Oakfield Community Primary School

Oakfield Community Primary School

Address: Edinburgh Road, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 8BQ Unique reference number (URN): 133322

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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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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school’s personal, social, health and economic curriculum is very high quality and helps ensure that pupils develop positive values that underpin a secure sense of right and wrong. Pupils thoughtfully debate with one another and respect different viewpoints. They have a keen awareness of different faiths and a detailed understanding of their similarities and differences.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school's age-appropriate approach to relationships, sex and health education ensures that pupils comprehensively understand what makes positive relationships, how to deal with peer pressure and to identify what constitutes negative behaviours. Older pupils learn about concepts such as consent and how to manage risks both online and offline. Pupils understand what a healthy lifestyle is, including strategies to maintain positive mental health.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils develop their awareness of fundamental British values thoroughly. For example, older pupils have a sophisticated sense of the democratic system. Pupils learn about other cultures and understand the importance of equalities and respect for people's legal rights. This helps to ensure that pupils are extremely well prepared for the diversity of life in modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The wider school offer for pupils’ personal development is extensive. It includes a wide array of different activities, clubs, visitors to school and trips. Activities are carefully designed to nurture pupils' interests and talents. For example, all pupils get an opportunity to learn to play musical instruments. Leaders have ensured that the offer is fully accessible for all, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils. This includes the school's promise to ensure that pupils experience 60 different activities to deepen their personal development and cultural understanding during their time at the school. These include events such as musical concerts, trips to the theatre and other experiences, which are complemented by the school's outdoor education programme.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have created a caring and nurturing ethos in the school where staff work well with pupils and their families. This approach has been particularly successful recently in reducing the proportion of pupils who are more persistently absent. Leaders are continuing to steadily build on the trend of improving attendance. Overall pupil attendance is steadily improving towards the national average. The current attendance of pupils shows that this positive trend is continuing and rates of absence are reducing.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils’ behaviour across the school, including in the specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (specially resourced provision), is managed well by staff. Pupils across the school are increasingly able to manage their own emotions and behaviours. Staff establish a calm and positive environment for pupils. Bullying and harassment are not tolerated. Pupils know that adults will sort out incidents of poor behaviour effectively.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils have positive attitudes towards school and disruption to learning is rare. Staff apply the school’s behaviour policy with consistency. Where needed, staff make meaningful adjustments to support pupils to behave positively. Children in the early years, and key stage 1 specially resourced provision, love their visits from Bailey, the school’s therapy dog, who helps them to feel calm. They take great care to treat him gently and with sensitivity.

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Early years Expected standard

The curriculum in the early years is carefully sequenced and identifies the important knowledge that children, including those in the school's specially resourced provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, need to know by the end of the Reception Year. Leaders have ensured that there is a precise focus on supporting and developing children’s reading, writing and number skills from the start of their time in the early years. The provision in the Nursery Year sets solid foundations for children to establish important knowledge for later learning. Children across the early years are encouraged to communicate with each other when working collaboratively. Children benefit from positive interactions with staff, who question and prompt their learning, promoting important speech, language and communication skills.

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Early years Expected standard

Phonics is taught well and reinforced throughout the provision. Children develop the skills they need to read and write words with increasing accuracy. By the end of the Reception Year, the majority of children are well prepared for their move to Year 1.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff recognise the importance of working in partnership with parents and carers and see this as an essential aspect of supporting children's learning and personal development. The school works purposefully with external professionals to meet children's specific needs, when necessary.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have a clear strategy to ensure that the school is inclusive. They identify any barriers to pupils’ learning and wellbeing, including for pupils who have had social care involvement, disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). When necessary, staff put in place suitable adaptations so that pupils can learn the curriculum effectively. For pupils in the school's specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND, staff specifically target learning to support pupils' next steps, enabling them to progress well from their individual starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff receive appropriate training. They make effective use of advice from external agencies to help shape the support they provide for pupils. For example, staff know when to give pupils more intensive support and when to promote pupils’ independent thinking.

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Needs attention

Leaders check carefully the impact of the school's work to meet the needs of pupils. They ensure that pupil premium funding is used appropriately to enrich disadvantaged pupils' learning and personal development.

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Achievement Needs attention

The attainment of pupils, including in the Year 1 phonics check and at the end of key stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics, has been below national averages in recent years. There have been some early signs of the positive impact of leaders' improvement work. However, changes to the way pupils learn have not been brought about quickly enough to address the common errors that persist in pupils’ phonics knowledge and their written and mathematics work. This hinders their achievement. Although pupils gain more complex subject-specific knowledge in different subjects, the quality of their work is undermined by too many basic errors.

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Achievement Needs attention

The curriculum in subjects other than English and mathematics is well thought out to build on pupils’ prior knowledge, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school's more recent focus on developing pupils' language skills is enabling more children in the early years to achieve well.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils in the resourced provision for pupils with SEND tend to make positive progress through the curriculum from their starting points due to the intensive support that they receive.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Teachers do not consistently ensure that pupils secure important knowledge in writing and mathematics. Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge that persist over time and struggle to apply their basic writing and mathematics skills. This means that pupils do not learn and achieve as well as they should.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have designed a curriculum that can be suitably adapted to the needs of different pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The curriculum builds pupils’ learning across different subjects in a logical way.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

There are more positive signs in the progress that all pupil groups currently make through the reading and phonics curriculums. Pupils apply their phonics knowledge to read fluently and with understanding. The school's recent focus on language and communication is resulting in pupils understanding a wider range of vocabulary, which supports their learning across the curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders ensure that staff have the subject knowledge that they need to be able to explain learning clearly for pupils. Teachers are adept in their use of questioning to help pupils develop their understanding in a range of different subjects. Where teaching is more effective, teachers pre-empt pupils’ misconceptions to deepen their learning.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Governors have not questioned leaders well enough about the impact of their actions to improve pupils' achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. As a result, leaders' expectations for pupils' achievement are not as high as they should be, and attainment at the end of key stage 2 has been lower than that seen nationally. Although there are some signs of improvement, these actions have not been taken quickly enough.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders and governors understand the school's context well. They keep pupils' best interests at the heart of their decision making, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders have ensured that pupils' personal development is a top priority, taking effective action to create a positive and inclusive culture within the school. As a result, pupils have positive attitudes to school and engage well with their learning.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Governors ensure that statutory duties, such as for safeguarding, are met well. Governors and leaders ensure that staff benefit from a wide range of training and support to improve their practice. Staff are positive about the way in which leaders look after their wellbeing and workload.

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

Pupils enjoy a school culture where they feel valued and understood. The positive relationships that staff have with pupils and their families underpin their nurturing and caring approach. Pupils feel included in all aspects of school life, including those pupils who attend the specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

Pupils maintain positive friendships with their peers. Staff deal effectively with any instances of misbehaviour. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on their own conduct and the way that it affects others. As such, there are few instances of disruptive behaviour and pupils feel safe. Bullying is not tolerated. Pupils enjoy school and their attendance is improving.

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

Pupils like learning because teachers design interesting activities to engage them. Any barriers to pupils' learning and wellbeing are quickly addressed. Pupils with SEND, including those in the specially resourced provision, make positive progress from their starting points. However, although leaders have addressed a number of aspects of historic underperformance at the school, some remain. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, do not learn and achieve as well as they should.

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

The school’s provision for pupils' personal development and wellbeing is a strength. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those who attend the specially resourced provision, are very well prepared for life in modern Britain. Older pupils learn to develop leadership skills through their roles such as wellbeing ambassadors. Pupils are proud to represent, and be part of, their school community. They enjoy a range of clubs, such as cooking and camping.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that teachers address gaps in pupils’ knowledge in English and mathematics with consistency to support pupils to achieve their best. Leaders should ensure a more consistent approach to developing pupils’ handwriting to improve pupils’ presentation and fluency in writing. Those responsible for governance should improve their strategic oversight of the school’s improvement work to ensure that pupils learn and achieve well.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Ian Green.

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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 headteacher, assistant headteachers and other school leaders. They also spoke to 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 includes provision for up to 40 pupils with moderate learning difficulties.

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About this inspection

The school has undergone a significant change in leadership since the last inspection. The senior leadership team are all new to their roles. There have also been a number of changes in governance, with most members of the governing body being new to their roles.

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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 has provision for 3-year-old children in their Nursery Year.

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Team inspectors:

Sharon Cowey, Ofsted Inspector Katie Hague, 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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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (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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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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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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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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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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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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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

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

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average

2023/24 (final) 57% 59% 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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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

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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