Oakfield Primary School

Inspection of Oakfield Primary School Morecambe Avenue, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire DN16 3JF

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 5 and 6 October 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a strong sense of family at Oakfield Primary School. Staff and pupils look after each other because they care. Each morning, families gather in the playground and speak warmly with each other and members of staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that bullying is rare, but that if it does happen, staff deal with incidents quickly. Pupils learn how to look after their mental health and to share concerns through the ‘talk buddy’ system. Pupils are polite and courteous and move around the school in an orderly manner. Pupils have warm relationships with staff. Leaders have high expectations of all pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in early years settle into school and learn routines quickly. They enjoy a wide range of activities and learn how to work with others. Parents and carers of children in early years say that their children thrive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Over time, pupils develop the ability to reflect wisely on issues such as equality of opportunity. Older pupils intelligently discuss the qualities needed for healthy relationships. They have a strong understanding about different faiths and can speak with clarity about the make-up of different families.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love the different opportunities that challenge them to develop their broader skills. These include being a school librarian, reading to younger pupils, and being prefects and play leaders. Pupils enjoy a range of trips, clubs and experiences. Pupils say that this helps them to learn more in different subjects.

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better?

Leaders have put in place a well-thought-out curriculum. It is carefully ordered and ambitious. Leaders worked with subject experts to map out the key knowledge that pupils learn. The curriculum they have designed provides ambitious end-points for pupils. This starts from early years. For example, in mathematics, children in early years develop their knowledge of the properties of two-dimensional shapes and use of the correct mathematical vocabulary. They build on this knowledge and enhance their ‘sticky knowledge’ in key stages 1 and 2.

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better?

Subject leaders are confident and knowledgeable. They have a clear overview of strengths and next steps for their subjects. They provide training for teaching staff and help them with their planning and resourcing of lessons.

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better?

Teachers check on how effectively pupils are learning in reading and mathematics. This allows them to identify any gaps that same day. Checks on learning in some wider curriculum subjects are sometimes not as precise. This means that teachers do not always have the right information about what pupils have learned long term.

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better?

Leaders have placed reading at the heart of the curriculum. The library has been refurbished and leaders have purchased high-quality texts. The teaching of reading 5 and 6 October 2022

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is strong. Leaders have a clear overview of the reading programme and the progress children make. All staff are extremely well trained. They have secure subject knowledge. They make appropriate adaptations to lessons for those who have fallen behind. In addition to this, catch-up programmes and interventions are in place. As a result, pupils have made strong progress. Books are well matched to pupils’ phonic knowledge. Leaders have considered carefully the texts pupils read to ensure that these represent a cross-section of diverse characters and themes. Pupils value this.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do well. Staff have high aspirations for pupils with SEND. Leaders are skilled in rapidly identifying any underlying need. Leaders ensure that the right resources are in place to ensure that all pupils learn the same curriculum.

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The excellent wider personal development curriculum is a strength in this school. Leaders take their responsibility for preparing pupils for success in the wider, diverse world extremely seriously. They plan meaningful opportunities for pupils to interact with, and learn from, people with a broad range of backgrounds. Commonalities and differences are identified and celebrated. For example, pupils raised money to buy extra books that deepened their knowledge of diversity. This enabled pupils to share and celebrate different cultural backgrounds. Special assemblies provide stimulating opportunities for pupils to develop their understanding of what respect, tolerance and individual liberty mean. This helps prepare pupils well for their next stage of learning.

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Governors have a strong understanding of the school’s strengths and next steps. They are keen and ambitious. Governors challenge well and ask the right questions to maintain high educational standards for all pupils. Staff are happy to work in the school. They greatly appreciate how leaders support their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are proud to provide a ‘safe place’ for pupils. Leaders ensure that staff complete the necessary safeguarding training in a timely manner. Staff know how to raise concerns. Leaders respond swiftly to referrals and access the help that pupils need quickly. During the recruitment process, the appropriate checks are made to confirm that adults are safe to work in school with children.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep safe when online. Pupils also know how to keep themselves safe when they are out in the local community. They know what to do if they find themselves in any situations that make them feel uncomfortable. 5 and 6 October 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The checks on pupils’ learning in a minority of wider curriculum subjects are not as helpful as those seen in core subjects. This means that teachers do not always have the right information about what pupils have learned long term. Leaders should clearly define their assessment approach so that pupils continue to build on prior learning with success.

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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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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. 5 and 6 October 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Caroline Kupfers

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Date of previous inspection

9 June 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not currently use alternative provision.  The school runs its own breakfast club and after-school clubs.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders, teachers, early career teachers and their mentors, and teaching assistants.  The lead inspector met with the local governing body, including the chair of the local governing body. The lead inspector also met with the local authority representative.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, geography and music. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at 5 and 6 October 2022

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curriculum plans, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and outside during social times.  Inspectors reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising safeguarding records and policies, speaking to staff and local governors, and discussing this with pupils.  The inspection team considered the views of parents and carers through Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. Inspectors gathered the views of pupils and staff through surveys and discussions conducted throughout the inspection.  Inspectors reviewed a range of the school’s documentation, including school improvement documentation and minutes of governing body meetings.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Clayton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Stephenson His Majesty’s Inspector 5 and 6 October 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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