Oaklands Infant School

Inspection of Oaklands Infant School Butler Road, Crowthorne, Berkshire RG45 6QZ

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Inspection dates: 31 October and 1 November 2023

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Ellen Weston. This school is part of Corvus Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Robert Elsey, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Justine Waight. 31 October and 1 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love attending Oaklands Infant School. They are happy to come to school and are well looked after by the caring team of dedicated staff. Parents are full of praise for the school with one commenting, ‘My child runs into school every day and comes out smiling.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils. As a result, pupils work hard in lessons and focus well on their work. They follow the clear classroom routines perfectly. Pupils behave well around the school and love playing with their many friends during breaktimes. They cannot wait to receive an Oakland leaf in recognition for following the school rules. Pupils say this is a kind school and that everyone helps each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy supporting charities, going to a local care home to sing and reading stories to elderly people in the community. They look forward to many school trips including to the pantomime at the nearby theatre. Pupils relish many opportunities to perform in assemblies. Older pupils enjoy taking on the responsibility of a playground buddy. This helps to build strong, positive relationships on the playground and ensures everyone has someone to play with.

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better?

Reading is an important part of the school day. Leaders have worked hard to introduce a new phonics programme which is delivered well across the school. Children in the early years are taught to read as soon as they start school. The youngest children follow classroom routines with precision. Books are appropriately matched to the sounds pupils are learning. Staff provide quick intervention and additional support if pupils are not keeping up with their learning. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive effective additional support to develop their reading skills. The school has mapped out carefully a range of texts that pupils get to read and explore in class. Pupils enjoy stories being read aloud that they might not access independently.

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better?

Staff are ambitious for all pupils to achieve well. Pupils with SEND are identified quickly so that effective support can be put into place. This enables them to keep up with their peers and access the same ambitious learning in the classroom. Staff have thought carefully about what pupils need to learn by the end of each year. As a result, the curriculum is well structured and maps out the knowledge and skills pupils must learn. For example, in music, pupils learn about pulse and beat. They demonstrate this knowledge in the classroom when playing a range of percussion instruments to follow musical patterns. However, at times, pupils struggle to recall some of their learning in sufficient detail. Leaders are introducing refinements to the way teachers check what pupils know. This is enabling teachers to identify and address misconceptions earlier so that pupils remember more over time. 31 October and 1 November 2023

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In the early years, children get off to a flying start. Staff support children to become highly engaged in their learning. They can explain their thinking when talking about artists and justify their colour choices when painting. Staff provide opportunities for children to count and explore number in a range of well-considered activities. This supports children to develop their counting skills and fluency with numbers.

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Everyone shares high expectations for pupils to behave positively. Pupils generally rise to these expectations. They know the school rules and follow these in their conduct around the school. Lessons are calm and purposeful, and this helps pupils to feel safe. Because of this, pupils engage positively in learning and achieve well.

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Pupils enjoy the range of clubs on offer, and this supports their wider development. The school provides many opportunities to go on trips or listen to visitors. These experiences are well considered by leaders and link closely to pupils’ learning. Pupils understand the importance of being respectful and know that they must look after their school, the environment and each other. For example, pupils learn about looking after the environment in Year 2 when they study the dangers of plastic in the oceans.

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School leaders have taken effective action to deliver the necessary improvements since the last inspection. They have received strong support from the trust and governors. Leaders at all levels are mindful of staff workload. As a result, staff feel well supported. They work together positively for the benefit of all pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Staff assessment of pupils’ understanding needs further refinement. Consequently, pupils sometimes struggle to remember the key content they have learned over time. The school should ensure that staff emphasise the most important knowledge and skills, carefully check pupils’ understanding and help pupils to integrate new knowledge into larger ideas.

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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. 31 October and 1 November 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 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). 31 October and 1 November 2023

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 May 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Corvus Learning Trust.  There are currently five schools in the trust.  The school currently does not use any alternative provision.  The headteacher and deputies took up their posts in January 2023.

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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

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 31 October and 1 November 2023

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 The inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, music and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteachers and the special educational needs coordinator.  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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors looked at a wide range of documents provided by the school and observed pupils’ behaviour around the school and in lessons.  The inspectors met with members of the local governing body and representatives from the trust.

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 The inspectors considered the views of parents shared through Ofsted Parent View, and an inspector also talked with parents.  The views of staff were gathered through surveys, interviews and discussions conducted throughout the inspection.  Inspectors gathered pupils’ views throughout the inspection, including during classroom visits as well as at playtimes and lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Simon Woodbridge, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Stephen Jackson Ofsted Inspector 31 October and 1 November 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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