King's Academy Oakwood

Inspection of King’s Academy Oakwood Chiltern View, Binfield, Bracknell RG42 4FY

p.1

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

p.1

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.1

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The headteacher of this school is Jacqueline Tate. This school is part of The King’s Group Academies multi-academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Nick Cross, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Ben Williams. There is also an executive principal, Katie Moore, who is responsible for this school and one other. 7 and 8 November 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and happy at this exceptional school. They are highly respectful towards adults. Pupils support each other and model exemplary behaviour. They take on roles such as ‘peer mediators’, who are trained to help resolve potential friendship issues in highly effective ways. Pupils enjoy and value roles that help them to build their confidence, such as school councillors and house captains. One pupil summed this up, saying, ‘We hear our friends’ voices and then take action to make the school better.’

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is highly inclusive. Pupils appreciate the many extra-curricular activities the school offers, such as choir, art, netball, rugby and the ‘Conqueror Adventures’, which encourages fitness and healthy lifestyles. All pupils develop their talents and interests through highly thoughtful enrichment opportunities. For example, activities such as piano lessons, singing, karate and boccia are designed to include every pupil and allow all pupils to feel rightly proud of their achievements.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ attitudes to their education are excellent. Pupils share ideas and debate issues with insight and in balanced ways, such as discussing whether food is distributed fairly throughout the world. Pupils have detailed knowledge of how to keep themselves safe, including when online, and the potential harms of social media.

p.2

better?

Staff have the highest ambition for all pupils. This starts in the early years where children develop their communication and language skills very successfully. In Reception, staff pay meticulous attention to detail when implementing the curriculum. They use songs, rhymes and games successfully to support children’s learning. Through ‘words of the week’ and the inspirational learning environment, staff help pupils to develop increasingly complex vocabulary. Staff and parents work together to prioritise children’s language development. They collaborate to remove any barriers to learning that might exist, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This supports all children in developing the knowledge and skills that they need.

p.2

better?

Subjects across the curriculum are designed and sequenced extremely well. There is a rigorous approach to the curriculum that builds pupils’ knowledge and connects ideas across subjects into carefully woven tapestries of ideas. The curriculum links subjects such as history, English and art to assemblies, trips and visits. This helps the school to make learning memorable for all pupils. For example, when studying Victorian Britain, pupils read a linked text in English, perform a play and produce high-quality work across other curriculum areas. Resources are carefully adapted so that pupils with SEND achieve well. Staff have very secure subject knowledge and prioritise pupils’ vocabulary and language acquisition. Staff adapt lessons very effectively to ensure that disadvantaged pupils thrive in their learning. Staff check how well pupils understand carefully. They tailor lessons to ensure that pupils’

p.2

3

learning builds on what they know already. As a result, pupils achieve exceptionally well, including in their end of key stage tests.

p.3

3

Pupils read wonderfully well. They have a deep love of reading that is nurtured from the beginning of Reception all the way through school to Year 6. Staff teach phonics highly effectively. Books that pupils take home are closely matched to the sounds they have learned. If any pupils fall behind, they get support to help them catch up very quickly. Pupils value the range of texts shared by their teachers and read to adults regularly. Pupils talk about book choices that are shared during daily story times and they can recall key events and key themes from the stories vividly.

p.3

3

Pupils know and understand the school’s ‘D.A.R.E.’ values deeply. For example, they are coached to notice values such as ‘determination’ and ‘respect’ in each other. They respond enthusiastically to the school’s house point system. In the playground, pupils play well, share and take turns. Pupils learn about democracy and understand about democratic systems and processes, such as elections. Pupils value diversity and are incredibly knowledgeable about how to treat people equally and fairly. They learn about finance and how to make thoughtful choices about money, saving and spending. Pupils have high levels of attendance. If pupils have any problems with attendance, staff take a robust approach, working in partnership with parents and families. Staff are relentless in their determination to address any attendance issues.

p.3

3

Governors and trustees offer extraordinary support for the school. They know and understand their statutory responsibilities fully and engage with parents and carers well. Governors and trustees have the highest aspirations for all pupils and are committed to success. All staff are proud to work at the school. They feel that their workload and well-being are managed effectively. Staff report that they feel exceptionally well cared for. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive and appreciative.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 7 and 8 November 2023

p.3

4

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the 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). 7 and 8 November 2023

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 King’s Academy Oakwood opened as a free school on 1 September 2019. The school is part of The King’s Group Academies multi-academy trust.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provider.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

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. 7 and 8 November 2023

p.5

6

 Inspectors met with senior leaders, staff, pupils and representatives of the board of trustees, including the chair. The lead inspector also spoke with the chief executive officer and members of the local governing body.  The inspection team carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, design and technology, and history. They discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, teachers and pupils, visited lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors considered responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire. They also took account of the responses to the confidential staff questionnaire, as well as the views of pupils that were gathered throughout the inspection and through the pupil questionnaire.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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

p.6

6

culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

p.6

Inspection team

Carl McCarthy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Neil Pilsworth His Majesty’s Inspector 7 and 8 November 2023

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7