Oakgrove School

Inspection of a good school: Oakgrove School Matlock Road, Heald Green, Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 3BU

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy to attend this caring and welcoming school. Staff are highly skilled at supporting pupils to feel safe and secure. The school successfully transforms pupils’ negative prior experiences of education into a positive one. Most pupils enter school with a smile on their face each day.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school makes its high expectations for pupils’ behaviour clear. Pupils rise to meet these. Most pupils behave well. A calm atmosphere pervades throughout the school. On those occasions when pupils are in crisis, they are supported effectively to regulate their behaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In contrast, the school’s aspirations for pupils’ learning are not as high as they could be. For instance, in some subjects, curriculums are in the early stages of development. In addition, there are some inconsistencies in how well some subjects are delivered. This means that some pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from lunchtime activities that develop their interests such as football and crafts or riding on scooters. For pupils, a highlight of their school experience is the outdoor activities residential trip. They said that this helps them to build their resilience and confidence.

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

In the main, the school’s curriculum is broad and ambitious. In some curriculums, the key content that pupils should learn has been clearly determined. However, teachers do not always teach the curriculum in the most logical order. This hampers pupils from developing a secure body of knowledge in these subjects. In some other curriculums, the 16 and 17 July 2024

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essential knowledge and when it needs to be taught have not been decided. This prevents teachers from knowing what pupils should learn and remember over time.

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In some subjects, at times, some teachers do not have a secure enough understanding of how to deliver curriculums effectively. For example, some teachers do not adapt learning to account for different starting points or they choose activities that engage pupils rather than help them to deepen their learning. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

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Teachers use assessment strategies well to identify any gaps in knowledge that pupils may have, especially when they arrive at the school. Staff effectively identify and remedy pupils’ misconceptions. Pupils’ additional needs are identified swiftly. Staff use the education and health care plans (EHC plans), that all pupils in the school have, well to break down targets into smaller steps.

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Reading plays a central role in the school day. Pupils are mesmerised by the stories and rhymes that their teachers share with them. Pupils enjoy utilising the cosy reading areas in their classrooms. The school has recently introduced a new phonics programme. Although staff have had some training in phonics, the programme is not delivered consistently well. This means that some pupils who need help do not receive the support that they need. As a result, some pupils do not read fluently. However, those pupils who receive effective help to catch up, develop into confident readers. Older pupils enjoy reading stories to younger pupils. This gives them a sense of responsibility. Moreover, younger pupils enjoy spending this time with older reading role models.

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Pupils know what is expected of them and respond well to the school’s behaviour routines. Their confidence and self-esteem build. At breaktimes, most pupils happily share toys and take it in turns to use the play equipment safely. Adults are always on hand to provide support to the minority of pupils who sometimes find this tricky. Pupils’ emotional skills are strongly developed. They are supported well to reach a position where they are ready to learn.

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Pupils’ personal development is well catered for. They enjoy well-being days and regular visitors to the school, such as the fire service. The school gives pupils opportunities to learn about healthy lifestyles including healthy relationships. Pupils gladly contribute food to a local foodbank. They have a secure understanding of different religions. Pupils are proud to take up different leadership roles within the school, for example, working as school councillors or as sports leaders. The school’s work to develop pupils’ social skills is effective. For instance, in game situations they learn to cope with both success and defeat.

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The governing body is committed to ensuring that the school provides a safe place for its pupils. Parents and carers are grateful for the second chance that the school has given to their children. However, governors have not held the school to account well enough for the quality of education that it provides. Staff are supported well by the school. For example, they appreciate the scripts that they are given to follow to ensure there is a consistent approach when dealing with a pupil in crisis. 16 and 17 July 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, the phonics programme is not delivered consistently well. Added to this, some pupils who struggle with reading do not receive the help that they need to catch up. This means that some pupils do not learn to read accurately and fluently. The school should ensure that teachers are supported to develop their early reading expertise so that they deliver the phonics programme effectively and that it identifies and provides appropriate early reading support for those who need it.  The school's curriculum is not consistently well organised. In some subjects, curriculum thinking is in its infancy. Consequently, pupils do not learn as well as they should. The school and those responsible for governance should ensure that the curriculum is strengthened by identifying the key knowledge that pupils need to learn and the order in which it should be taught so that pupils can build effectively on their learning over

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

time.  Some teachers do not have the subject knowledge and pedagogical approaches to deliver the curriculum effectively in some subjects. This means that, at times, they do not choose the best activities to help pupils to develop a deep understanding in the subject. The school should support teachers to develop their subject and pedagogical understanding so that the curriculum is taught consistently well and pupils know more and remember more.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be 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 November 2012. 16 and 17 July 2024

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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.

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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). 16 and 17 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.oakgrove-primary.stockport.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 October 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 All pupils in the school have EHC plans. The school caters for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. Places at the school are commissioned by the local authority.  At the time of the inspection, there were no Reception age children in the school.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision for pupils.

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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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors spoke to the headteacher, deputy headteacher and members of staff.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and personal social and health education. For each deep dive, the inspectors held 16 and 17 July 2024

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discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the governing body including the chair and vice-chair of governors.  The lead inspector held discussions with a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors observed behaviour at break and lunchtimes and spoke to pupils about their attitudes to school, including about behaviour and bullying.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector 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 considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments, and spoke to a number of parents on the telephone.

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 The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Jenny Jones, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Gil Bourgade Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 July 2024

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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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