The Oaklands Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: The Oaklands Primary School Dolphin Lane, Acocks Green, Birmingham, West Midlands B27 7BT

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school's work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The principal of this school is David Barker. This school is part of Summit Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Vince Green, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Karen Crowston.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone is welcome at The Oaklands Primary School. Difference is celebrated and valued. The school is highly ambitious for all pupils to learn, experience, achieve and flourish. There is a strong culture of safety and well-being. The school’s ‘Summit base camp offer’ provides the right help and support to ensure pupils are school-ready. This work is highly effective, particularly in overcoming barriers to school attendance. Pupils enjoy attending. They have high rates of attendance. High expectations are embedded across the curriculum, supporting pupils in their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are exceptionally well-behaved. They show high levels of respect for others. The school sets high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils meet these high expectations. In classrooms, pupils are engaged, motivated and committed to their education. Pupil play leaders and junior learning mentors actively support the well-being of others. Learning ambassadors, eco-warriors and classroom monitors help out in school development. Pupils want to do their best and show positive attitudes to their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

If pupils struggle the school takes highly effective and fair action, exhausting all routes. Pupils get exceptional support to succeed in their education. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the quality of education their children receive.

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The school’s aspirational curriculum is meticulously planned and sequenced. It cumulatively builds knowledge and skills for future success. Even though published outcomes are not yet fully in line with these high expectations, the school has taken effective action to ensure that teachers know precisely what to teach and how to deliver it. They continually refine their practice to improve the delivery of the curriculum. Lessons are highly engaging and motivate pupils to learn well. Language and communication are prioritised right from the start. Work given to pupils enables them to consistently achieve the aims of the curriculum. Teachers make precise checks on learning in lessons and over time. This helps to ensure that misconceptions, errors or gaps in learning are addressed with urgency and put right. Pupils articulate their learning with great enthusiasm and confidence. For example, pupils gain valuable insight into what life was like for doctors

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and wardens during the Blitz in World War Two. They take great pride in their work. It is well-presented and of a consistently high standard. Pupils, including children in the early years, consistently learn and remember more.

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Early reading is given the highest priority. The school’s approach to teaching phonics is consistently taught well. Pupils practise new sounds daily when reading books that match sounds. Pronunciation errors pupils make are quickly picked up and addressed so that pupils learn sounds well. The school has addressed the decline in published outcomes for reading by ensuring that pupils who fall behind are quickly identified. They get the right support, including additional daily reading opportunities. The school rigorously checks the progress these pupils make. This helps them to catch up quickly. They read with fluency and accuracy expected for their age. Live lessons, parent workshops and online resources are valued by parents. This helps them to support learning at home.

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The school is highly inclusive. Equality is strongly promoted. Pupils with additional needs are quickly identified. They get the help and support they need to be successful in school. The school works in partnership with a range of external agencies to secure this. The support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) impacts positively on their learning.

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The school goes above and beyond to provide a coherently planned, wide, rich set of experiences for all. These bring the curriculum to life and are a considerable strength of the school's offer. The arts and sport are prioritised. These impact positively on pupils’ learning. Theatre visits, opera performances, music workshops, choir and sports opportunities provide pupils with enriching experiences that broaden their cultural understanding. Pupils learn to respect religious and non-religious beliefs, which help them develop empathy and tolerance towards others. The school’s 'Time to think space' allows time for spiritual reflection. Diversity and uniqueness are strongly promoted through stories and workshops. All pupils consistently benefit from this excellent work. They are well-prepared for life in modern Britain.

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School and trust leaders, trustees and governors know the school well. They are extremely proud of the school’s rapid journey of success. Their highly effective commitment to ensuring all aspects of this school’s work is consistently of a high standard, contributes to the exceptional education experience pupils receive. Staff report 11 and 12 March 2025

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high levels of support for well-being. They rightly value the significant investment in workload reduction and continuing professional development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 to be good 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 good for overall effectiveness in November 2018.

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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 11 and 12 March 2025

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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). 11 and 12 March 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 7 and 8 November 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The principal and vice principal are new to the school since the last inspection.  The school is part of Summit Learning Trust.  The school provides a breakfast club for its pupils. This is available to all pupils.  The school does not use 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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school. 11 and 12 March 2025

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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 at informal times of the day as part of their evaluation of safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour.  The inspector held meetings with the principal and other senior leaders. The inspector met with the CEO, chair of the local governing board and trust representative. The inspector also talked to pupils, staff and parents to gather information about school life.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online parent survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. The inspector also considered the responses to

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Inspection team

Lorraine Lord, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 March 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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