Oatlands School

Inspection of Oatlands School St. Mary’s Road, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 9PZ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected 13 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection. 28 and 29 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a wonderful atmosphere at Oatlands where happy pupils enjoy school and their learning. The school’s values are intrinsic to everyday life. Each month, pupils consider a different value to live out and celebrate. Leaders are passionate about nurturing pupils to be kind to each other and help those in need. The family ethos ensures that pupils feel that they belong and are safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Friendship is important to pupils. They are taught to be role models and act responsibly. Bullying is not a worry and pupils know that adults are always on hand to help. At mealtimes, Year 2 ‘lunch leaders’ eagerly teach younger children table manners and social skills.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Academically, many pupils thrive and exceed national curriculum expectations in reading and mathematics. Leaders are establishing higher behaviour standards for everyone through consistent routines and systems. Pupils know they must work hard and try their best.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders actively promote ways for pupils to develop widely and live healthy lifestyles. Highlights include fitness sessions where pupils energetically drum to music, alongside yoga classes. Pupils are fortunate to have excellent curriculum facilities and spacious outdoor grounds. They love going on trips which open their eyes to modern Britain.

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better?

Leaders and governors are ambitious and set a clear vision for the school. They know what they need to prioritise to build upon the existing strengths. Staff work well together to strive towards achieving the planned end goals. The school includes everyone and does its best to support all pupils and families.

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better?

The curriculum clearly defines what pupils should learn and when. This begins with outlining the key knowledge and vocabulary in the areas of learning for early years. This is ensuring that children are taught important content and concepts so that they are ready for the national curriculum in Year 1. The early years environment is impressive in helping children to learn and flourish. Staff use the outdoor space skilfully to enhance children’s physical development and different types of play.

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better?

Reading is rightly prioritised. Leaders know how important it is that pupils learn to read through a rigorous phonics programme. Wisely, leaders have invested much time to develop staff’s confidence and expertise. Now, there is greater consistency in the teaching of early reading. Staff are adept in helping children in Reception Year to recall sounds and read words accurately. Assessment is a strength because teachers quickly pick up which pupils need further practice. Leaders have ensured that the school’s timetable enables additional time to teach pupils to read. They have made effective use of catch-up funding to achieve this. Leaders know that they need to 28 and 29 March 2023

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target disadvantaged pupils who are not attaining well enough in reading and writing compared with the high attainment of their peers.

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Subject leaders are well trained to support teachers to deliver what is planned. Curriculum implementation is where leaders are focusing their attention. Teachers show good subject knowledge in explaining new material and in revisiting previous learning. They do this in a way that supports pupils to learn in manageable steps. Before choosing activities, leaders have trained teachers to start with thinking about the knowledge first. Positively, the work that pupils do is starting to give them more knowledge practice. But this still needs strengthening, for example, in the teaching of early writing.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well catered for in accessing their education. Strong transition work with pre-school settings means that leaders can put in early support promptly. Staff are ambitious for all pupils in learning the curriculum and they are developing strategies to help some pupils with SEND learn content more securely.

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Behaviour is good across the school and leaders have established consistent routines that pupils follow through the day. In lessons, most pupils know to sit quietly and listen to the teacher. However, the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has meant that some pupils have struggled with meeting the behaviour expectations. Staff are continuing to support pupils to learn and practise the routines expected, and these are leading to further improvements in behaviour.

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Pupils relish the responsibilities that leaders provide to develop character. They take their roles seriously. Pupils know to welcome and respect everyone. A broad range of clubs enthuse pupils’ interests, such as Spanish and cheerleading.

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Governors are experts in what they do. As a team, they possess a knowledgeable skillset in fulfilling their duties. Governors equally support and challenge leaders to make this school even better. They ask the right questions to identify what actions will have the most impact.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong safeguarding culture where pupils are kept safe. Training is thorough and ongoing so that staff know what to do. If an adult spots a concern, they flag this immediately to leaders. Any information shared is recorded clearly. Leaders ensure there is a chronological timeline of events that they can track. Where serious concerns may arise, leaders promptly contact the local authority’s children’s services.

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Safeguarding

Families are well looked after and supported by the school’s pastoral team. This support has recently included guidance for parents about managing how young children access digital devices, including the length of screen time. 28 and 29 March 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, the work set for pupils does not successfully enable them to practise the intended component knowledge. This has led to some pupils not securely learning the curriculum and being academically ready for key stage 2. Leaders need to continue with developing staff’s expertise in curriculum implementation.  Leaders recognise that there remain some occasional inconsistencies in the setting of high behaviour expectations for all pupils. This has led to the behaviour of some pupils having a negative impact upon learning. Leaders need to ensure that staff fully implement the school’s behaviour systems and application of routines, so all pupils can learn and achieve their very best.

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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. 28 and 29 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10256350 Type of school Infant

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 2 and 3 March 2010, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher joined the school in 2016.  Since the last inspection, the school expanded to three-form entry.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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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

 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.  Inspectors met with the senior leaders, staff and pupils. The lead inspector met with seven governors. He held a telephone call with a school improvement adviser from the local authority.  The inspection team carried out deep dives into these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art, geography and history. To do this, they met with subject 28 and 29 March 2023

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teachers, looked at curriculum plans, had discussions with staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors spoke with staff and pupils. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to examine record-keeping and actions. This included sampling a range of safeguarding documentation. The team inspector reviewed checks on the safer recruitment of adults.  Inspectors talked to pupils from different year groups about their learning and experiences at school. Lead inspectors also listened to pupils reading.  The views of staff, pupils and parents were gathered through discussions and Ofsted’s online surveys.  The inspection team scrutinised a range of documentation provided by the school. This included leaders’ self-evaluation and school improvement priorities, policies, curriculum documents, published information about pupils’ performance, pupil

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premium strategy, school improvement visit reports from the local authority and minutes of governors’ meetings.

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Inspection team

James Broadbridge, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ian Elkington Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 March 2023

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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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