Oakdale Primary School

Oakdale Primary School

Address: Oakdale Avenue, Stanground, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE2 8TD Unique reference number (URN): 110710

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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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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders regard attendance as a top priority. They track it rigorously and act immediately if any pupil's attendance causes concern. Leaders' strategies for tackling absence are highly individualised. Leaders are sensitive to pupils' and families' needs and put appropriate support in place to overcome any barriers to attendance. As a result, attendance at the school is high and the number of pupils with a high level of absence is low, compared to national averages.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Similarly, leaders have extremely high expectations of pupils' behaviour. They have established a very clear approach to promoting positive conduct based on the school's core values. It is well understood by pupils and fairly applied, with consistency, by staff. Older pupils support this by acting as role models for younger pupils and playing an active role in rewarding positive behaviour. Pupils show tolerance and respect for each other. They are highly respectful towards staff. Any form of discrimination or bullying is not tolerated. Pupils are adamant that they would not be 'bystanders' if this kind of behaviour did happen. Leaders ensure that pupils who need additional support to meet behaviour expectations receive this. For example, time spent in the school's 'nurture provision' helps some pupils learn to regulate their emotions.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The number of pupils entering the school with additional needs has increased significantly in recent times. Leaders have responded effectively to the challenges this has presented. They identify pupils' needs precisely, accurately and promptly. Leaders establish clear learning plans that detail the provision pupils need for success. Their positive partnerships with external agencies ensure that where specialist support is required, pupils receive this promptly.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The curriculum is highly inclusive. Leaders support staff to adapt and adjust it so that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and pupils with other vulnerabilities achieve well. For example, a greater focus on active and outdoor learning and speaking and listening has raised all pupils' levels of engagement and attainment.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Additional funding, such as the pupil premium grant for disadvantaged pupils, is used well to enhance pupils' opportunities and experiences. For instance, it helps leaders provide targeted, high-quality training for staff that equips them to reduce barriers and meet pupils' needs.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders check regularly and rigorously how well their approaches are working. Where they spot that more, less or different support is needed, they act decisively. For example, in response to growing numbers of pupils with social and emotional difficulties, leaders set up a 'nurture provision'. This has a notable and positive impact on many pupils' ability to thrive and flourish.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Since the last inspection, the school has been through a period of change, with a major building project and a significant increase in pupil numbers. Leaders have maintained a sharp focus on pupils' experiences during this time. They have maintained their high ambitions for all pupils and continued to drive improvement across all aspects of their work.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders know their school extremely well. They are forensic in their analysis of information on, for example, attendance, behaviour and achievement. This enables them to respond decisively to any aspects of the school that need to improve. Leaders' response may involve high-quality training for staff, bespoke support for individual pupils and their families, or additional resources. Overall, leaders' actions lead to rapid and sustainable improvements.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Governors are well informed and highly knowledgeable about the school. They understand their role and carry it out very effectively. This includes fulfilling their statutory duties in relation to, for example, equalities and safeguarding. Governors share leaders' ambition and act in pupils' best interests. They provide support, but are not afraid to challenge leaders, sometimes robustly, to ensure that they achieve their objectives.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

There is a strong culture of professional learning and development. Staff training is closely linked to the school's strategic plan, while enabling individual staff members to upgrade and extend their expertise. Staff feel valued as a result. They appreciate these opportunities, as well as the support they receive for their workload and wellbeing, particularly in light of so much change at the school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The personal development programme is meticulously planned to meet pupils' needs and match the school's context. It includes a comprehensive curriculum for personal, social and health education (PSHE), including relationships and health education. The curriculum is highly responsive and adapted to meet needs that arise, for example, when pupils experience e-safety or conflict resolution issues.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils develop detailed knowledge of the PSHE programme, in all year groups, at an age- appropriate level. They talk knowledgeably about personal safety, including online, a range of family structures, diversity in all its forms and major world religions. Pupils understand fundamental British values, such as democracy. They know their school is democratic, in that staff value pupils' opinions and give them a say in how things are run.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

There is an extensive range of activities to extend pupils' talents and interests. Pupils participate in sports, including archery, yoga and football, competitively and for pleasure. They explore music and the arts through an active school choir, performances at the nearby secondary school and a project with the English National Opera. Clubs, such as art, music and mindfulness, keep pupils busy at lunchtimes and after school. Leaders pro-actively seek pupils' views on the wider offer, so they can tailor it to pupils' interests and needs. They track participation to ensure that all groups, such as disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are catered for and have equal access.

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Expected standard

Leaders know which pupils would benefit from extra pastoral support for their wellbeing, resilience and confidence, for example. They put in place highly effective provision, sometimes involving input from external specialists, such as the local authority's mental health team.

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Expected standard

The impact of the personal development and wellbeing offer is visible in all pupils' conduct, confidence and character. They are eminently well prepared for their next steps by the time they leave Oakdale.

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Achievement Expected standard

Overall, pupils achieve very well. This is reflected in the school's published outcomes, which are above national averages in many areas. For example, in the national Year 6 reading, writing and mathematics tests, pupils' results were above national averages last year. Year 4 pupils' outcomes in the multiplication tables check improved significantly last year to be above average. Year 1 pupils' outcomes in the phonics screening check are consistently close to the national average. Disadvantaged pupils' achievement is consistently close to or above the national figure.

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Achievement Expected standard

Across the curriculum, pupils progress well and learn the intended knowledge and skills, including subject-specific language and vocabulary. In lessons, pupils build on what they already know to secure their knowledge. Many pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, produce high-quality work in a range of subjects, although this is not the case for all pupils.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

When the school expanded, leaders adjusted the curriculum to maintain high levels of pupil attainment and support new teaching staff. The resulting curriculum is ambitious and engaging. It is well sequenced and identifies clear milestones for pupils to reach at each stage of learning. This helps staff know what to teach, when to teach it and how to check that pupils' knowledge is building as intended.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

There is a sharp focus on ensuring that pupils learn the basics in English and mathematics as early as possible. Staff use their secure subject knowledge and teaching skills to help pupils learn to read, write and work with numbers fluently and competently. Leaders have established clear approaches to support consistently effective teaching across the curriculum. Staff routinely revisit pupils' previous learning before introducing new content. They teach key vocabulary for each topic and make links between subjects to deepen pupils' understanding. There are, however, some inconsistencies. Sometimes, staff do not provide effective or accurate models for pupils to follow. Occasionally, they do not address pupils' mistakes effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Where pupils have additional needs, staff adapt their teaching and provide appropriate support. Practical resources, for example, 'talking buttons' to record sentences orally, help pupils to progress well. Targeted teaching sessions enable pupils with gaps in their learning to catch up.

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Early years Expected standard

The early years provision has benefited from review and refinement in recent years. The curriculum has been strengthened to meet the needs of incoming children, with a sharp focus on vocabulary and language development. It covers all areas of learning, including early reading, writing and mathematics, ensuring that children are well prepared for Year 1 by the end of the Reception Year.

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Early years Expected standard

Children learn the basics in reading and writing through daily phonics lessons. They develop a love of stories through the carefully chosen texts that drive each week's learning activities. Children learn to recognise numbers and develop mathematical understanding, often through songs and rhymes. If they have gaps in their knowledge, staff ensure that children receive extra help to keep up or catch up. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive bespoke support that helps them succeed at school. Occasionally, the teaching is not as effective as it could be. For example, sometimes staff's interactions with children do not address gaps in their knowledge or provide an accurate model for children to follow.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff engage effectively with parents and carers to support transition into the Reception class. Ongoing liaison, for example, through regular, in-school events, helps parents support their children's learning at home.

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

Pupils are proud of their school. They describe it as fun, kind and caring. Pupils feel safe and say that they do not experience bullying. Pupils are highly motivated to attend school regularly. They enjoy warm, respectful relationships with staff and each other. Pupils celebrate the differences between them and say everyone is welcome here. The values of 'care, respect, collaboration, aspiration and challenge' are woven through everything they do. These values equip pupils with invaluable knowledge and skills for later life.

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

Pupils who face barriers academically, socially and otherwise are very well known to staff. This includes children in the early years, whose needs are identified as early as possible. Pupils with additional needs receive high-quality support in a range of forms. This ensures that all pupils have equal opportunities to access the curriculum, achieve well and participate fully in the rich experiences the school offers.

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

Older pupils have leadership roles and responsibilities. These develop their character and allow them to make an important contribution to school life. For example, house captains and 'corridor crew' carry out their duties conscientiously and act as excellent role models for younger pupils. A rich range of extra-curriculum activities enables pupils to discover and extend their talents and skills. These include sporting, artistic and musical opportunities. Leaders and staff have high expectations of behaviour. They apply these consistently, and pupils rise to them. As a result, the atmosphere around the school is positive and purposeful. From the early years to Year 6, pupils are highly committed to their learning. They achieve very well overall thanks to an engaging curriculum and skilled teachers. This includes disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that staff promote pupils’ progress and even higher achievement. This includes ensuring that staff consistently use highly effective modelling and assessment to address pupils' misconceptions. Leaders should ensure that provision in the early years continues to develop and strengthen through consistently high-quality teaching and staff interactions with children.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Diane Ward.

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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 (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, special educational needs coordinator, key stage 2 leader and other leaders during the inspection. The lead inspector met with governors, including the chair of governors, and a with a representative from 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 makes use of two registered alternative provisions.

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About this inspection

Pupil numbers have increased significantly since the last inspection, due to the gradual impact of changing from 1 form of entry to 2 forms of entry.

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Lead inspector:

Caroline Crozier, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Elizabeth Mace, Ofsted Inspector Mark Wilson, Ofsted Inspector Bryony Surtees, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

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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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2023/24 (final) 57% 61% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 61% 60% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2023/24 (final) 77% 74% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 68% 73% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2022/23 (final) 77% 71% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2023/24 (final) 70% 73% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 74% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 58% 47% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 40% 44% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 67% 59% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 50% 58% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2022/23 (final) 50% 59% Close to average

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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gap

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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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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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.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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