Oatlands Community Junior School

Inspection of Oatlands Community Junior School Beechwood Grove, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG2 8QP

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 January 2025

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

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The headteacher of this school is Estelle Scarth. The school is part of The Red Kite Learning Trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Richard Sheriff and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Chris Tulley. 21 and 22 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to Oatlands Junior School. They know learning will be interesting and fun every day. Pupils are polite and respectful. They demonstrate high levels of attendance and an exemplary attitude to learning. Pupils are proud of their school and are enthusiastic ambassadors for it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school supports pupils to develop their character and resilience. Pupils aspire to be house captains and are keen to apply for the many leadership roles within the school. They have an active voice in school life. Pupils have rich and varied opportunities to develop their wider talents and interests. Trips, sporting events, competitions and a wide range of clubs are offered to all.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a caring and supportive place for pupils. Pupils enjoy nurturing relationships with staff. This helps them feel happy and safe. They feel confident in talking to staff if they have worries. If pupils need additional support, for example, in dealing with anxiety, the school provides time and space for this in The Hub.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for pupils to succeed. Pupils work hard to meet these aspirations. As a result, they achieve well.

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

The school’s curriculum is ambitious and well thought out. It clearly defines the important knowledge pupils should learn from Year 3 to the end of Year 6. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn the curriculum very well. Pupils achieve consistently high standards. Many exceed the expected standard for their age in national tests. Outcomes for writing are not as strong as other results. As a result, the school has taken action to refresh their approach to spelling. This is beginning to make a difference.

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

The curriculum is taught well. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and skilfully present what pupils need to know. Typically, they design appropriate and engaging activities and experiences that enable pupils to learn effectively. Staff carry out appropriate checks on pupils’ learning. They use this information to help pupils address any misconceptions.

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

The school ensures that the needs of its pupils with SEND are identified and considered carefully. Where required, any adjustments to the curriculum are made in collaboration with external experts. This ensures that pupils receive the support they need to access the full curriculum alongside their peers when this is appropriate.

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

The school prioritises reading from the moment pupils start school. Staff encourage pupils to engage with and enjoy a wide range of books by the end of Year 6. However, some pupils join school without the phonics knowledge they need to read confidently and write accurately. They are given support to catch up with reading. However, pupils do not benefit from regular, well-considered opportunities to apply their phonics knowledge to 21 and 22 January 2025

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their writing. As a result, some pupils struggle to make connections, which affects their confidence and interest in writing. These pupils are often required to complete writing activities in class that are beyond their stage of development.

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The school celebrates regular pupil attendance and makes sure everyone knows its importance. Leaders monitor attendance rigorously and identify any pupil at risk of falling below their expectations. They offer the necessary support and challenge to ensure that pupils attend whenever they can. Attendance is consistently high.

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Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. Pupils demonstrate great care for one another and, during pupil discussions, listen attentively to others, acknowledging their contributions and responding with great respect. Several pupils have significantly improved their behaviour over time as a result of bespoke support programmes.

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The school has an extensive personal development programme, supported by a comprehensive and coherent personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum. Pupils understand about healthy relationships. They know what it means to be a good friend. They know how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. They clearly articulate how to stay safe online and in the wider community. They demonstrate empathy and respect for other cultures and beliefs. Pupils value and celebrate differences. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Those responsible for governance have the knowledge and expertise to provide effective support and challenge to the school. The school is considerate of staff workload. Staff say they feel supported and appreciated. They value the strong focus on their training, which enhances their expertise and builds their confidence. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive. They appreciate that staff go over and above to support all pupils in their care.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s focus on developing pupils’ early writing skills is not sufficiently precise. As a result, some pupils are not given regular opportunities to practise their early writing skills in a way that uses and reinforces their phonics knowledge. The school should ensure that pupils at the early stages of reading and writing are given sufficient and purposeful opportunities to apply their phonics knowledge to their writing. 21 and 22 January 2025

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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). 21 and 22 January 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The Board of trustees

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 July 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses one registered alternative provider.  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. 21 and 22 January 2025

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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 met with the headteacher and other school leaders.  Inspectors met with the CEO and Director of Primary from Red Kite Learning Trust.  Inspectors met with members of the trust board and local governing body.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, musics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector 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 discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  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.  An inspector visited the unregistered alternative provision used by the school.

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Inspection team

Tracy Duffy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Simon McCarthy Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 January 2025

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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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