St Oswald's CofE Academy

Inspection of St Oswald’s CofE Academy Silver Birch Grove, Finningley, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN9 3EQ

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Inspection dates: 25 and 26 February 2025

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

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The head of school is Hannah Lambert. This school is part of the Diocese of Sheffield Academies 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), Alison Adair, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Huw Thomas. There is also an executive headteacher, Sharon Patton, who is responsible for this school.

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since June 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 25 and 26 February 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

St Oswald’s Church of England Academy has a strong ethos and a set of values that encourage pupils to be kind and considerate to others. This is reflected in the warm and nurturing relationships that are evident throughout the school. Pupils enjoy coming to school and attend well. They feel safe and know that they are cared for.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at St Oswald’s are respectful, caring, kind and courteous. They are taught about equality and the rights of others. Older pupils have been learning about the Windrush generation. They talk eloquently about discrimination and understand its negative impact on others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending a range of extra-curricular activities. These include football, rugby, taekwondo and cooking. Pupils are encouraged to become responsible and active members of the community. They have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills by applying to be art ambassadors or members of the pupil parliament. The art ambassadors enjoy looking after the art resources and talking to other pupils about their work.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils. It is committed to ensuring that pupils thrive. This is reflected in the positive outcomes pupils achieve.

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

The school has developed a curriculum that is ambitious and carefully sequenced. It identifies the knowledge, skills and vocabulary leaders want pupils to learn over time with clarity.

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

Teachers explain and demonstrate learning for pupils well. They provide regular opportunities for pupils to recall and recap their prior learning. This helps pupils to know and remember more. In design and technology, pupils were inspired to create interesting products, building on their evaluations of existing goods. Pupils in Year 6 recalled reviewing, designing and making pies inspired by the chef Mary Berry. There is some inconsistency in how precisely staff implement the school’s ambitious curriculum. Sometimes, teaching activities and tasks do not match the intended learning goals. As a result, some pupils do not secure the depth of knowledge and understanding that they are capable of.

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

The school ensures staff have the skills and knowledge to teach phonics effectively. Staff receive regular training and personalised coaching from the school and the trust. Phonics is taught from the start of Reception to ensure children get off to a flying start. Pupils’ reading books are closely matched to the sounds they can read. This helps pupils to become more confident when reading independently. Pupils skilfully use their knowledge of sounds to tackle words that they have not read before. Pupils who need extra help are identified quickly. They get the support they need to catch up. As a result, pupils soon become confident and fluent readers. 25 and 26 February 2025

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Children in the early years play well together, share and take turns. Staff establish routines and encourage positive behaviour. Staff interact skilfully with the children, developing their knowledge and vocabulary. Resources in the provision are carefully chosen. This means that children have access to activities that develop their knowledge of all areas of learning, including in early reading and number. The school has thought carefully about how to ensure that the curriculum prepares children well for Year 1 and beyond.

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There are effective systems and procedures in place for identifying pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with additional needs are supported well in class. Teachers use a range of strategies to remove barriers to learning for these pupils. This includes breaking the curriculum down into more manageable steps for some pupils.

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Pupils behave well. They are polite and welcoming. They greet visitors with respect and hold doors open for adults and their peers. Pupils know right from wrong.

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Pupils learn about different cultures and world religions such as Judaism and Islam. Pupils in Year 2 can recall their learning about the Jewish festival of Passover and Shabbat. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. Pupils enjoy earning their ‘Modeshift STARS’ badges for walking, biking or scooting to school.

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Trustees have close links with the school. They have the necessary skills and expertise to offer challenge and support to the school. Staff appreciate and value the support they receive from the trust. Leaders at all levels are mindful of staff’s well-being and workload. Staff are dedicated and are proud to work at St Oswald’s.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is some inconsistency in how precisely the school’s ambitious curriculum is implemented. As a result, some pupils do not secure the depth of knowledge and understanding that they are capable of. The school should ensure that staff consistently have the knowledge and skills needed to deliver the curriculum effectively. 25 and 26 February 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). 25 and 26 February 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 June 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Sheffield. The most recent inspection of the school’s religious character took place in March 2019. The overall judgement for the school was good.  The school is part of the Diocese of Sheffield Academies Trust.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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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. 25 and 26 February 2025

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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.  Inspectors spoke to senior leaders, including the chair of trustees, the trust’s CEO and a representative from the diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, geography and design and technology. 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. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors spoke with leaders about SEND, visited some pupils with SEND and spoke to them about their learning.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in the classrooms, around the school and at playtime. They spoke to pupils about their views of the school, behaviour and safety.  Inspectors spoke with parents and carers, and evaluated the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also evaluated the responses that staff made to Ofsted’s online survey.

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Inspection team

Ruth Beckett, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

June Richardson Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 February 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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