Four Oaks Primary School

Inspection of Four Oaks Primary School Edge Hill Road, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B74 4PA

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

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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 March 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 4 and 5 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Four Oaks is an exceptional and vibrant school where all pupils flourish. It is a school where pupils work hard to be the best they can be, both personally and academically. They are excited about coming to school and attend well. The attention to every individual shines out. Staff are united in their ambition for every pupil to achieve their full potential.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive because leaders’ high expectations for them are realised in all aspects of the school’s provision. Pupils are highly committed to their learning and relish every opportunity offered to them. They achieve exceptionally well. Furthermore, pupils’ exemplary behaviour and positive relationships mean classrooms are orderly, purposeful and enjoyable places for learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Warm, nurturing working relationships permeate the school. Staff know pupils well and show a genuine care for them. Pupils are happy and say they feel safe in school. They know that there is support if they find things difficult or feel worried.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s ambition for pupils is not limited to the classroom. There is a wide range of activities, experiences and enrichment that all pupils take advantage of. They enjoy the wealth of opportunities that leaders have created for them. Pupils play an important part in creating a school where everyone is celebrated and valued.

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

The school has designed an aspirational curriculum that goes beyond the knowledge and skills that need to be taught. It has thought carefully about how this builds from Reception up to Year 6. The school has ensured that staff have the subject knowledge they need to teach the curriculum to a high standard. Consequently, they teach all subjects confidently. Assessment is used highly effectively to identify and close any gaps in pupils’ understanding.

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

Reading is at the heart of the school’s curriculum. Children learn to read as soon as they start school. The school ensures staff who deliver phonics are trained to the same high standard. Pupils who need extra support get the help they need to keep up. This means that pupils quickly learn to read with fluency. The strong focus on reading continues throughout the school, where developing a passion for reading is a priority. A wide variety of high-quality texts excite pupils’ interest and extend their love of reading.

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

Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is exceptional. The school identifies their individual needs quickly and accurately. The school is highly inclusive and ensures any barriers to learning are addressed. Staff understand these needs extremely well and make careful adaptations, so pupils not only work alongside their peers but achieve to a high standard.

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

Children in the early years get off to a flying start because staff are highly ambitious for everyone. Passionate, skilled adults carefully organise learning that meets their needs. 4 and 5 June 2025

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Before they start school, staff get to know children and their families well. This helps design a carefully crafted curriculum that matches children’s development and interests. This highly effective provision keeps children engaged in their learning for sustained periods of time. They are fully prepared for the demands of key stage 1 and beyond.

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The school works tirelessly to make sure that a wide range of opportunities and experiences enhance pupils’ personal development. Carefully chosen visits, such as a trip to a former hospital used in World War Two, help to deepen pupils’ knowledge. Pupils benefit from a wide range of clubs and activities that encourage and nurture their talents and interests. These include choir, French and gymnastics. Pupils are active in the wider school community, for example running clubs for their peers or organising litter picks. Pupils recognise what the school does for them and want to ‘pay it back’.

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This school is led with skill, determination, passion and integrity. Everyone buys into every aspect of the vision. Staff value the meaningful and effective engagement from leaders who listen and care. They are well supported in relation to any workload or well-being issues they raise. Governors are effective, passionate and committed. They oversee all aspects of the school’s work with an intuitive understanding. They provide challenge that supports this consistently high-performing school. This school truly makes a positive difference in the lives and futures of all pupils who are proud to call themselves members of the Four Oaks family.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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). 4 and 5 June 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 5 and 6 March 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of 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.  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. 4 and 5 June 2025

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 The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, English, history and design technology. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors had formal meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, the designated safeguarding lead and the leader responsible for early years.  The lead inspector met with governors, including the chair of the governing body.  Inspectors met with members of staff and spoke to pupils formally and informally at various points in the inspection to gather general information about school life. They took account of responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the online staff and pupil surveys. Inspectors spoke informally with parents at the end of the school

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day.  Inspectors examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation, improvement plans, records of governance, and documentation relating to attendance and pupils’ behaviour.  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 the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Su Plant, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Darren Lennon Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 June 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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