally, inspectors took account of the 14 responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey. There was one response to Ofsted’s online pupil survey. 5 and 7 July 2022  During the second day of the inspection, children in the early years, as well as Year 1 and Year 2 pupils, were off site attending an educational visit. During the third day of the inspection, pupils from Year 1 to Year 6 were off site taking part in the school’s sports event.

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Inspection team

Fiona Webb, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Russell Ayling Ofsted Inspector 5 and 7 July 2022 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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