Oakridge Infant School

Oakridge Infant School

Address: Oakridge Road, RG21 5RR Unique reference number (URN): 115859

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils achieve well. By the end of Year 2, pupils' attainment across the curriculum prepares them very well for their next educational steps. They have the foundational knowledge that they need. Those with low starting points catch up quickly. This is particularly effective in terms of pupils' communication and language development. Pupils who speak English as an additional language acquire the skills and knowledge that they need to progress well through the curriculum.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils read with increasing fluency and comprehension and apply this knowledge well in their own writing and across the curriculum. This is reflected in the school's phonics outcomes, which show that many pupils achieve well, and others make rapid improvements.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils remember their learning well. They make purposeful links across subjects and use subject-specific vocabulary accurately. Disadvantaged pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive precise and highly effective support, allowing them to achieve well from their starting points. They develop skills to be independent and resilient learners, which also prepares them appropriately for the next stage of their school experience.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

The importance of school attendance is communicated well to parents. This includes, for example, reminders on the school website and clear systems for reporting any absence. Pupils are punctual to school and have high attendance. They want to come to school because they enjoy their learning and experiences. Leaders' oversight of pupils' attendance is robust. Patterns and themes are analysed with rigour and appropriate support is offered to families who need it. The success of this oversight is evident in the low absence rates across all groups of pupils.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

The school ensures that behaviour expectations are high and consistent. Pupils work hard and show sustained attention in their lessons. They listen to their teachers and follow instructions with respect. Pupils wear their stickers with pride and enjoy earning points leading to collaborative rewards. Pupils know that bullying is not accepted and that in any rare incidents, school staff will help everyone to reflect and resolve any issues. Pupils are polite and kind to each other and to adults. They show good manners and say please and thank you when receiving their school lunch. Over break and lunchtimes, pupils enjoy playing with their friends in a happy and harmonious atmosphere.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The school's curriculum is ambitious and interesting. It is taught well and takes pupils' starting points into account. Staff have excellent subject knowledge and ensure that pupils learn the foundational knowledge and skills in English and mathematics that they should. Across the curriculum, key concepts and content are carefully sequenced. Leaders' oversight of the quality of teaching and its impact is extensive. They ensure that staff have the training that they need to make necessary adaptations, which allows all pupils to achieve well, including those who are disadvantaged. Pupils make progress with their learning because they receive the precise and individualised support they need. Teachers check pupils' learning carefully and ensure that any gaps in knowledge and skills are quickly addressed. Pupils are supported to recall their learning well, both in terms of important facts and knowledge as well as links across subjects.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The school's ongoing focus on developing pupils' language and communication is evident in all teaching. Teachers model and explain key vocabulary. They ensure that pupils have access to high-quality resources and use them with confidence. These include appropriately matched reading materials and physical apparatus to support pupils' mathematics understanding. Phonics is taught well by skilful staff, who ensure that pupils read with accurate sound pronunciation.

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Early years Strong standard

Children get off to an excellent start in the school's early years. They enjoy their learning and interacting with each other and staff. The provision for 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds is appropriate. They benefit from clear routines and high expectations from the start. Leaders and staff make sure that children are very well prepared for their next steps.

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Early years Strong standard

It is impressive how quickly children show independence and sustained concentration with their learning. They develop their independence in the way they access and clear away resources. Children show that they can share and take turns. They learn how to recognise their own and others' emotions, for example, through the use of 'colour monsters'. It is clear that they are emotionally secure and happy in their environment and with their trusted adults.

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Early years Strong standard

The school's emphasis on developing children's communication skills is well embedded. Staff model and promote rich vocabulary and language. Children respond well, showing an increasing ability to engage in conversation about their learning. Any children who need extra help in this area are identified and supported well.

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Early years Strong standard

The teaching of reading is prioritised. Staff are skilled in the delivery of the school's phonics programme and at checking what children know and remember. Children show that they know their letter sounds and use them with increasing skill to read and write.

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Inclusion Strong standard

This school has a highly inclusive culture that benefits all pupils. There are well-established and robust systems to ensure that information about pupils' needs and any barriers to their learning are identified accurately. This process includes gathering pertinent information from pupils' families and seeking external professional advice and expertise when appropriate. There is extensive understanding and oversight of the school's context and in what ways pupils may be disadvantaged. The pupil premium is used well to support pupils to be able to achieve, belong and thrive. Wider opportunities, such as extra-curricular clubs and trips, are accessible to all. Leaders ensure that staff receive comprehensive training about how to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff show skill in providing highly personalised adaptions and support. This means that many pupils make positive progress

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Inclusion Strong standard

through the curriculum from their starting points. Pupils in the school's 'Cabin' provision benefit from staff expertise to support their complex needs.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Many of the school's inclusive strategies benefit all pupils. Communication and language development are prioritised from the very start of school in the Nursery and throughout the early years. Staff model appropriate grammar and vocabulary and engage pupils in high- quality conversation and interactions. This also ensures that pupils who speak English as an additional language are supported well with their communication and language acquisition.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders are exacting and accurate in their evaluation of the schools' strengths and in the way that they prioritise areas for improvement. Staff training is carefully planned to align with the school's strategic aims. Staff appreciate their development opportunities and the consideration given to their workload and wellbeing. Leaders use evidence-based research to inform and shape the professional development programme.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The governing body meets their statutory duties. Governors have in-depth knowledge about the school and share leaders' ambitious vision for all pupils. They ensure they have the information they need to evaluate the impact of leaders' actions and hold them to account. Leaders’ clear focus on supporting disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities results in a positive impact for all. Every decision is considered in terms of its effect on pupils' learning and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders ensure that positive relationships are developed with pupils' families. Attendance at school events is high and many parents and carers show interest in learning more about their children's school experience. The school provides families with a wealth of useful information, including for example, through 'stay and play' sessions and the school's website, as well as many other forms of communications.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The personal development programme provides pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, with a wealth of knowledge and skills. This starts from the early years, where children learn how to recognise and articulate their feelings. At this early stage, children show high levels of independence and resilience in their learning. They show consideration to each other when they take turns and share resources. Pupils across the school benefit from their relationships education. They know the characteristics of being a good friend.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle. They know that a balanced diet should include fruit and vegetables. Pupils understand why they should not eat too much sugar and how they can look after their teeth with regular brushing. In addition, pupils understand the risks when near roads and how to cross them safely. They learn why it is important to stay safe when using the internet and who they should tell if they have any worries.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Diversity and difference are celebrated throughout this inclusive school. Pupils show respect and care towards each other. They understand what it means to show prejudice and how this is not demonstrating kindness to others. For example, pupils in Year 2 learn about significant events in the life of Rosa Parks and the positive impact of her civil rights work. Pupils understand the concept of democracy in the way they vote for their school council representatives.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils enjoy their wider opportunities. Attendance at extra-curricular clubs is high and pupils' talents and interests are nurtured well. The school ensures that all pupils can participate in trips and experience exciting visitors, who bring their learning to life. For example, the recent science interactive experience enhanced pupils' understanding about habitats as part of their science learning.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils thrive at this extremely inclusive school. They show pride in its friendly and welcoming culture. Pupils feel safe and well cared for. They know that if they have any worries they will be helped by the kind school staff.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

There are high expectations in abundance at this school. Pupils achieve well across the curriculum. Leaders ensure that pupils can fully participate in their learning and in the many wider opportunities on offer. They are attentive learners who participate with enthusiasm in school life. The school's emphasis on oracy benefits all, including pupils who speak English as an additional language.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils behave very well. They demonstrate the school's values in the way that they show respect and kindness. Incidents of bullying are rare and swiftly resolved. Pupils enjoy their break and lunchtimes, where they interact happily together and have fun on the school's play equipment. They respond well to the role models they encounter from the adjacent junior school. Pupils look forward to sharing books with them and receiving stickers over lunchtime for showing good manners.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school engages well with its community. From the start of early years, families feel part of the school. Children settle quickly and happily into their school routines. The school communicates useful information about what pupils learn and how they can be supported with this at home.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils benefit from their experiences beyond school. They are excited by their trips to a local zoo and to local museums which bring their learning to life. The choir takes pride in singing at events in the community. The school offers an impressive and varied range of extra- curricular clubs. These include, for example, computing, young authors and outdoor education. Pupils attend in high numbers and gain additional skills, as well as having their interests nurtured and developed.

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Team inspectors:

Carl McCarthy, His Majesty's Inspector Shaun Jarvis, Ofsted Inspector Simon Graydon, His Majesty's Inspector

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Next steps

• Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain the effectiveness of their work in all areas. They should seek continued improvement, overcoming barriers and challenges, in order to drive a transformational impact for all pupils. This includes disadvantaged pupils, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children’s social care, and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Iain Cameron.

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About this inspection

The school is part of the Oakridge Schools Federation.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty's Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the executive headteacher and other school leaders and staff. Inspectors also spoke with representatives from the governing body and the local authority.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The school also, under the same registration, runs nursery provision for 2-year-olds.

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About this inspection

Executive Headteacher: Diane Charman The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (1 term) 4.3% 5.1% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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