Oasis Academy Brightstowe

Inspection of Oasis Academy Brightstowe Penpole Lane, Shirehampton, Bristol BS11 0EB

p.1

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

p.1

The principal of this school is Andraea Davies. This school is part of Oasis Community Learning 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, John Barneby, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Caroline Taylor. 5 and 6 November 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has reset the expectations for behaviour and learning. As a result, pupils move around the school calmly. In lessons, pupils arrive punctually and are ready for their learning. Pupils learn an ambitious curriculum. They understand the raised expectations the school has of them.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has been through an unsettled time. Published outcomes for pupils in Year 11 are low. The school’s changed culture has not yet impacted on results. However, higher expectations mean pupils’ achievement is improving. Pupils and staff are positive about the changes they have seen in a short time.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The stability of staffing helps pupils to feel happy and confident. As a result, suspension numbers have decreased significantly. The school responds promptly when pupils report bullying or derogatory behaviours. Pupils are well supported by the pastoral and safeguarding team. They feel safe in school.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the regular house competitions. The school plans a wide scope of activities, such as sports or arcade games. Clubs and enrichment activities run at lunch times and after school, such as band practice, the school production or cheerleading. As a result, pupil participation is good. Pupils raise money for charity, such as cake sales or to support the local ‘hub’ food bank.

p.2

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

Following a period of turbulence, the new leadership has begun to get things back on track. Professional development is leading to improvements in teaching. Staff value this and appreciate the support from the trust and the school. Staffing is now stable, and behaviour has improved. Pupils build positive relationships with the adults in the school. The impact of this is pupils are achieving more. However, although improving, some areas of school development need to be better embedded.

p.2

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

The school has designed a well sequenced and ambitious curriculum. This sets out the learning it wants pupils to know lesson by lesson. Teachers provide structured routines for pupils to recall and revisit their learning. Teachers use different strategies to check how well pupils remember their learning. However, these are not fully effective. As a result, this does not provide teachers with a full understanding of what all pupils understand and know.

p.2

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

The school has put in place new and more effective processes for identifying and planning support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This has led to an increase in the number of pupils identified as needing support. There are comprehensive interventions to help pupils, including a ‘Step Up’ curriculum. This has improved pupils’ attendance and behaviour and prepares pupils for their next steps. 5 and 6 November 2024

p.2

3

Pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read receive the specific teaching they need to become better readers. This includes learning phonics, practising reading with fluency, and developing comprehension. As a result of this, pupils make progress with their reading. The school has adapted the mathematics curriculum for pupils who do not have a secure knowledge of basic numeracy. It has started to provide pupils with some appropriate additional support. However, the curriculum does not fully meet pupils’ needs. This is because it does not include the knowledge some pupils most need to learn. As a result, some pupils do not develop their numeracy skills.

p.3

3

The school has been relentless in its work to improve attendance. It has put in place robust and innovative strategies. From low starting points, attendance is improving. Many pupils’ attendance has improved significantly. However, too many pupils do not attend school regularly. This hinders their learning and prevents them from achieving well.

p.3

3

The school plans a comprehensive careers curriculum for all pupils. For example, a range of providers and employers visit the school. Older pupils complete work experience. Pupils receive appropriate guidance to help them make their next choices.

p.3

3

Pupils’ personal development threads through the curriculum. Daily ‘character development’ time prepares pupils for life in modern Britain, such as learning about citizenship. The personal, social, health and education curriculum (PSHE) teaches age- appropriate content. Pupils have the information they need to make informed decisions.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The strategies teachers use to check how well pupils have understood their learning are not fully effective. This means that staff do not know what pupils have remembered and what they need to learn next. When this happens, pupils do not achieve well enough. The trust needs to ensure the assessment processes staff use to check learning are effective.  Too many pupils do not attend school regularly enough. When this happens, pupils have barriers to understanding the curriculum and achieving well. Although attendance is improving, the trust must continue to be relentless in its work to raise pupils’ attendance.  The numeracy curriculum does not adapt sufficiently to meet the needs of pupils who do not have a secure knowledge of early numeracy. As a result, those pupils do not develop their mathematical knowledge and understanding. The trust must make sure 5 and 6 November 2024

p.3

4

the gaps some pupils have in their early numeracy knowledge are appropriately identified and taught.

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 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

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 16 October 2018

p.5

Information about this school

 The principal took up her post in September 2022. Since then, new senior and middle leaders have been appointed to key roles.  The school uses three registered alternative providers and three unregistered alternative providers.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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 5 and 6 November 2024

p.5

6

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

p.6

6

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, modern foreign languages, history and physical education. 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.  The lead inspector met with trust leaders including the chief executive officer.  Inspectors held discussions with the principal, members of the senior leadership team, the special educational needs coordinator, the leader for pupil premium, subject leaders, teachers and support staff.

p.6

6

 Inspectors met with pupils to talk about their experience of school life. They visited tutor time and observed break times, the start of the school day and transition times.  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 considered the views of parents submitted via Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for school staff and pupils.

p.6

Inspection team

Rachel Hesketh, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Will Morgan Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 November 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 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