Oakhurst Community First School

Oakhurst Community First School

Address: Shaftesbury Road, West Moors, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 0DY Unique reference number (URN): 142500

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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 Expected standard

The school's highly inclusive approach supports pupils to develop their knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers prepare children effectively in Reception Year for the Year 1 curriculum. Most pupils secure the basics of reading, writing and mathematics well. Despite this, there is variability in the way in which some pupils form their letters and numbers correctly in their written work.

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Achievement Expected standard

Leaders’ actions have resulted in improved outcomes over time in the Year 1 phonics screening check. Pupils use their phonics knowledge well to read new words and sounds. Most pupils are confident readers by the end of Year 4. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged, achieve well in the Year 4 multiplication check. As a result, pupils are ready for the next stage of their education.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have a strategic approach to both attendance and behaviour. They have prioritised and improved this across the school by tracking and analysing patterns. Pupils' attendance is now at least in line with the national average. Leaders work with families to raise the profile of attending regularly. They identify causes of low attendance and offer targeted help, including the support of the pastoral team when needed. This work shows its impact through the improvements made over time, for example the attendance of pupils who are persistently absent is improving rapidly.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

The behaviour and attitudes of children are consistently positive. Bullying rarely occurs. If it does, pupils know that trusted adults will resolve it quickly and effectively. The school's values of ‘caring, resilience, confidence and wonder’ shape pupils’ productive learning behaviours. The school provides high-quality pastoral care for pupils, who require behavioural and emotional support. Pupils who have additional needs have appropriate adaptations in place to ensure they succeed. Strategies such as the 'step up' programme helps pupils reflect on their choices. Staff have high expectations of behaviour. As a result, pupils behave well, show self-control and grow in confidence as learners. This contributes to the supportive learning climate across the school.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders accurately evaluate the quality of the curriculum and its delivery. They have devised a well-designed curriculum. This enables pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged, to build their knowledge and achieve well. The curriculum covers the essential learning in reading, writing and mathematics, as well as a wide range of other subjects.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school's prioritisation of reading helps pupils to develop a love of books. Pupils enjoy listening to a range of stories in their daily reading sessions and understand how reading helps them to learn new things. Leaders also ensure that from the time they join the school, pupils develop their language skills and broaden their vocabulary.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Generally, teachers use a range of effective strategies to teach the curriculum well. For example, they revisit previous learning to aid pupils' recall of what they have learned before. Across the school, staff emphasise subject-specific vocabulary, when asking pupils to explain their ideas. Pupils recall key information about learning. For example, older pupils confidently share their prior learning in mathematics about 3D shapes and use this well when weighing objects.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school adapts the curriculum to support pupils with SEND. However, some adaptations do not always match pupils' specific needs. Therefore, some pupils do not always access their learning as well as leaders intend, which slows their progress.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders prioritise the early years. Children who start in Nursery Year have a suitable curriculum that considers their starting points. Children show an eagerness to learn and benefit from a curriculum that builds their understanding of language, number and the wider world. While most staff interactions develop children's spoken language, some staff do not focus on specific language development as well as they could. This hinders the progress that some children make with regard to communication skills.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff provide exciting opportunities for children to develop their physical skills in a safe and stimulating environment. Children engross themselves in activities with independence. Pupils recall and use the stories they listen to well, such as the ‘Three Billy Goats Gruff’, to make bridges out of different materials or manipulate play dough to create their own trolls.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders prioritise early reading. Staff model letter sounds and check that children are able to read simple words confidently. They match books to children’s phonics knowledge and provide targeted support for those who need extra practice.

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Early years Expected standard

Children achieve well across the early years curriculum. Staff check what children can do, then adjust well organised activities carefully, including for those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This prepares them well for their move into Year 1.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school prioritises its approach to inclusion. Staff use the school's systems and processes well to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) as soon as pupils arrive. Leaders ensure that they put clear plans in place to meet these needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff work closely with parents and carers and external professionals, such as social care, to address barriers to pupils' learning and development. The impact of support for pupils with SEND is checked by a link SEND teacher assigned to every child with SEND. They organise 'check ins' and check on the progress that pupils make across the curriculum and effectiveness of interventions. Typically, pupils with SEND or those who are disadvantaged, benefit from individual targets that are well thought out. However, leaders recognise that in some cases, these targets lack precision. Teachers value the time leaders provide to develop their SEND practice across the trust. They receive training that helps them to make effective adjustments in lessons for pupils with SEND, which ensures that pupils access learning alongside their peers.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use alternative provision appropriately so that it is effective for pupils who need it.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use the pupil premium effectively to support disadvantaged pupils. This is particularly the case with regard to their attendance, which is improving over time. Disadvantaged pupils and those known to children's social care achieve well and participate fully in school life.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders provide clear strategic direction for their school. They lead with clarity and purpose. Leaders are determined to give pupils the best start in life. They identify key priorities for improvement, focusing on what is best for pupils. For example, building pupils' confidence and fluency in writing has been correctly identified as a key priority for leaders and staff.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors fulfil their statutory duties effectively. They check systems regularly and provide support when needed. Trust leaders actively support the school in collaboration with school leaders. Together, they draw on educational research to guide decisions and to drive forward school improvement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff enjoy working in the school. They feel highly valued by school and trust leaders. Together, they have strengthened the whole school curriculum. Staff benefit from a high- quality professional learning programme, for example, in the teaching of phonics. This builds staff confidence and develops their expertise. Staff appreciate leaders’ consideration of their wellbeing and workload.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders build meaningful relationships with parents and carers and other professionals. As a result, highly positive relationships flow through the school. Parents are overwhelmingly positive when they talk about the school. They say their children are well cared for and appreciate the role all staff play in their children’s education. They value the regular opportunities they have to attend school and the precise support that leaders offer that helps families, both in and outside the school gates.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school has a well-organised approach to pupils’ personal development and wellbeing. Through a carefully sequenced personal, social and health education curriculum, pupils are able to develop their understanding of different cultures. They enjoy learning about how religions have similarities. Older pupils talk with confidence about staying safe online and the importance of healthy relationships.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders organise breaktimes to encourage positive social interactions. Pupils play an active role in managing their playtime together. They support one another and resolve conflicts sensibly, developing their character. Play leaders take pride in organising equipment and managing any conflicts that may arise. Pupils trust adults and the pastoral team to support them should they need any guidance.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Assemblies have a clear purpose. Leaders use them well to encourage positive behaviour and help pupils understand right from wrong. They support pupils' understanding of the school values and their rights. Pupils actively aspire to the school's 'rights' to be happy, safe and learn. This supports their sense of pride and belonging. Pupils explain their understanding of difference with clarity, 'We make sure we don't offend people in our school because everyone is the same inside.' They articulate specific values of tolerance and enjoy being part of debates and democracy within school. Pupils value the role they play in voting for members of the school council. Consequently, they are well prepared for modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils enjoy gaining rewards for following the school values. Pupils are proud to gain points, which they can use in the school ‘shop’. They enjoy being the headteacher's helper for the day or wearing their own clothes for the day. Pupils benefit from a range of clubs on offer at lunchtime and after school. Clubs such as gymnastics and dodgeball help pupils of different ages to explore their talents.

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

Pupils who attend Oakhurst First School experience a secure start to their schooling. The school’s motto, ‘from tiny acorns mighty oaks grow’, is brought to life. In Nursery Year, pupils begin their journey in the Acorn class, where they grow both emotionally and academically. Pupils who are disadvantaged or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities access the same opportunities across the school. Everyone becomes part of a respectful and inclusive community from the moment they join.

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

Children in Reception Year respond well to the routines that are in place. They enjoy learning through play and develop important basic skills securely, such as phonics. Staff know the children well and understand each child’s strengths and areas for development. They adapt the curriculum thoughtfully to remove barriers to learning. Staff accurately identify children’s starting points. They check on the progress pupils make across the curriculum carefully, providing timely catch-up support when required. For example, pupils who do not meet the expected standard in phonics receive additional targeted support, which helps them to catch up quickly.

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

Pupils show a clear zest for life and learning, they attend well and feel safe. Across the school, they form positive relationships with their peers and with staff. Pupils consistently demonstrate high levels of respect for one another. For instance, in Reception Year, children eagerly help a classmate when problems arise. Older pupils describe their peers as ‘loyal and trusting’. They value school friendships and the opportunities the school gives to them. Bullying is not a concern to pupils.

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

Pupils typically achieve well in national curriculum tests and leave Oakhurst well prepared for the next stage of their education. Teachers help pupils develop a clear understanding of life in modern Britain. Pupils particularly enjoy learning about different careers through visits

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Team inspectors:

Richard Vaughan, Ofsted Inspector Stewart Gale, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

from role models, such as firefighters and doctors. They say these experiences help them develop aspirations for their future lives.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that staff in the early years develop the necessary expertise so that their interactions consistently support the development of children’s communication and language skills. Leaders should continue to refine more precise actions or targets within support plans, to ensure that the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are met.

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About this inspection

This school is part of The Heath Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Laura Crossley, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Nick Musselwhite.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 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 headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator and the CEO of the trust. They also spoke with the chair of the trustees and the chair of the local school committee body during the inspection.

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About this inspection

Inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school has pre-school provision for 2-year-olds.

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About this inspection

The school makes use of one registered and two unregistered alternative provisions.

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About this inspection

Headteacher: Ann Clark 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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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 (2 term) 5.2% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 4.9% 5.5% 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

2024/25 (2 term) 14.7% 13.3% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 13.9% 14.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 19.0% 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

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