The Oaks Primary School & Nursery

Inspection of The Oaks Primary School & Nursery Loppets Road, Tilgate, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 5DP

p.1

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 8 and 9 October 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

A strong inclusive ethos is at the heart of this school. It is committed to serving and welcoming all pupils and their families. The care given to pupils by staff show the school’s values of kindness, ambition and respect. Pupils embrace these values to help them make the right choices, meeting the staff’s high expectations and behaving well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for pupils’ achievements, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils. The school has a strong understanding of individual pupils’ needs. Staff think carefully about how to make every day successful for every pupil. As a result, pupils achieve well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite, well-mannered and respectful. At social times, pupils eat and play sensibly with their friends. Pupil leadership opportunities, such as those of school ambassadors and librarians, enable them to learn tolerance and empathy for others. The school provides a varied set of experiences for pupils. These include curriculum visits that enhance pupils’ learning, such as visiting local museums and going to the theatre. Pupils love clubs that the school run, such as beat boxing. Pupils also benefit from helping provide food and support to the local care home.

p.2

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

Over the last few years, the school has worked hard to develop a more ambitious curriculum for pupils. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In nearly all subjects, the school has created a curriculum that ensures pupils learn the most important knowledge. It is well-sequenced from the early years to Year 6. These improvements were reflected in the school’s positive published outcomes in reading and writing in 2023. Although, in a few subjects this knowledge is not detailed precisely enough. This means that staff are not as clear on what to teach and when in these subjects.

p.2

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

In almost all subjects, teachers now have a good understanding of what to teach, and they explain new ideas clearly. Improvements have been particularly strong in mathematics. Staff check on pupils’ learning in lessons effectively. This helps them to identify and address pupils’ mistakes. The school makes precise, individual adaptions for pupils with SEND. Consequently, pupils with SEND achieve well.

p.2

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

In some subjects, such as reading, mathematics and physical education, teachers check pupils have remembered the most important knowledge. However, in other subjects teachers do not routinely check what pupils have remembered. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they could in these subjects.

p.2

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

As soon as children enter Reception the school prioritises phonics teaching. This means pupils at the earliest stages of reading are getting the effective support that they need. Teachers regularly assess how well pupils are learning phonics. The school provides any necessary additional support swiftly for pupils. Pupils enjoy the texts that they read. 8 and 9 October 2024

p.2

3

Pupils of all ages speak with enthusiasm and understanding of the books that their teachers read to them.

p.3

3

As soon as pupils start school in early years, staff ensure that pupils develop their language skills well. Staff model key vocabulary and give pupils many opportunities to practise using these words. This helps pupils to develop their language across the whole curriculum. Pupils then use and develop this knowledge further as they move through the school.

p.3

3

Pupils show a strong sense of right and wrong. This creates classroom environments where pupils can learn. Pupils work hard in lessons because they want to learn. Their learning is rarely disrupted by the behaviour of others. Outside, pupils play well with one another. The school has a calm and reassuring approach to pupils who sometimes find it hard to behave in the way the school would like. Well-trained staff ensure that pupils can recognise and reflect on their feelings and the impact on themselves and others. As a result, there is a warm and happy atmosphere in the school.

p.3

3

The school’s approach to developing pupils’ personal development is well planned. Children benefit from a wide range of experiences that develops their understanding of the world around them. For example, pupils visit places of worship that deepen their understanding of different cultures. Year 6 pupils attend a citizenship day that teaches them how to stay safe both online and offline. Pupils display high levels of tolerance and acceptance for the differences they see in each other.

p.3

3

Leaders are highly ambitious for all pupils, staff and the community that they serve. A well-structured programme of training supports strong teaching. The school considers staff workload and well-being. Staff value the collaborative working within the trust schools, which supports their teaching. The trust and local governing board fulfil their statutory duties. They ensure that there is a strong and ever developing partnership across the trust.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Assessment in some subjects does not support pupils’ learning sufficiently well. This means that pupils have gaps in their learning. The school should support staff to routinely check pupils’ understanding of the key content and then use this information to inform future teaching so that gaps in learning and misconceptions are swiftly addressed.  In a small number of subjects, the school has not identified the most important knowledge pupils need to learn and in what order. This means staff are not clear about 8 and 9 October 2024

p.3

4

what they are teaching and when. Leaders should continue to identify the key content clearly so teachers are clear about the knowledge pupils need to learn from the early years to the end of key stage 2.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with 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). 8 and 9 October 2024

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 17 July 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 This school is a part of the Kemnal Academies Trust.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  This school has provision for three-year-olds.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth-form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 8 and 9 October 2024

p.5

6

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, staff and pupils. The lead inspector also met with representatives of the school’s local governing board, a member of the board of trustees and a representative of the trust’s chief executive officer.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science, history and art. For each deep dive, 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 pupils’ work. Inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire, including the free-text comments. They also took account of the responses to the confidential online staff survey and gathered the views

p.6

6

of staff and pupils throughout the inspection.  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 reviewed a range of the school’s documentation, including leaders’ plans for improving the school, minutes of school standards board and trustee meetings, records of attendance and behaviour incidents.

p.6

Inspection team

Neil Pilsworth, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Claire Martin-O’Donoghue Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 October 2024

p.6

7

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 looked after children, 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