Oasis Academy Connaught

Inspection of Oasis Academy Connaught Melvin Square, Knowle West, Bristol BS4 1NH

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 November 2024

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

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The principal of this school is George Fraser. This school is part of Oasis Community Learning, 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. 26 and 27 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Oasis Academy Connaught is a friendly and inclusive school. Staff greet pupils warmly in the morning in breakfast club or at the school gate. Throughout the day, pupils benefit from the kindness shown to them by staff. As a result, pupils are happy and enjoy school. They know adults will help them if they have any worries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is an important part of the community. Positive relationships are a high priority for the school. From the moment pupils start, they are encouraged to be caring and kind. Pupils sometimes join the school mid-year. Each new pupil gets the help they need to settle in swiftly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils’ achievement, but they are not yet realised. The school recognises that the way the curriculum is taught requires strengthening and has made a positive start. However, there is more to do to ensure that the quality of education that pupils receive is good.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. They are trusted to carry out important roles around the school and, through these, develop a sense of responsibility. For example, they act as anti-bullying champions and playtime helpers.

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

The curriculum is well-designed and sets out the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn from Nursery to Year 6. However, the way that the curriculum is taught does not routinely help all pupils to remember what they have been taught or build on prior learning. The school has strengthened support and identification for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils learning plans are detailed, with precise and measurable targets. However, shortcomings in the curriculum implementation means pupils with SEND do not develop detailed knowledge over time.

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

There are some green shoots in a few subjects where the curriculum is taught well. For example, older pupils are knowledgeable about how their locality has changed over time. They know about the impact of human and physical geography on the area.

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

However, not all staff have the expertise to teach the curriculum effectively. The school has not ensured that staff, including those in the early years, have a clear understanding of the aims of the curriculum. In addition, there are not rigorous checks made on how well pupils understand the curriculum. Therefore, pupils move on to new learning with misconceptions and gaps in their knowledge.

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

The school has taken steps to develop a love of reading. As soon as children join in Reception Year, they start learning the school’s chosen phonics programme. Books match the sounds they know. In all classes, pupils are encouraged to read regularly. Older pupils have a positive view of reading. 26 and 27 November 2024

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However, the way that staff teach the phonics curriculum does not respond routinely to the needs of pupils. Opportunities to broaden pupils' vocabulary and develop their oracy are missed. Beyond phonics, the teaching of reading does not help pupils to build incrementally on what they know.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is carefully considered and far reaching. This is a real strength of the school. The school’s mental health support is highly valued by pupils. This helps them feel ready to learn. Pupils experience a range of exciting visits to places of interest such as farms and historical sites. Visitors, such as authors and musicians, broaden pupils’ cultural awareness.

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Pupils understand the importance of respect for others. They know about potential dangers when online and in the community. Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of consent and healthy relationships.

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Pupils conduct around school is purposeful. In lessons, they listen carefully to staff. Pupils value the rewards they receive for positive choices about their behaviour and conduct. The work to improve pupils’ attendance is relentless. The school is determined to remove barriers to positive attendance. The school analyses attendance patterns to gain an understanding of the causes of any absence. Although this is not yet shown in historical data, it has made a difference. Many more pupils attend regularly.

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The trust has an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. It provides appropriate challenge and support to the school. Its actions have begun to have some positive impact on pupils’ experiences. Staff are supportive of the leadership and are proud to be part of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The way in which the curriculum is taught does not always support pupils to reach the intended curriculum goals. Important knowledge is not made explicit. Therefore, pupils do not build coherent knowledge. The school should ensure that teachers have the expertise to teach the curriculum in the way that it intends.  The checks made on pupils learning are not sufficiently precise. Consequently, pupils develop gaps in knowledge. The school should ensure that assessment is used to inform future curriculum design and implementation. 26 and 27 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). 26 and 27 November 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 4 and 5 October 2018

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Oasis Community Learning.  There is a school-run breakfast club.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provider.

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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 provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 26 and 27 November 2024

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 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.  The inspectors held discussions with the principal, other senior leaders, the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator, subject leaders, the regional director for primary academies and the CEO who was also a representative of the chair of the board of trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and geography. 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.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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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 responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. The inspectors also considered responses to the pupil survey and the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Liz Geller, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Spencer Allen Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 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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