All Saints Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Great Oakley

Inspection of a good school: All Saints Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Great Oakley Beaumont Road, Great Oakley, Harwich, Essex CO12 5BA

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Outcome

All Saints Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Great Oakley continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a very warm and welcoming school. Pupils know that ‘everyone who comes here is made to feel welcome and part of All Saints’. Pupils and staff feel a part of one big family, where everyone looks out for each other. As a result, pupils are happy and safe. They know that if they have any worries there is always someone at school who can help them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations for what pupils will learn from the curriculum. These aspirations are realised, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and have established clear and consistent routines. This helps pupils to behave well. At break and lunchtimes pupils’ behaviour is often exemplary.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kind, tolerant and respectful. The school has designed opportunities for pupils to develop the knowledge and the skills they need to understand themselves and the wider world. These opportunities include a range of clubs and activities, such as gardening clubs, STEM club and various sporting activities.

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

The school has adopted a curriculum that is broad and ambitious. In most areas, the curriculum identifies the important knowledge that pupils should learn and the best order to teach this in. In a few subjects, this is not as clear. This means that teachers do not routinely place the right emphasis on knowledge that the school intends. This can prevent pupils from developing detailed understanding and making connections with what they have learned before. Oakley 19 October 2023

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Reading sits at the core of the curriculum. Key texts are often used to provide a context for learning. These texts are of high quality and expose pupils to a range of ideas that they may not have encountered before. Pupils, including children in Reception, have regular opportunities to read and enjoy books. Early reading is taught consistently well across the school. Staff receive the training they need to teach reading effectively. Over time, pupils build secure phonics knowledge. Teachers expect and help pupils to read using this knowledge. As a result, pupils read well. Pupils who need additional help with their reading receive targeted support to help them keep up. This includes a tailored programme for older pupils.

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Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They have the training and resources they need to teach the curriculum well. Teachers explain new concepts with clarity and use a range of strategies to check pupils’ understanding. Typically, teachers choose appropriate activities for pupils, which link closely to the knowledge identified in the curriculum. Occasionally, these activities lack purpose and are not linked to what pupils need to know. This can make it difficult for pupils to connect what they are learning to what has come before.

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There are robust processes to identify the needs of pupils with SEND. Pupils with SEND are well supported to learn the curriculum. Teachers make appropriate adaptions to their teaching to ensure pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Pupils are kind and caring. The school helps them to develop a strong sense of right and wrong. This starts from the moment they join in Reception. On the rare occasions that pupils fall out with each other, they are supported to resolve their differences. In lessons, pupils behave well because teachers have high expectations and clear routines. At lunchtimes, pupils work together to organise the collection and clear up of food. Older pupils help younger pupils with their lunches. They encourage them to use their manners and to make healthy choices. On the playground, pupils wait patiently to take turns to use and share equipment. Pupils attend school regularly and the school has effective approaches to reduce pupil absence.

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The school caters well for pupils’ wider development. The school’s ethos sits at the heart of this through assemblies and pupils’ participation in wider enrichment opportunities. Pupils have a range of leadership responsibilities, including monitor, council and ambassador roles. There is a clear and well-planned programme for personal, social, health and economic education. This gives pupils the age-appropriate knowledge they need. The school provides a variety of experiences and trips to help pupils develop new interests. This includes the school choir, trips to museums and a visit to a local theatre.

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The school is considerate of staff workload and well-being. Staff feel that their contributions are valued and that their views are considered.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Oakley 19 October 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, leaders have not yet precisely identified the most important knowledge that pupils should learn. This means that some important ideas and concepts are not emphasised and revisited. In these subjects, pupils do not develop as detailed knowledge as they do in others. The school should ensure that curriculum plans set out the important knowledge for pupils to learn.

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Background

When we have judged 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2014.

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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. Oakley 19 October 2023

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). Oakley 19 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 October 2014

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use alternative provision.  The school has a religious character. The most recent inspection of its religious character under section 48 of the Education Act was in January 2020. The next inspection will take place in the next eight years.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other senior leaders. The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a Oakley 19 October 2023

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sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector observed some pupils from Year 1 to Year 3 reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also looked at a sample of curriculum plans from other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors met with representatives from the local authority and diocese.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View and to the Ofsted staff survey. Inspectors also met with staff during the inspection to gather their views.

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Inspection team

Marc White, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Nathan Lowe His Majesty’s Inspector Oakley 19 October 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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