Oasis Academy Silvertown

Inspection of a good school: Oasis Academy Silvertown

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Inspection dates: 21 and 23 September 2022

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Outcome

Oasis Academy Silvertown continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. Pupils try hard to meet these and to be proud, professional, nice, independent and resilient. These five school values are evident in the way pupils interact with each other and staff in class and around the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Learning is at the core of life at the school. Pupils are focused on their learning in lessons. Teachers and leaders ensure subject matter is presented clearly and in a well-ordered way. This helps all pupils to build curriculum knowledge and skills effectively, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are calm, smartly dressed and behave sensibly. Teachers reward pupils’ behaviour through certificates in assembly. Pupils enjoy school and are safe. Bullying is rare, and if it happens teachers address it quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils attend a range of activities outside of lessons such as creative writing and orchestra. They also support the local community. For example, pupils in Year 9 read to pupils at local primary schools. Pupils are encouraged to appreciate different cultures and to respect differences and feel they can be themselves.

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

School leaders have set out an ambitious curriculum for pupils at the school. Most subject leaders have thought in detail about what pupils learn and the order in which they learn it. For example, in mathematics, pupils develop their problem-solving skills systematically through Years 7 to 9, in preparation for GCSE. In English, pupils build an increasingly complex knowledge of vocabulary and sentence structures over time. In a small number of subjects, curriculum thinking is not as advanced. In these subjects, the development of some parts of the subject curriculum is not fully considered. This limits the depth of pupils’ learning. 21 and 23 September 2022

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Teachers’ subject knowledge is secure. Teachers break down new information and present it clearly in ways that pupils can understand. They provide regular opportunities for pupils to memorise their learning before moving on. This helps pupils to build and deepen their understanding.

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Teachers consistently check that pupils understand what they have learned. This helps teachers to identify what pupils do not understand and re-explain or address misconceptions. This routine checking also re-enforces pupils’ knowledge.

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Reading support is well established. Pupils who need help with reading get it from the time they join in Year 7. Leaders ensure that pupils build reading fluency quickly and can access the school curriculum. Whole-class and individual reading initiatives contribute to the school’s culture of reading for pleasure. Teachers also help pupils to learn key vocabulary within each subject.

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Pupils with SEND are well supported. Leaders identify the needs of pupils with SEND and ensure these are met. As a result, pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers.

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Pupils behave sensibly in lessons. During lesson change times and at breaktimes the school is calm and orderly. Pupils are polite, listen carefully to teachers and follow instructions. Leaders’ behaviour expectations are clearly communicated to pupils, and staff uphold high standards. Any dips in behaviour are swiftly and positively corrected by teachers. Leaders also ensure clear routines are well established in all classes. All this allows teachers to focus on teaching, without interruption.

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There is a large programme of enrichment at the school. For example, leaders organise enrichment activities for pupils throughout the school week. These provide learning opportunities that broaden pupils’ experiences. Pupils said they enjoy attending music and sports clubs. They also spoke particularly highly of the careers advice they receive. All year groups have opportunities to hear from a range of employers. They also receive impartial guidance about career options and post-16 courses.

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Leaders and trustees are focused on school improvement. The school provides a range of subject and leadership development for staff. Staff value this. This includes training for both experienced and early-career teachers. Trust-wide support enhances training opportunities for all staff. Staff said that senior leaders are mindful of their workload and supportive of their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Leaders with responsibility for safeguarding know the local area well. They and other staff are aware of specific risks and signs to look for that might suggest that a pupil may be at risk from harm. Staff receive regular training. Teachers provide pupils who need support with swift, appropriate help. 21 and 23 September 2022

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This includes support from external agencies where necessary. Records of interventions are accurate and up to date.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some aspects of the curriculum in a small number of subjects are not as fully thought through as in other subjects. In these subjects, disciplinary knowledge is not as prominent as it should be to ensure that pupils deepen their knowledge over time. Leaders should ensure that the high-quality curriculum design evident in many subjects is present across all subjects.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2017.

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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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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. 21 and 23 September 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10240128 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 May 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Oasis Community Learning multi-academy trust.  The school moved from its previous, temporary, premises into a new building on a new site in September 2022.  The school places a small number of pupils with one of two registered alternative provision settings.

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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.  Due to circumstances beyond the control of the school and the inspection team, the inspection took place over two separate days, 21 and 23 September 2022.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, science and geography. For each deep dive, they discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, looked at pupils’ work and spoke to teachers, and spoke to some 21 and 23 September 2022

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pupils about their learning. Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects.  Inspectors considered the school’s policies and procedures for safeguarding and supporting pupils’ health and safety as well as their welfare and well-being. This included looking at case studies and reviewing the school’s record of pre-employment checks.  Inspectors held meetings with the principal and other senior leaders. Inspectors also met with leaders with responsibility for SEND, early stages of reading, and behaviour.  Inspectors met with the trust’s chief executive officer, national director and regional director.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for parents, staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Guy Forbat, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Annabel Davies His Majesty’s Inspector 21 and 23 September 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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