Oasis Academy Marksbury Road

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Oasis Academy Marksbury Road Marksbury Road, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 5JL

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 December 2024

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Outcome

Oasis Academy Marksbury Road has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The principal of this school is Alex Dart. 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.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy and welcoming school that lies at the heart of the community it serves. Pupils describe it as a ‘diverse place’ where everyone from a range of backgrounds get along together. They understand that staff expect them to work hard and do their best. By the end of Year 6, pupils build the knowledge and skills they need to be well-prepared for secondary school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils live up to the school’s high expectations of their behaviour. They show exceptional manners and courtesy. Children in the early years eagerly share their learning and follow instructions carefully. Across the school, the atmosphere is calm and purposeful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and cared for. Relationships are strong between adults and pupils. Pupils know that staff will listen and help them with any problems or concerns that may arise.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides pupils with a rich set of experiences that extend their learning beyond the classroom. Pupils enjoy clubs such as football, trips to take part in musical concerts and residentials. They take pride in their leadership roles, which include pupil parliament, early years’ helpers and ‘mini police.’ Pupils say these roles give them a voice and make them feel trusted. 17 and 18 December 2024

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

The school has a clear vision for what pupils can achieve. It recognises that the context of the school has changed since the last inspection, particularly the increasing numbers of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). With this in mind, the school has taken effective action to refine and further develop the quality of education that it provides so that pupils typically achieve well.

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

With the support of the trust, the school has put in place an ambitious curriculum that is thoughtfully designed and sequenced. In mathematics, for example, the curriculum identifies the important content that pupils need to learn. Pupils build their mathematical understanding securely over time. Older pupils, for example, use their previous knowledge of number when solving more complex problems involving ratio.

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

The school ensures that reading is a priority. Older pupils say that reading helps them ‘go into another world’. As they move through the school, pupils read a range of texts with increasing accuracy, fluency and expression.

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

Following disappointing outcomes in last year’s national tests for phonics, the school has provided staff with additional training and support to strengthen their teaching. The impact of this is clear. Pupils learn and remember new sounds well. If pupils fall behind, they receive the help and support they need to catch up quickly.

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

In most subjects, teachers routinely check on what pupils know and remember. They use this information to address any gaps in, or build, pupils’ knowledge over time. In geography, for example, pupils talk confidently about the impact of deforestation. In history, they make links to their previous learning when describing the features of the industrial revolution. However, in some subjects, the checks that teachers make are not used well enough to identify gaps or to inform future learning. This hampers the progress that some pupils make across the curriculum.

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

The provision for pupils with SEND is a strength of the school. Systems to identify pupils’ needs are robust. Staff make sure that pupils with SEND receive the support they need to access the full curriculum. Pupils with SEND achieve well because of this. For example, they confidently describe the blending techniques they use in art or accurately recall their multiplication facts.

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

Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are exemplary. This means that everyone can learn without disruption. This starts in the early years where children settle into school routines quickly. The school monitors attendance rigorously. When attendance is a concern, staff work closely with parents and carers to bring about necessary improvements. Most pupils attend school regularly because of this.

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

The school’s offer to develop pupils personally is impressive. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, learning about the dangers of drugs or how to administer first aid. They understand why fundamental British values, such as tolerance, are important in the world they live in. Pupils talk with maturity about concepts such as discrimination. They develop 17 and 18 December 2024

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their character by helping to improve their local environment. Pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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The trust fulfils its statutory duties effectively. It regularly reviews how well the curriculum is being taught. Staff enjoy working at the school and value the ‘family’ feel that exists. They appreciate the coaching they receive which develops their expertise and builds the confidence to teach the curriculum well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, teachers’ checking of what pupils have learned is not as effective as it could be. Consequently, some pupils struggle to remember key knowledge and skills they have learned. The trust should ensure that all staff check pupils’ understanding and retention of key knowledge and language so that pupils can apply it to future learning.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in July 2018. 17 and 18 December 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). 17 and 18 December 2024

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School details

Website www.oasisacademymarksburyroad.org

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 July 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The principal took up their post in September 2023.  At the time of the last inspection, the school had an intake of pupils from Reception Year to Year 2. It now has an intake of pupils from Reception Year to Year 6.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 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. 17 and 18 December 2024

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 The inspector met with the principal, the deputy principal, the assistant principal / special educational needs coordinator and subject leaders. They also met with groups of staff.  The inspector met with the regional and national directors of education from the trust. They also held a telephone conversation with the chief executive officer.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a familiar adult.  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.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.

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Additionally, the inspector spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  The inspector considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration the online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Ben Jordan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 17 and 18 December 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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