Oasis Academy Broadoak

Oasis Academy Broadoak

Address: Norman Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, OL6 8QG Unique reference number (URN): 144569

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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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Early years Expected standard

Children gain a positive foundation to their education. Leaders' curriculum is carefully designed and supports children's progress in all areas of learning. Children benefit from the conversations that staff hold with them. In the Nursery and Reception Years, children learn valuable knowledge from the well-chosen songs, stories and rhymes that staff teach.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff build children's confidence and wellbeing very well. This is partly achieved through multiple opportunities for children to be physically active. Equally helpful are the quieter times, when staff encourage children to talk calmly in a group. These opportunities are particularly beneficial for the youngest children, who join the Nursery around the time of their third birthday.

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Early years Expected standard

In the Reception Year, staff build on children's early language to introduce phonics and writing successfully. In both Nursery and Reception, staff ensure that children learn through well-thought-out teaching and play opportunities, such as about mathematics. This strengthens children's readiness for future learning.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders and staff liaise closely with parents and carers to support children's learning at home. Staff also use these links as the first step in identifying any children who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Early years Expected standard

While leaders make reasonable decisions on what to improve in their work in the early years, these could be sharpened further.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders ensure that pupils' needs are identified early and acted on by staff. Teachers' links with other professionals enable them to support pupils effectively, including for children in care. Staff work closely with families to understand pupils' needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff receive the training and advice that they need. For example, staff learn how to take a step-by-step approach to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This enables staff to take the right actions to support pupils' personal and learning needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders make sure that staff, including those who provide one-to-one support, have high expectations of pupils and reduce barriers to their learning. For instance, staff provide specific resources or talk with individual pupils, without guiding pupils too much. Staff's skilful help enables pupils to become independent learners and develop a sense of belonging.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff review pupils' progress comprehensively, including for pupils with SEND. Leaders adjust and refine the school's provision for pupils with additional needs where necessary. The trust ensures that the school's extra funding suitably enhances the learning and wellbeing of disadvantaged pupils. Leaders' high ambition for their work is clear. They take effective action to ensure that increasing numbers of pupils from different groups can consistently benefit from the school's provision.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have suitable knowledge of the quality of education that the school provides. They are aware of the needs of individual pupils and groups of pupils who face barriers to their learning. Leaders act on their insights to improve the work of the school effectively. For example, leaders' actions have improved the attainment of disadvantaged pupils in key stage 2. Leaders have successfully strengthened teachers' work to develop a love of reading throughout the school. Leaders understand the importance of their renewed focus on improving pupils' writing skills in key stage 1.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Trustees and senior trust leaders meet their responsibilities for clear oversight of the school's work. They carefully balance support and challenge to leaders. They consider the school's context thoughtfully, recognise improvement and build staff's expertise, including their leadership skills. The school's leadership team is particularly knowledgeable about making effective provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders support staff, including new teachers, well. All teaching staff benefit from links with other schools in the trust, as well as from training, guidance and individual support. Staff are happy. Leaders act effectively to reduce staff workload. They support staff wellbeing and the need to achieve a healthy work–life balance.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Trustees and leaders aspire highly for pupils. They ensure an ambitious focus on safeguarding, inclusion and pupils' wellbeing. The school is committed to improving the lives of local children, including for pupils with SEND. Leaders consider the views of staff, pupils, parents and carers. Trustees, leaders and staff strive for this to be an inclusive school where all pupils feel that they belong.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils benefit from leaders' programme of wider activities to develop their personal skills. This includes focused events, such as weeks dedicated to wellbeing, human rights, safeguarding and careers. These opportunities give pupils the chance to deepen their understanding of important topics.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders think carefully about the opportunities and support that disadvantaged pupils may need. They act to ensure that these pupils take part in, and benefit from, the school's personal development offer. Similarly, leaders make certain that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities have an equal chance to develop personally, for instance by holding a leadership role.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders and staff provide pupils with valuable opportunities to talk about their feelings. Leaders ensure that pupils have relaxing spaces, time and support from staff to become calm and settled if they are upset. Pupils know how to stay mentally and physically healthy.

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Needs attention

Pupils build a clear understanding of friendship and kindness through their study of the school's personal, social and health education curriculum. They learn what may indicate that a relationship is healthy or unhealthy. Pupils gain an effective understanding of how to keep themselves safe, such as when they are online or during a school emergency.

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Needs attention

Leaders ensure that pupils understand what the fundamental British values can mean for their current and future lives. For example, pupils talk with confidence about their knowledge of, and respect for, different people’s religions, faiths, feelings and values. Pupils respect and embrace diversity and uniqueness. Leaders and staff build pupils' understanding of important traits, such as humility and patience. Pupils appreciate the value of charitable fundraising to help other people.

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Needs attention

Leaders evaluate the impact of their support for groups of pupils with different needs. Nevertheless, they do not fully consider how well pupils' character development translates into consistently positive behaviour and conduct throughout the school day. This remains an aspect for further development.

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Achievement Needs attention

In key stage 1, some pupils do not develop the essential spelling and handwriting skills that they need. This affects pupils' ability to complete some writing activities successfully. Pupils develop secure foundations in other subjects, such as phonics and mathematics.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils' attainment of the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined in Year 6 is close to average. A strength of the school's work is that disadvantaged pupils' attainment on this measure improved to above average in 2025. These pupils gain an important head start in their education. Other published information about pupils' attainment does not reflect the positive progress that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make from their starting points.

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Achievement Needs attention

Current pupils' work shows that they achieve well in a range of subjects. For instance, in history and geography, pupils in key stage 2 remember key information and can connect this to their current learning.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

The number of pupils with higher levels of absence reduced from above average to close to average in 2025. However, it is too soon to be sure that this important reduction will continue. Pupils' overall attendance is close to average, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils. Leaders are ambitious and act to improve attendance. For example, they provide individual support for some pupils and their families. Leaders work effectively with the local authority on attendance issues. Leaders, including from the trust, review attendance information carefully so that they can strive for even more improvement. In general, pupils have positive attitudes towards one another, staff and their learning. Some pupils behave impressively well and act as important role models. However, at times, a small number of pupils struggle to meet the school's agreed expectations for behaviour in

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

the dining hall and at social times. A few others find it hard to keep their focus on their work. Some staff do not always manage pupils' behaviour well. Nonetheless, staff provide effective support for pupils who find it difficult to regulate their emotions, including those with SEND. Pupils understand what bullying is. Leaders act effectively on any bullying issues. They do not tolerate discrimination.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Some teaching of the core skills of spelling and handwriting in key stage 1 moves to more complex tasks too quickly. This means that pupils do not build some key knowledge securely. Leaders have undertaken recent work on improving pupils' writing, but it is too soon to be sure of the success of their actions.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders' careful thinking means that subject content is well considered. The curriculum focuses effectively on developing pupils' knowledge, for instance in mathematics, oracy and geography. Leaders' subject curriculums identify the essential information that pupils, such as disadvantaged pupils, need to know for the next stage of their education.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Mostly, leaders develop staff's subject knowledge and teaching skills effectively. For example, staff have the necessary expertise in teaching phonics and reading. Throughout the school, teachers use carefully chosen fiction and non-fiction books that help pupils to learn about different topics successfully. Staff provide helpful support for individual pupils' knowledge of phonics. This enables them to catch up in their learning where needed.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Typically, in lessons, staff check carefully if pupils remember their previous learning. Teachers use this information to decide on what to teach or reteach to pupils. Teaching matches the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including, where appropriate, those identified in pupils' education, health and care plans.

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

Pupils are happy. They have positive friendships with others. Pupils develop their skills and talents, for example in the role of reading ambassadors, eco-warriors or wellbeing champions. Pupils choose to take part in a wide range of clubs, such as boxing, dancing and science. They feel safe and know that staff will listen to their comments, including about their hopes, ideas and any worries they may have.

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

Pupils have a well-developed knowledge of equality and diversity. This helps them to be suitably prepared to be responsible, respectful British citizens. Leaders and staff ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or other needs, are included in all that the school offers. Each pupil is noticed, welcomed and respected.

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

Staff act to remove barriers to pupils' learning so that they can learn the curriculum well. Pupils know the steps that staff take to support them individually. Overall, in Year 6, pupils' attainment of reading, writing and mathematics is close to the national average. Disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 achieve well. Sometimes, however, in key stage 1, teaching does not ensure that pupils develop their core skills in spelling and handwriting as successfully as they should. In Nursery, Reception and throughout the school, staff develop pupils' love of reading. Leaders provide high-quality library areas, where pupils access books often. Pupils know about the works of authors such as William Shakespeare and Roald Dahl.

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

At times, some pupils do not behave as well as they should in classrooms, around the school building or outdoors. At other times, pupils act positively, including in the Nursery. Throughout the school, issues of bullying are rare. Relationships between staff and pupils, including in lessons, are warm and encouraging. Overall, pupils enjoy school and many attend regularly. However, some pupils are absent from school for long periods.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that staff sharpen their focus on enabling pupils to secure their core knowledge of spelling and handwriting in key stage 1 so that they are fully ready for the next stage of their education. Leaders should make certain that, through the school's personal development programme and consistently effective wider support from staff, pupils meet the school's high expectations for behaviour. Leaders should ensure that the rate of persistent absence reduces over time so that all pupils can fully benefit from the school's curriculum and teaching. Leaders should strengthen their oversight of the school's work to inform further improvement actions so that pupils, including those in the early years, achieve as highly as possible across the curriculum.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Oasis Community Learning, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), John Barneby, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Caroline Taylor.

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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 principal, other school leaders, the trust's national director of primary education and the regional director for the north west primary academies during the inspection. An inspector spoke with the local authority about the school's work to support

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Team inspectors:

Maria McGarry, Ofsted Inspector Clare Baron, Ofsted Inspector Lisa Finnegan, 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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420

children in care. The lead inspector held a meeting with representatives of the trust board, including the chair of the trust and the CEO.

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420

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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420

The school does not use alternative provision.

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420

The schools runs Nursery provision for children aged 2, 3 and 4 years old.

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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

2024/25 (revised) 65% 62% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 58% 61% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 55% 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

2024/25 (revised) 73% 75% 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

2024/25 (revised) 77% 72% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 75% 72% 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

2024/25 (revised) 68% 74% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 77% 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

2023/24 (final) 41% 46% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 51% 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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average

2024/25 (revised) 70% 63% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 63% 60% Close to average

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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

2023/24 (final) 66% 58% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 56% 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

2024/25 (revised) 64% 61% Close to average

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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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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

2023/24 (3 term) 6.1% 5.5% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 6.3% 5.9% 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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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 19.2% 16.2% Close to average

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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

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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