St Oswald's CofE Academy

Inspection of St Oswald’s CofE Academy Addison Road, Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 7DJ

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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The head of school of this school is Jayne Geran. This school is part of The Diocese of Coventry 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 (CEO), Michael Cowland, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Barry Cockcroft. There is also an executive headteacher, Michelle Cuskelly, who is responsible for this school and one other. 5 and 6 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

St. Oswald’s School has improved in many ways. Pupils are now able to take much greater advantage of the learning opportunities on offer. They recognise that the school is now a calmer place. This helps them learn more easily and without distraction.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is determined all pupils reach their full potential. Pupils rise to the school’s expectations. Most pupils achieve well in most subjects. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils take pride in their work and strive to work hard in lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say they now feel safer in school. They appreciate and welcome the efforts taken to make this the case. Some pupils say that bullying still happens. However, they have absolute confidence that this will be sorted quickly by caring staff who put them first. Pupils know that someone will always listen to them, and help them, if they have any worries or concerns. The worry box allows them to do this confidentially.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Older pupils act as ‘buddies’ on the playground. They support and nurture the younger pupils very sensibly at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They enjoy this sense of responsibility. It is a happy school where pupils are valued for their individuality.

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

St. Oswald’s is an improving school. Since the previous inspection, expectations have risen considerably, and there have been many improvements to provision, particularly the curriculum. Teachers now have clarity over what to teach and when to teach it. Because of this, pupils are able to build on what they have learned previously. This helps them develop their understanding and learning in a logical way.

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

The school has ensured that the teaching of phonics is a top priority. Staff receive ongoing training to enable them to deliver phonics sessions well. Pupils read books that are very well matched to their ability because of effective, ongoing assessments. However, not all pupils read these books regularly at home. When this is the case, the school has not established ways to support them effectively. This hinders how quickly these pupils make progress.

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

Children in the Nursery get off to an excellent start. Adults interact with them in a highly effective way. Staff use every opportunity to develop language and communication. The highly stimulating setting, inside and out, invites children’s curiosity. Children show impressive levels of engagement and concentration.

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

Some pupils with SEND have their needs met very effectively. However, for others, the precise support they need to achieve the ambitions the school has for them is not as clearly identified. This leads to gaps in vital learning not being addressed, and opportunities to build the foundations for future success are missed. 5 and 6 November 2024

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Pupils show respect to each other. They are taught to recognise and celebrate differences, and they do. They understand it is never right to treat people differently because of any of these differences. The school helps bring the curriculum to life with a variety of trips and visitors to school. The school also supports pupils’ wider development through a variety of clubs and activities. Pupils attend these regularly and appreciate the range on offer.

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Pupils now behave well in school. The school has clear rules that pupils like to follow. They enjoy receiving golden tickets for living up to the high expectations the school has for behaviour.

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The school has worked relentlessly to improve pupils’ attendance. This has been successful for many pupils. However, there are still too many pupils who are absent too regularly. The school recognises that the progress made in improving the attendance for many pupils still needs to improve for those who are not in school often enough.

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Driven, compassionate and resolute leadership has determinedly made St. Oswald’s a successful school. Leaders have undoubtedly made a positive impact in improving many aspects and in transforming it into the educational establishment it now is. The school has galvanised support from parents. Collaborative leadership ensures staff work cohesively and strategically to transform and improve the lives of pupils who attend this improving school. It is more than capable of building on the many improvements already made.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not established effective ways to support pupils who struggle to keep up with the pace of the phonics programme. As a result, some pupils do not keep up with their peers when learning to read. The school should ensure that these pupils are given the support they need to improve their reading skills.  The school does not identify the needs of all pupils with SEND with precision. Some pupils with SEND do not learn the curriculum well or improve their behaviour over time. The school should ensure that staff identify barriers to learning more accurately and adapt learning to meet pupils’ needs with precision.  Several pupils are regularly absent for long periods. This means that they are not learning as much as they should. The school should continue to work with families to ensure the attendance rates of the most vulnerable pupils improves. 5 and 6 November 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). 5 and 6 November 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 9 May 2024, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average primary school.  The school provides before- and after-school provision.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  This school is part of The Diocese of Coventry Multi Academy Trust.  This Church of England school is part of the diocese of Coventry. The last section 48 inspection took place in March 2023. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place in the academic year 2027/2028.

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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 5 and 6 November 2024

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provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the executive headteacher, head of school and subject leaders.  Inspectors also met with the trust CEO, the chair of the trust board, members of the academy governance committee and the heads of education for the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and design and technology. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at a sample of pupils’ work in a range of subjects, including English, history, art and design and science.

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 Inspectors listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, at different times of the day and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They spoke formally with groups of pupils, as well as talking to pupils in lessons and around the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single central record and took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils. They considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation, improvement plans and information on the website.  Inspectors talked informally with pupils and staff to gather general information about school life. In addition, they also took account of the responses to Ofsted’s surveys of staff’s and parents’ views. No pupil surveys were returned.

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Inspection team

Keri Baylis, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Luke Bridges Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 November 2024

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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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