Oreston Community Academy

Inspection of Oreston Community Academy Oreston Road, Plymstock, Plymouth, Devon PL9 7JY

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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 Good 16 and 17 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Oreston Community Academy enjoy coming to school and love to learn. Relationships between pupils and adults are respectful and positive. Adults have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils respond well to these. They behave well in lessons and around the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

During social times, pupils of all ages play together well. They use the wide range of play equipment sensibly. Pupils are considerate of others. They understand that treating everyone equally is important.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils attend school regularly. They enjoy being part of the school community. They are proud of their roles of responsibility, including being a member of the school parliament, the ‘Young Enterprise Team’ (YET) and the eco-team. Pupils enjoy deciding how to spend funds to improve their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn well here. From Nursery Year, children are curious and interested in what they are learning. They are keen to share their ideas and are proud of their work.

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better?

With support from the trust, leaders have been relentless in their drive to improve the quality of the school’s curriculum. They are ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised reading. This begins as soon as children join the school in Nursery Year. There is a strong focus on developing oracy and vocabulary. This prepares children well for Reception Year. Right from the start, children learn to recognise letters and sounds. The effective teaching of phonics means that children learn to read words and sentences with fluency. Staff quickly identify pupils who need additional support. Pupils receive appropriate support that ensures that they keep up with their peers. Pupils read books that match the sounds that they know. This helps them to be confident and enthusiastic readers.

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better?

Older pupils read a wide range of books by different authors. The systematic reading programme ensures they read books that match their comprehension level. Pupils enjoy the books their teachers read to them. They use the school library effectively to select appropriate books to read at home. Pupils respond well to the reading challenge, and many have received the ‘bronze badge’ award for reading often at home.

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better?

Leaders have designed a well-sequenced curriculum that identifies what they want pupils to learn and by when. In mathematics, children in Nursery Year begin to recognise numbers to five. This builds in key stage 1, where pupils use repeated addition to find totals. Older pupils use their knowledge of number and apply it to 16 and 17 May 2023

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more complex concepts. They confidently calculate percentages of amounts because they are secure in their understanding of number. Pupils with SEND receive the support they need to learn the same ambitious curriculum.

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In mathematics and phonics, leaders use assessment to address and quickly rectify gaps in pupils’ knowledge. However, in the wider curriculum subjects, leaders do not have an accurate understanding of what pupils know or of gaps in knowledge. This means that pupils do not build knowledge well over time. For example, in history, pupils in key stage 1 have significant misconceptions about the Victorian period, and older pupils do not understand how historians find out about the past using different sources. Leaders have a plan in place to address this.

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Pupils know that being inclusive is important. Learning about other cultures helps them to understand differences and to be respectful. Pupils enjoy activities that help them to look after their mental health. Those who struggle with their emotions and feelings use the sensory room effectively. They feel safe and find different ways to communicate with adults. Pupils say that a ‘trusted adult’ in school will help them when they have a concern. They value the class ‘worry box’ and know that they will get the help they need. Pupils develop their talents and interests through the broad range of extra-curricular clubs, including yoga, art and Lego.

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Staff, including those new to the profession, are fully supported by leaders. They value the ongoing professional development and coaching they receive from leaders in school and across the trust. Staff appreciate the way that leaders are mindful of their workload and take action to help their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a culture of vigilance towards safeguarding. Staff’s mindset is that ‘it could happen here’. Leaders ensure that all staff are appropriately trained to recognise pupils who may be at risk of harm. This supports staff to report any concerns swiftly. Leaders follow up on concerns so that pupils and families get the support they need as soon as they need it. Leaders ensure that the correct recruitment checks are made to ensure that adults who work or volunteer at school are suitable.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. They know about the dangers of alcohol and vaping, as well as those of using the internet. Pupils know that they should not share any personal information when online.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that there are suitable policies in place to raise awareness among staff and parents about the dangers of sexual harassment, online abuse and sexual violence. 16 and 17 May 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In the wider curriculum, assessment does not effectively identify what pupils know and remember or identify any gaps in their knowledge. Leaders need to ensure that there is a consistent approach to assessment, so that knowledge builds well and any gaps in pupils’ knowledge are addressed.

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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. 16 and 17 May 2023

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up the substantive post in February 2023.  The school has a nursery on site for three- to four-year-olds.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club for its pupils.  The school is part of the Westcountry Schools Trust.

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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.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders, staff, pupils and representatives from the trust.  The lead inspector listened to pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a familiar adult. 16 and 17 May 2023

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 The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, art and design and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects, including history and science.  Inspectors observed pupils in lessons and during social times and spoke with pupils about personal, social and health education and opportunities for pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s safeguarding documentation. They considered how well the designated safeguarding lead acts on concerns about pupils’ safety and welfare. Inspectors spoke to pupils and staff about safeguarding practices.  The lead inspector considered the response to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted

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Parent View. She also took into consideration the responses to the surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Wendy D’Arcy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Martin Greenwood Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 May 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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