Oldfield Park Infant School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Oldfield Park Infant School Dorset Close, Bath, Somerset BA2 3RF

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Outcome

Oldfield Park Infant School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The executive headteacher of this school is David Goucher and the head of school is Jeff Seatter. This school is part of Palladian 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 (CEO), Donna Tandy, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Claire Price.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel a strong sense of belonging at this welcoming school. Staff encourage pupils to make a difference to the school community. For example, pupils vote for the playground equipment to purchase to enhance their social times. Staff enable pupils to realise the school’s vision of ‘together we learn’ through the school’s ‘learning promise’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievements. It ensures that pupils get the support they need to help build their knowledge. Consequently, pupils attain well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are clear about their ‘learning rights and responsibilities’. They firmly understand the school’s behaviour values of ‘ready, respectful, safe’. They rise to these expectations. Pupils feel safe here and know that staff will support them if they have any worries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides several opportunities to develop pupils’ character. ‘Hive helpers’ play a crucial part during the organisation of lunchtime. Pupils develop confidence when performing at dance and choir events. The many clubs on offer, such as gardening, cooking and art, develop pupils’ interests. Pupils learn about a wide range of future employment career options through exciting career role-playing opportunities. For example, they try out being a construction worker and are visited by a marine biologist. 1 and 2 April 2025

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

The school has constructed a well-designed curriculum. It has thought about the essential knowledge and vocabulary pupils need to learn and by when. This enables teachers to teach new knowledge based on pupils’ prior learning. Pupils progress through the curriculum well. They achieve well from their starting points.

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

The school enhances the curriculum through well-designed experiences. For example, pupils visit local restaurants to learn how to make healthy food. They are immersed in history when taking part in a ‘Victorian day’. Grandparents are invited in to talk about toys through the ages with younger children. These tangible opportunities help pupils to remember their learning well over time.

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

Teachers have secure subject knowledge. They explain new learning clearly and give pupils ample practice to secure knowledge. In most cases, teachers check pupils’ understanding well. However, there are some occasions when teachers do not insist on pupils’ full participation when checking how well pupils have understood their learning. This is also the case in some early reading sessions. This hinders how well those pupils who have gaps in their learning are identified, so it is unclear who needs further support.

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

Reading is a high priority. Children are taught to learn to read by well-trained staff as soon as they start school. Pupils read books that contain the sounds they are confident with. This enables them to become fluent readers. The school’s ‘reading lofts’ and ‘women in history’ area enable pupils to develop a passion for reading. For example, pupils talk about how Florence Nightingale is their favourite woman in history because of how she helped unwell soldiers.

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

The school has created a praiseworthy culture of inclusivity. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported to learn the curriculum well. Their needs are identified quickly and accurately. The school works determinedly with feeder nurseries to help children make a successful start. The tailored support from highly trained staff means pupils with SEND across the school progress well through the curriculum.

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

The school has worked hard to develop a well-sequenced writing curriculum. Staff provide many opportunities for pupils to practise writing sounds and words. However, a minority of pupils do not form their letters correctly and this is not addressed well enough. This means these pupils make repeated errors in their handwriting and so progress less well through the curriculum.

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

Pupils understand and follow the school’s behaviour rules. Children in early years settle quickly and learn the school’s routines. The school monitors attendance meticulously. The school works persistently with families so that attendance improves.

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

The school has thought carefully about how to develop pupils to be ready for junior school. The school teaches pupils the importance of looking after their own well-being through activities such as reading and listening to music. Pupils show great empathy. 1 and 2 April 2025

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They learn what it is like to play wheelchair basketball and how they might support others when doing this. Pupils learn to be healthy through dentist visits. They are taught how to keep safe online by closing pop-ups. Pupils have a firm understanding of democracy. For example, pupils voted for which staff member to ‘gunge’ during the school fair, showing their voice has an impact.

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Trust leaders and those responsible for governance have an accurate understanding of the school. They provide effective support and challenge. Staff are proud to work here and are complimentary about the support given to enhance their teaching of the curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, systems for checking how well pupils have secured new knowledge, including during early reading, are underdeveloped and impacted by some pupil disengagement. This hampers how well the school identifies those who have gaps in their knowledge. The trust must develop staff expertise to check how well pupils are learning and use this information to provide prompt feedback to support pupils to learn the curriculum well.  At times, staff do not routinely pick up on pupils’ handwriting and letter formation errors. As a result, some pupils continue to make the same mistakes and so do not develop accuracy in their handwriting. The trust should ensure that appropriate methods and systems address any pupil handwriting errors and provide support to continue to improve pupils’ handwriting.

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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 1 and 2 April 2025

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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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This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged Oldfield Park Infant School to be good for overall effectiveness in July 2015.

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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). 1 and 2 April 2025

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School details

Local authority Bath and North East Somerset Council

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School details

Headteacher David Goucher (Executive headteacher) Jeff Seatter (Head of school) Website www.oldfieldparkinfants.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 16 and 17 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Oldfield Park Infant School is part of the Palladian Academy Trust.  Since the school converted to an academy, the senior leadership structure has changed. There is an executive headteacher and a head of school in place.  The school does not currently 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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 1 and 2 April 2025

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 The inspector spoke with school leaders, representatives from the trust, including the CEO, a trustee, the chair of the local governing body and other local governors.  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’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, the inspector spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. The inspector also looked at responses to Ofsted’s

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Inspection team

Lakmini Harkus, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 1 and 2 April 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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