Other · Ofsted report

Oaklands Primary School

Inspected — · published 18 Jun 2003 · URN 101905

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Full report text

OAKLANDS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 10 th - 13 th March 2003

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OAKLANDS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Full inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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OAKLANDS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Oaklands Primary - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Oaklands Road Hanwell London

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Maurice Jordan

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 19 th May 1997 Oaklands Primary - 4

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responsibilities

8990 David Tytler Registered inspector How high are standards? How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? 1165 Peter Dannheisser Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes and personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 10270 Sandra Teacher Team inspector Foundation Stage, pupils with special educational needs, geography and music. 20951 Philip Littlejohn Team inspector Educational inclusion, mathematics, information and communication technology, and design and technology. 15023 Ali Haouas Team inspector English as an additional language, English, and history. 1963 Sibani Raychaudhuri Team inspector Science, art and design, religious education How good are the learning opportunities offered to pupils? Oaklands Primary - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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responsibilities

Serco QAA Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester DT2 9PU

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responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Oaklands Primary - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 13

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Oaklands Primary School is in two Edwardian buildings near the centre of Hanwell in Ealing, West London. With 417 pupils on roll, it is larger than most primary schools and has a nursery class with 58 children attending part-time in the morning or afternoon and 55 full-time pupils in reception. About half of the pupils come from ethnic minority backgrounds, predominantly from the Indian sub-continent, the Caribbean or Africa. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above the national average and 101 pupils speak English as an additional language, including 12 refugees. The main languages are Somali, Urdu, Punjabi and Arabic. The percentage of pupils having special educational needs is below the national average, with 26 pupils either having a Statement of Special Educational Needs or receiving support through School Action Plus under the SEN Code of Practice. The proportion having a Statement of Special Educational Needs is below the national average . The

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

school is also affected by the significant number of pupils who join or leave the school other than the usual time and a period of instability in staffing and in the management of the school, which led to deficiencies in teaching over time. Children join the school with a broad range of attainment but overall their attainment on entry matches that expected nationally for children of their age, although a significant minority have communication difficulties in English.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Oaklands Primary School provides a good education for all its pupils and is valued by parents. Year 6 standards in mathematics and science have improved since the national tests in 2002 when they were well below average. The school is very well led and managed by the headteacher, who joined the school in September 2001. Teaching is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and is good in Years 3 to 6, with examples of good teaching across the school. Better use could be made of assessment information to guide planning. The personal development of pupils is very good and their very positive attitudes and consistently good behaviour contribute to the progress they make. When account is taken of all these factors, the school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The headteacher provides outstanding leadership, which has already resulted in a range of improvements, including higher standards in Year 6. • Teaching is consistently good or better in Year 6, which enables pupils to make rapid gains in their learning. • The very good provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, and the very good relationships throughout the school, result in pupils having very positive attitudes to their work. Pupils show a very good level of respect for the views and feelings of others, responding very well to the very good arrangements for promoting good behaviour. • The school provides very good pastoral care for all its pupils, which enables them to take full advantage of the broad range of learning opportunities available, including the excellent range of high quality out-of-school activities. • Art and design is a strength of the school and much high quality work can be

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What the school does well

seen as part of the very good displays throughout the school. Pupils attain well above average standards in Year 6. • The information provided to parents is very good. Oaklands Primary - 8

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What could be improved

• The achievement of pupils, particularly in English in Years 1 and 2. • The use that teachers make of information about what pupils know and can do to plan for the needs of specific groups and individual pupils. • The monitoring of teaching and learning in all subjects to ensure that the good and very good practice within the school is spread to all year groups. • The quality of the curriculum in the nursery and reception, and accommodation in the reception classes. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good improvement since it was inspected in May 1997, particularly in Years 3 to 6. The school has successfully addressed the key issues raised in the report and has been especially successful in improving the quality of teaching, notably in Years 3 to 6. Standards in mathematics in Year 6 are higher than they were and are now good. Standards in English and science remain average in Year 6. In Year 2, standards remain at the average in mathematics but have declined from average to below average in English. The underlying trend has been below the average since the last inspection, but standards throughout the school have improved significantly in this academic year. The school is on course to meet its targets.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

Science E E E E well above average above average average below average well below average A

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Key

The school sets challenging targets for the percentage of pupils to achieve the expected Level 4 in English and mathematics. In 2002, it exceeded them in English and just missed them in mathematics. In the current Year 6, standards in mathematics are good; they are average in English and science. The decline in standards in recent years has been largely due to a significant percentage of pupils in past years having special educational needs and instability in the staffing, which Oaklands Primary - 9 disrupted pupils’ learning. The large number of pupils who enter and leave the school other than at the usual times also adversely affects standards. In addition, many pupils enter Year 2 with low levels of literacy. Taken together, these factors reduce the number reaching the higher levels. In the National Curriculum tests for Year 2 pupils in 2002 results were well below average in reading, writing and mathematics. When compared with similar schools

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Key

their performance was also well below in all three subjects. Teacher assessments in science show that 84 per cent of pupils in Year 2 reached the expected Level 2 or above, which was slightly below the national average. The work pupils were doing during the inspection showed that in the current Year 2, standards in English are below average but average in mathematics and science. The trend has been below the national average in recent years but standards are improving in this academic year because of good teaching by a stable staff.

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Key

During the inspection timetabling arrangements meant that it was not possible to make judgements about physical education in Year 2 or Year 6. Standards at the end of Years 2 and 6 in all other subjects are average, except in art, where they are good in Year 2 and very good in Year 6. Standards in religious education exceed the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus in Years 2 and 6. All pupils make satisfactory progress in their learning in Years 1 and 2 and good progress in Years 3 to 6. Children make satisfactory progress in the nursery and reception classes, and attain average standards in most areas of learning by the end of reception, except in some aspects of their language, creative and physical development.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are enthusiastic learners and their very positive attitudes make an important contribution to the standards they achieve.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils respond very well to teachers’ good management of behaviour. It is very good in classrooms, assemblies, around the school and in the playground.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. The very good relationships which exist throughout the school underpin everything that the school does.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Unsatisfactory. Below the national average for primary schools.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Oaklands Primary - 10 Quality of teaching Satisfactory Satisfactory Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The sound teaching in the nursery and reception classes and in Years 1 and 2 leads to all pupils making satisfactory gains in their learning. The good, often very good, and sometimes excellent teaching in Years 3 – 6 enables pupils to achieve well. Examples of good teaching were seen in all year groups and in nearly all subjects, and a number of very good lessons and some excellent teaching were observed. Only one of the 77 lessons seen was unsatisfactory. The teaching of English, mathematics, literacy and numeracy is good and pupils use their literacy and numeracy skills well in other subjects. Teaching in information and communication technology is sound and pupils make good use of the skills they learn. The good and very good teaching in art and design has led to high standards of work, which support other aspects of the curriculum.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The good and better lessons were underpinned by teachers’ good knowledge and understanding of the subject and characterised by a brisk pace, a good range of activities that engaged and held the interest of pupils and work that was built on what pupils already know and can do. As a result, they made good and often very good gains in their learning. In lessons judged to be satisfactory, the pace of work was slow, leading to a lack of concentration. In the unsatisfactory lesson, the work was not matched to pupils’ prior attainment and as a result they made very little progress in their learning. The school does not make enough use of the information on what pupils know and can do to plan for the needs of specific groups.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good overall. The learning experiences of pupils are broadened through an excellent programme of out-of- school activities, including a wide range of visits and visitors and good links with the community. The curriculum for children in the nursery and reception classes is unsatisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. They make good progress in line with their individual education plans.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. They make good progress in English, mathematics and science but would achieve more in other subjects if their needs were more clearly identified.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils. Well. Good procedures, including those for child protection, ensure pupils’ health and welfare. The information gathered on what pupils know and can do is not yet used sufficiently to plan for the individual needs Oaklands Primary - 11 of all pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The school works hard and generally successfully to create an effective partnership with parents. Most parents value its work but a significant minority is yet to be involved fully in their children’s education.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good overall. The headteacher’s leadership is excellent and he provides the vision for the development of the school. He is very well supported by senior staff, who carry out their responsibilities well.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Well. With the exception of a collective act of worship and some aspects of the curriculum in the nursery and reception classes, governors ensure that statutory requirements are met. Key governors have a clear understanding of the school and the governing body as a whole is beginning to use its knowledge to plan for the school’s future.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good overall. A regular review of the school’s performance ensures prompt action is taken to resolve any concerns. Regular monitoring of teaching and learning by the headteacher and other senior staff has led to improvements in teaching. Not all subject leaders, however, have sufficient time to observe lessons and monitor learning in their subjects.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good use is made of all the resources available to the school, which satisfactorily applies the principles of best value in all aspects of its work.

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Aspect Comment

The school has an adequate number of teachers and support staff for all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. Resources for learning are sufficient in all subjects other than information and communication technology (ICT) where they are good. There is no outdoor space for children in the reception classes and their classrooms are cramped, which impedes their learning. In other respects the accommodation is satisfactory.

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improved

• Their children enjoy coming to school • The teaching is good and the school expects their children to work hard • Their children make good progress • The quantity of homework • The amount of information on how well their children are doing • The range of out-of-school activities Oaklands Primary - 12 and they behave well • They feel comfortable in approaching the school • Their children are helped to become mature and responsible • The partnership with parents • The surface in the playground

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improved

Inspectors agree with the positive views of most parents. Inspection evidence, however, shows that there is an excellent range of high quality extra-curricular activities, particularly for pupils in Years 3 – 6, that homework is used appropriately, that the school works hard to establish an effective partnership with parents and that the quality of information provided to them is good. Inspectors agree with parents’ concerns about the playground, which are being addressed by the school. Oaklands Primary - 13

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Attainment on entry to the school is broadly average, although some pupils have communication difficulties in English. Due to the sound teaching, children’s achievements are satisfactory as they move through the nursery and reception classes, consolidating and building on their skills. As a result, they meet most of the Early Learning Goals by the time they leave reception. Some aspects of their language, physical and creative development, however, are below average. These weaknesses are linked to weakness in their spoken English and the lack of an outdoor area for the reception classes, which are also cramped and hamper the teaching of some aspects of creative development. All pupils could do better if the curriculum followed the recommendations of the Foundation Stage guidance. Pupils who speak English as an additional language would achieve more if they were given more targeted support.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Results in the National Curriculum tests taken by pupils at the end of Year 2 in 2002 were well below the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher Level 3 was well below the national average in reading and mathematics; no pupils achieved the higher level in writing. When compared with similar schools their performance was also well below the average in all three subjects. Teacher assessments in science show that the proportion of pupils who reached the nationally expected level was only slightly below the average.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. In the National Curriculum tests taken by pupils at the end of Year 6 in 2002, attainment matched the national average in English, but was well below in mathematics and science. In comparison with similar schools, results were above the average in English but well below in mathematics and science. The school set challenging targets for the percentage of pupils to achieve the expected Level 4 in English and mathematics. It exceeded them in English and only narrowly missed them in mathematics.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Whilst the performance of pupils attaining the expected Level 4 in 2002 was below the national average in English, the percentage attaining the higher Level 5 was above the average. In mathematics the proportion of pupils gaining either Level 4 or 5 was well below the average; in science, the percentage gaining Level 4 was above the national average but well below the average for the proportion of pupils gaining Level 5.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. The sound teaching in Years 1 and 2 ensures that children’s achievements are satisfactory. Due to the good, often very good, teaching in Years 3 to 6, pupils achieve well.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Results in English have fluctuated over time but have been below the national trend of improvement, as has the performance of pupils in mathematics and science.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Inspection evidence shows that standards in the current Year 2 are below average in English, but average in mathematics and science, a considerable improvement since 2002. In Year 6, standards remain average in English, although a significant number of pupils are working above the national average. Standards in mathematics have improved considerably and are now above the Oaklands Primary - 14 average; the improvement in science standards has brought them up to the average.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. A number of significant factors explain the lower attainment and inconsistencies in progress over time. The decline in recent years has largely been due to the relatively high number of pupils having special educational needs and the inconsistent teaching they received because of a large number of staff changes. The high number of pupils who join and leave the school other than at the normal times also affects standards. The rising standards seen during the inspection reflect the good teaching by an established staff.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Since his appointment, the headteacher has undertaken a root and branch review of all aspects of the school’s work. The resultant changes and the impact of a stable staff since September have been successful in raising standards throughout the school, but particularly in Year 6, which still has a significant number of pupils with special educational needs. Standards are likely to rise further as the school improves the use of information on what pupils know and can do in planning for the needs of individual pupils and specific groups. Assessment information is used to set pupils in English in Years 5 and 6 and in mathematics in Years 4, 5 and 6. These arrangements are having a positive impact on raising standards.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Pupils make good use of their literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects. Good examples were seen of pupils using their literacy skills in mathematics, science, art and design, design and technology, history and religious education. They also made good use of their speaking and listening skills, particularly in geography, history and religious education. Pupils made good use of their numeracy skills in science, design and technology and in geography. The school’s provision for information and communication technology has been much improved since the last inspection and pupils use their ICT skills in other subjects, such as English, mathematics, science, design and technology, geography and history.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. The school’s timetabling arrangements during the inspection meant that it was not possible to make judgments on overall standards in physical education. Standards in all other subjects are average at the end of Years 2 and 6, except in art and design, where they are above average at the end of Year 2 and well above by the end of Year 6, and in religious education where they exceed the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus as a result of the quality of teaching. This represents an improvement since the last inspection in art and design. Standards in the other subjects have been maintained.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well in relation to their independent education plans. They make good progress, largely thanks to the skilled support given by teaching assistants both in classes and in small withdrawal groups. Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve well against their prior attainment. Pupils achieve best when there is additional support by the specialist teacher and when pupils are specifically targeted. On occasions, however, usually in subjects other than English, science and mathematics, the needs of these pupils are neither specifically identified in Oaklands Primary - 15 planning nor consistently addressed. The needs of gifted and talented pupils are well met in art and design.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. The attitudes and behaviour of pupils are great strengths of the school, as they were at the time of the last inspection. The pupils’ very good attitudes make a positive contribution to their readiness to learn and their ability to think and act well for themselves. Pupils say that they like their school; that they know their teachers will give help whenever it is needed. In the great majority of lessons pupils of all abilities show interest. Their attention is held, they want to participate and they behave very well. Outside the classroom, behaviour is very good and their positive attitudes and natural enthusiasm can be seen as they take part in playground games and in the many school clubs. Their behaviour in assemblies is exemplary.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Pupils are friendly, open and respectful, without in any way being regimented. Pupils of both sexes have a very good attitude to each other, their teachers and to their work in school. Discussions with pupils revealed that they considered the school to be a very safe environment, free from any racial harassment, bullying or hostile behaviour. They were clear on strategies they would use if they or anyone else felt threatened. They were also clear on procedures to make pupils new to the school feel welcome and included.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupils are happy to come to school and the older ones look back on their earlier school days with pleasure. So many Year 6 pupils volunteered to take part in the first training session for the school’s Friendship Group to look after younger children, that a classroom was full to overflowing during the first training session. They showed great understanding, learning how to support younger pupils in the playground, and at the same time thinking carefully about their own attitudes and behaviour. They applied for the role and were interviewed to ensure that they were suitable for the role.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Pupils of all ages enjoy the school and know and understand the school’s system of rewards and sanctions. They show obvious enjoyment when they are rewarded as individuals or as a class. Pupils settle quickly when lessons start, and this is helped by the ‘brain gym’ – which involves a brief session of physical movements which help to prepare pupils for the tasks ahead. Pupils develop good levels of independence. Whilst enjoying themselves, they share, take turns and act with self-restraint, working quietly in small groups and collaborating well in pairs. They understand their class routines well and know what is expected of them. Pupils also develop a capacity to understand and respect the feelings of others as they respond well to the school’s very good provision for multicultural development.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. In the vast majority of lessons seen during the inspection, pupils’ attitudes and behaviour were good or better, and in many they were very good; they were satisfactory in all others. The support for pupils with special educational needs and for those from homes in which English is not the main language ensures they have positive attitudes to learning. They respond well to the extra help Oaklands Primary - 16 given by teachers, classroom assistants and support staff. The teaching takes place both within the classroom and in groups outside the classroom. During these sessions, pupils are well motivated and very well behaved.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. The youngest children have learned to participate and concentrate as they respond well to the skilled staff, who understand how to help them learn. In one nursery class, pupils were learning the sounds with which objects’ names begin. The teacher used a glove puppet as a ventriloquist and attempted to say the names as the children pulled the objects out of a bag. They took great delight in correcting the puppet’s efforts. They were relaxed, having fun and all learning fast. In a religious education lesson Year 6 pupils showed excellent attitudes and sensitivity and were keen to participate in the balanced discussion.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. Lunchtime behaviour in the hall is good. This is the case around the school and in the playground where a variety of games and equipment are available, the latter being looked after by older pupils. Midday staff, many of whom also work as support staff in lessons, have had training in behaviour management and are aware of child protection issues. There was very little temporary exclusion in the previous school year and no permanent exclusions.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Older pupils are given jobs and there are rotas of monitors in classrooms. The school council gives pupils the opportunity to take an active role in formulating school policy with two representatives elected from each year group. As yet the council members do not run their own meetings, but this will be introduced as they become more experienced.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

21. Pupils who speak English as an additional language, including refugees, mix well with their peers and are keen to participate fully in activities and school events. They are motivated, keen to learn and enjoy the attention given to them when they work in small groups. This contributes significantly to the progress they make. Pupils whose special educational needs include behavioural difficulties show good attitudes to their work and respond well to their teachers. They are well integrated into the life of the school and supported by their peers. For example, in a Year 6 singing lesson, the more able singers helped the less able to keep in tune.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

22. Whilst attendance has improved since the last inspection, it is a little lower than the national average levels for primary schools and is therefore unsatisfactory. There is no significant difference between the attendance of boys, girls or different ethnic minority groups.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. The quality of teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection, particularly in Years 3 - 6. Teaching overall is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2, but there were also examples of good and better teaching. As a result pupils make satisfactory progress in Years 1 and 2 and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory by the end of Year 2. The good and better teaching in Years 3 to 6 enables pupils to make good progress and achieve well, particularly in mathematics. Examples of good teaching were seen in all year groups and in most subjects, with a number of very good lessons and some excellent teaching for older pupils. Out of the 77 lessons seen only one was judged to be unsatisfactory. Oaklands Primary - 17 24. The quality of teaching and learning for children in the nursery and reception classes is sound and as a result children’s achievement is satisfactory. Children are well motivated to learn through challenging, well-paced, imaginative and

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

lively activities such as number games, snakes and ladders and darts or skittles, recording their scores on a chalkboard. The main strength lies in teachers’ and nursery nurses’ secure understanding of the active way that young children learn and the need to provide a range of practical and relevant activities.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Planning is satisfactory and the teaching areas inside are well organised. There is, however, limited planning for outside play. The nursery outdoor environment is insufficiently used and the children in the reception classes have to wait to go outside for their break after the older pupils. Tasks are suitably challenging overall, and expectations for children’s behaviour are high. Through careful observation, teachers and teaching assistants know the children well and use this knowledge well to plan the next steps in learning. Teamwork is good and the trained nursery nurses make a valuable contribution to children’s learning. However, the distance between the nursery and the reception classes makes working together difficult.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. Daily opportunities for parents to talk to teachers and the use of a home/school contact book promote harmonious links between home and school; greater involvement, particularly of parents from different ethnic minority groups, could enrich the learning even more. Older pupils are learning to care for the younger ones and they read to them during book week.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Teaching was judged to be good overall in English, art and design, geography, physical education and religious education. Teaching was satisfactory in information and communication technology. In Years 1 and 2 all aspects of teaching in all subjects were at least satisfactory, and the teaching of basic skills was good. The management of pupils and the teaching of basic skills are generally good. The use of marking and regular questioning to check pupils’ progress and achievement are satisfactory, although some marking does not always indicate to pupils how they could improve their work. On a few occasions the final review session was not always used to review and reinforce what pupils had learnt, referring instead to what had been covered.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. The work for younger pupils generally built on what they already knew and could do and they make satisfactory progress in their lessons. In the unsatisfactory lesson, however, the work set was too difficult and as a result pupils made too little progress and did not achieve as well as they should have done.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. Teaching in Years 3 – 6 is also good overall in mathematics and science. Teachers’ management of pupils is very good. Excellent lessons were seen in Year 6 in English and religious education. In the English lesson on how to plan a balanced argument, the teacher quickly engaged the pupils’ interest and used a range of activities that challenged the pupils to think for themselves. As a result they tackled the task enthusiastically and thoughtfully. In the religious education lesson, the teacher was very skilful in enabling pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, to discuss feelings and emotions without embarrassment. She was sufficiently confident in the pupils to discuss her own experiences, knowing that they would respond sensibly, as they did.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. The teaching of English and mathematics is generally good throughout the school and pupils make good use of their literacy and numeracy skills in all other subjects. Teaching in information and communication technology is sound and pupils make good use of the many opportunities provided to use the skills they have learnt in other subjects, such as English, mathematics, science and history. Oaklands Primary - 18 31. The good and better lessons were underpinned by teachers’ good knowledge and understanding of the subjects being taught and work that built on what pupils already knew and could do. Pupils in these lessons made good gains in their learning. In a good Year 2 mathematics lesson the brisk pace and clear explanations enabled the pupils to develop repeated additions into simple multiplication. The lesson planning took careful account of the needs of pupils having special educational needs, or having English as an additional language. In other lessons, however, the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

work was not carefully matched to prior attainment. This either led to confusion amongst pupils who were not clear how to tackle the task or resulted in too little challenge for higher attainers. Consequently, pupils’ progress in these lessons was slower than it could have been.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

32. Teachers’ good management of behaviour makes an important contribution to pupils’ attainment and is frequently linked to the high expectations teachers have of what pupils can achieve. In a very good Year 4 history lesson, pupils responded very well to the teacher’s demands and they remained enthusiastic learners throughout. In other lessons, particularly for younger pupils, teachers’ expectations were not always as high and as a result some pupils lost interest and did not make as much progress as might have been expected.

p.18

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

33. Teachers use homework appropriately to build on what is taught and learnt in the classroom. Where this is well used, it enables pupils to become involved in their own learning. Many teachers were adept at ensuring all pupils were actively involved in their learning during lessons, frequently using them to make teaching points. In a few other lessons, however, this was not always the case and pupils were left to their own devices, resulting in a loss of pace and concentration.

p.18

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

34. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported by a strong team of learning support assistants, either in the classroom or in small withdrawal groups. All staff have been trained in the revised Code of Practice for special needs and clear targets are laid down in the pupils’ individual education plans. These are well used in lessons to support learning and enable pupils to make good progress.

p.18

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

35. The support provided by the specialist teacher for English as an additional language is very good and she works closely with class teachers to ensure that there is careful team planning. She also provides effective support in withdrawal groups for those pupils in the early stages of learning English and for new arrivals, including refugees. In these sessions, emphasis is put on developing pupils' vocabulary in meaningful contexts through, for example, reading well chosen stories or playing games focused on learning key aspects of English grammar and sentence patterns.

p.18

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

36. Good use is made of initial assessment to pitch the demands of the activities to individual needs and pupils benefit from working in small groups, where they all have frequent opportunities to speak and listen. The teacher uses questioning effectively to prompt and support pupils' responses, and vocabulary is effectively explained and demonstrated by using mime. For younger pupils, much use is made of visual prompts to ensure that key vocabulary is understood. The specialist teacher works equally well when working in the classroom, constantly and discreetly offering support during whole-class teaching.

p.18

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

37. Good examples were also seen of class teachers supporting pupils who speak English as an additional language during the week of the inspection. On other occasions, however, pupils’ needs were not consistently and explicitly addressed, especially with respect to the range of methods used to support them in coping with the language demands of the subject.

p.18

TO PUPILS?

Oaklands Primary - 19 38. The curriculum has improved since the last inspection. The quality and range of learning opportunities provided are now good overall for Years 1 to 6 and promote the aims of the school well. The curriculum is broad and balanced across all subjects, including religious education, which is well planned in accordance with the locally agreed syllabus. The school has successfully tackled the shortcomings in information and communication technology (ICT), which were identified in the previous report. The curriculum meets all statutory requirements and offers pupils a good range of learning opportunities. This represents significant progress since the last inspection. National recommendations are not yet, however, followed in the nursery and reception classes. Provision for the pupils’ personal development is good and, as a result, pupils develop as caring young people, certain of their own value and

p.19

TO PUPILS?

accountable for their own actions – a concept that is deeply embedded in the ethos of the school.

p.19

TO PUPILS?

39. The curriculum for the children in the nursery and reception classes is unsatisfactory, as it is not planned with the aid of the national guidance for this age group. This is recognised by the school and is being addressed. Some aspects of physical development are below average because the children in the reception classes do not have regular access to an outdoor play area with suitable equipment.

p.19

TO PUPILS?

40. Appropriate policies and schemes of work are in place in the rest of the school for all subjects, and each receives an appropriate amount of teaching time. The national strategies for literacy and numeracy have been effectively implemented and have been instrumental in raising standards. Whilst literacy and numeracy skills are well used to raise standards across the curriculum, the use of information and communication technology (ICT) is not yet strong enough although good examples were seen. Provision for personal, social and health education (PSHE) is good and is timetabled for every class. The school is in the process of producing a detailed scheme of work. The provision for sex and drugs education meets statutory requirements. The whole-school approach to the Healthy School Initiative has proved very successful. Pupils are provided with accurate information and the development of a positive attitude to a

p.19

TO PUPILS?

healthy life style is encouraged. For example, everybody took part in an exercise during the healthy heart week and pupils produced a graph showing the effect of exercise on the heart. The school council contributes to an awareness of the needs of others and members of the council have sat in at a borough council meeting.

p.19

TO PUPILS?

41. There is good equality of access and opportunity for boys and girls, those having special educational needs, English as an additional language and those from a diverse range of ethnic backgrounds, including refugees. Effective steps are taken to ensure that pupils new to the school quickly settle into their learning. The good focus on individual pupils and their needs results in all pupils being included in the life of the school, which enables them to benefit from the many social and learning opportunities provided. The school has identified some high attaining pupils in literacy, numeracy, science and the arts, and has made appropriate arrangements for extending these pupils. Talented pupils have also had opportunities to take part in additional art activities. Oaklands Primary - 20 42. Curricular provision for pupils with special educational needs, including those with a statement of special educational needs, is good. This makes a significant

p.19

TO PUPILS?

contribution to their progress in lessons and enables them to achieve well over time. The school is effectively implementing the new Code of Practice, thus ensuring that it meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs. All pupils having special educational needs follow the National Curriculum but there are times when they are withdrawn regularly from lessons to receive additional support. Every week in geography for example, pupils in Year 5 receive help with their spellings in line with the school’s focus on raising standards in literacy. This does, however, have an inverse impact on their learning in geography.

p.20

TO PUPILS?

43. The provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language is good overall. In the nursery and reception classes, however, the needs of these pupils are not systematically identified. In Years 1 to 6, teachers' weekly planning in English, mathematics and science identifies where activities might be adapted to provide access to the curriculum. This is, however, not always consistent or extended to other subjects. In order to improve provision, the school needs to identify the language demands of different subjects in order to develop and extend language skills across the curriculum. The school has a positive ethos and effective strategies are being planned to audit the curriculum to strengthen it further and draw on pupils' diverse cultural backgrounds.

p.20

TO PUPILS?

44. A significant number of parents consider that the school does not provide a wide range of activities outside lessons. Inspectors disagree with them and judge this provision to be excellent. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection. There is a wide range of activities outside lessons. These activities are giving a positive experience to pupils and include computer, art, French, gardening and breakfast clubs, booster classes, jogging, keep fit, and many more. Girls and boys have equal opportunities to participate in all activities, which are well supported. The clubs provide pupils with a greater range of experiences, enrich the quality of the curriculum and successfully promote their personal and social development. Pupils are able to take part in a variety of activities, such as music and art workshops provided by outside specialists. Visits to museums, galleries and places of interest enrich the

p.20

TO PUPILS?

curriculum considerably. Pupils also benefit from the experiences of a wide range of visitors to the school.

p.20

TO PUPILS?

45. The good links with the community make a positive contribution to the pupils’ learning experiences. Members of different faith communities, for example, contribute to assemblies. The school has established links with the Education Business Partnership, which runs workshops for Year 6 pupils. Good links with local secondary schools make a smooth transition from Year 6 to Year 7 and initial teacher training institutions regularly send students for teaching practice.

p.20

TO PUPILS?

Personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

p.20

TO PUPILS?

46. The provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is uniformly very good, an improvement since the last inspection. There are opportunities for Oaklands Primary - 21 reflection offered to pupils during assemblies and they are encouraged to express their feelings and responses to life and nature through creative writing, music and art. The school does not, however, provide a daily act of collective worship. Nevertheless, pupils are encouraged to explore religious beliefs and their impact on pupils’ lives. In a religious education lesson in Year 6, for example, pupils explored what it was like to be a Muslim. The teacher involved Muslim pupils in explaining their faith. In a Year 2 religious education lesson, led by a parent, pupils followed an act of Hindu worship with much enjoyment and respect.

p.20

TO PUPILS?

47. The school’s very good provision for spiritual development is enabling pupils to flourish and blossom in a climate of diversity. They are encouraged to be considerate to the needs of others by, for example, raising money for various charities. Pupils are also beginning to develop their own values and beliefs as well as an awareness of the values of other people. They develop an understanding of different religious beliefs and a respect for environmental issues. Displays celebrate pupils’ work and weekly achievement assemblies encourage pupils to reflect on their success and worth.

p.21

TO PUPILS?

48. Provision for moral and social development is very good. Personal, social and health education lessons, circle times and assemblies all contribute positively to pupils’ moral development. Assemblies have a strong moral and social theme and pupils are encouraged to participate in the resulting discussions. The pupils are becoming morally aware and this can be seen in the good behaviour in lessons, and is also reflected in the very good relationships throughout the school. Teachers ensure that pupils work together in pairs and small groups. All adults provide very good role models and help pupils to understand that they have rights and responsibilities. Pupils enter the school from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds. The school nurtures them very effectively and they work in harmony.

p.21

TO PUPILS?

49. Successful strategies are in place to reward good behaviour not just for individuals, but also for team efforts in class. Pupils are very keen to win the weekly ready for learning certificate. Trips and visits, including residential journeys for Years 3 and 6, make a very positive contribution to the pupils’ social development, and, for many, they are the high point of the year. The many high quality clubs organised by the school also offer pupils the chance to develop socially and to become confident pupils with good attitudes to learning.

p.21

TO PUPILS?

50. The school prepares its pupils very effectively for an ethnically and culturally diverse community. The overall provision for cultural development is very good with opportunities for pupils to experience and take part in a range of cultural events within music, art and literature. Pupils have taken part in music workshops and performed musicals such as Oliver . There are very good opportunities for working with visiting artists and sculptors. A sculptor from Uganda worked with Years 2 and 3 pupils to produce clay masks. Theatre groups are regular visitors; this year, a group presented extracts from Shakespeare. The school celebrates World Book Day when pupils dress up as a character from a book. In addition, all members of the school community, their values, customs and diversity are valued and used to enrich the pupils’ experiences. Pupils celebrate a variety of different festivals of the major world

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. The school’s arrangements for the support, care and guidance provided for pupils are now good, an improvement since the last inspection when they were described as satisfactory. All members of staff are aware of child protection procedures and the headteacher works closely with the appropriate authorities. A good level of awareness is maintained through regular staff meetings and the distribution of relevant literature. The school actively monitors and plans for the education of children who do not live with their immediate families. The school also provides and runs a successful after school club.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52. The systems that the school uses to assess pupils' attainment and progress are satisfactory overall. Procedures have been extended and improved since the last inspection, which identified them as an area for improvement. There are now satisfactory procedures for assessing pupils' attainment and progress in English, mathematics and science through national tests results at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 together with the results of optional tests in other years. Assessment arrangements in other subjects are in need of improvement. The school is aware that better use could be made of assessment information and is taking steps to improve its use in all areas of the curriculum.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

53. Children in the nursery and reception classes are assessed satisfactorily. These early test results and the results of annual tests are starting to be used to track pupils' progress as they move through the school. Test results are used to make predictions of the standards that groups and individual pupils will reach by the end of Year 6. As yet, however, the school has not developed target setting for pupils throughout the school.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

54. The school uses several national schemes of work and guidance but in some subjects these need to be adapted to meet the needs of all pupils. Overall, the information gained from assessment is not being used effectively to guide planning, with the result that teachers do not always match work well to the different needs of their pupils.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

55. The assessment co-ordinator has worked hard to begin the process of collecting and analysing data. Consequently, the results of optional tests and statutory tests are used to identify groups of pupils requiring additional support in, for example, mathematics and spelling. The information is also used to organise pupils into sets for English and mathematics in Years 5 and 6. However, the information gathered is not yet used to set National Curriculum level targets for individual pupils for the end of each school year so that teachers, pupils and parents have a clear view of what they should be aiming for.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

56. The assessment and tracking of the progress of pupils' with special educational needs has improved since the last inspection and is now good. Information is used to produce satisfactory individual education plans and pupil progress is monitored on a regular basis. A start has been made in analysing the response of pupils to different tasks and test questions to identify the strengths and weaknesses in their learning. As a result, each pupil has learning targets to improve their numeracy and literacy skills. This process needs to be applied to other areas of learning to ensure that all pupils are given work that is well matched to their attainment and that enables them to make suitable progress. Similarly, teachers’ weekly or daily planning needs to Oaklands Primary - 23 show that through marking and appropriate strategies such as questioning and observations during lessons, assessment is being used to track progress and guide planning.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

57. Assessment procedures for pupils who speak English as an additional language have also improved since the last inspection. The initial assessment is carried out effectively by the specialist teacher, who prepares profiles that carefully document salient background information, and includes guidance for teachers on how to work with them. Pupils' needs are carefully diagnosed and decisions are taken about whether pupils might benefit from intensive support in withdrawal groups or within the classroom. This information, together with learning targets identified by the specialist teacher, is, however, not always readily available in classes or used consistently to inform teachers’ planning. The school has effective induction procedures for pupils who speak English as an additional language, including refugees and those joining the school at various stages in their education. As a result, these pupils are settled quickly and are

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

fully integrated into the life of the school. This clearly contributes to the progress they make.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

58. Pupils’ personal development and arrangements for their care are good overall. There are satisfactory arrangements, supported by several members of the staff who have been trained in first aid, for helping sick children and those who have had mishaps. Some older pupils, however, would appreciate a greater degree of privacy in the medical room.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

59. There are well-established health and safety procedures with regular professional checks of fire prevention and physical education equipment. Following training, the caretaker regularly checks the safety of portable electrical appliances. The findings of regular audits of the school premises by staff and governors are formally recorded, but there is no regular health and safety item on the minutes of the governors’ sites and finance committee. The local authority recently undertook a comprehensive safety audit and the school is diligently addressing the points identified in this inspection. Since then the school has undertaken a risk assessment to recognise and evaluate all possible risks that might be encountered. A few minor points were raised during this inspection, which are now being addressed. A new fire alarm system is shortly to be installed which will improve communications between the two main blocks. In addition the school is aware

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

of problems associated with the poor state of the playground surface and is currently seeking an economical solution to the problem.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

60. Pupils’ own awareness of health and safety issues and their attitudes and relationships to others are fostered through weekly personal and social education lessons and informal gatherings during circle time. Pupils are able to raise their own issues and some use an anonymous feelings box to raise issues. Awareness has also been fostered through the healthy schools policy, which, for example, has encouraged healthy fruit snacks and water in classrooms.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

61. Whilst attendance remains below the national average for primary schools, it has improved significantly recently as a result of the school’s very good arrangements for monitoring and promoting attendance. Punctuality is good. Office staff record the few latecomers but follow up unexplained absences only after a couple of days. The educational welfare officer visits twice a term to review patterns of absence and the school uses a computer system that facilitates detailed analyses. There is a very well thought out reward system in which pupils are recognised for any improvement on their previous attendance records.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

62. Pupils’ behaviour is very well promoted through a behaviour policy that they understand well. Success is recorded and rewarded and pupils and their families kept informed. There is an emphasis on encouraging good behaviour, as opposed to sanctioning minor misdemeanours. Teachers manage behaviour very well. Individual and class successes are recognised at achievement assemblies. Pupils’ pleasure and pride in their own and their class’s success are evident.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

63. Class teachers and support staff set good examples for pupils through their own behaviour, spirit, and warm relationships, and these underpin all that the school does. Teachers monitor and assess personal development, and those pupils with difficulties who regularly have to use the school’s ‘time out’ system are supported and tracked. Information about their progress is given to their families. Oaklands Primary - 24 64. Pupils report no significant level of bullying, but any incidents are treated seriously and are investigated. All parties are involved in dealing with the problems; incidents are logged and parents consulted. During the inspection, there were plenty of play materials to keep pupils engaged in the playground and many clubs which involve pupils, before, during and after the school day. At break time some pupils were distributing the school newspaper, which they had helped to write, while others were handing out fruit – part of the healthy school initiative. Pupils

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

are given further responsibilities as they move up the school. They all enjoy numerous out-of- school trips and a residential visit that is made available to all in Years 3 and 6. Some pupils are elected to the school council that has just decided to start a suggestion box as well as consulting their classes before each meeting. Year 6 pupils have volunteered and are being trained to take part in a Friendship Group to help younger pupils at playtime. This very good provision helps develop pupils’ confidence, self-esteem and maturity.

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

65. The school provides very good information to parents, as it did at the last inspection, and parents’ involvement with the school is satisfactory. Replies to the inspection survey show that parents from all the communities it serves are generally supportive of the school. A significant minority, however, do not think that the school sets the right amount of homework or provides adequate extra activities for their children. Inspection evidence showed that the amount of homework was appropriate and that the range of extra-curricular activities was excellent, particularly for pupils in Years 3 to 6.

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

66. Almost all parents who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire and all those spoken to during the inspection, agree that their children are happy at school. The great majority of parents are positive about the school and consider it to be helping their children to become mature and responsible. Almost all feel it is open and all say that they are welcome to speak to staff at any time. Parents recognise that due to staff turnover the school has been through difficult times, but they are now optimistic about the future. Inspection findings confirm these positive views.

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

67. The information provided by the school is very good. Reports on their children’s progress give parents a very good picture of how they are doing and arrangements are made for parents and teachers to discuss the targets set for improvement. Weekly newsletters from the school are informative, useful and strike a good tone. An unusual and valued addition is an extra report that parents of newcomers to the school receive, describing how their children are settling in. The school takes care to ensure that translations of important information are made for those parents who would like them. Reading diaries and homework books are good means of communication between parents and teachers and parents say teachers respond to their comments. Whilst the school makes every effort to build a partnership with parents, a significant minority are yet to be fully involved in their children’s learning.

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

68. Parents of children with special educational needs or who speak English as an additional language are fully involved in discussing their individual education plans. The school ensures that they are kept fully informed of their children’s progress and of any concerns that arise.

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

69. The staff are actively involved in the school’s friends’ association, which raises useful funds, supports school events and contributes to the school’s sense of community. The Acorn group helps to maintain and improve the school grounds, planting an oak tree during this inspection with the help of pupils in the gardening club.

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

70. Almost all parents complete the home/school agreement when they attend the termly parents’ evenings. There are limited occasions in which parents may attend events such as festival assemblies. A growing number of parents and other volunteers come in and give valuable help to the pupils. The school is setting up a parents’ forum in which representatives of each year group can share information and communicate to others. The school has created a pleasant area where parents can meet. Oaklands Primary - 25

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

71. The headteacher’s outstanding leadership is the driving force behind the school’s determination to raise standards and provide a high quality of education for all its pupils, who come from a wide range of different backgrounds and have many different needs. In a relatively short period, he has established a stable staff after a period of uncertainty and has introduced a number of much needed changes, which have already resulted in raising standards. He also understands very well what remains to be done.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

72. The headteacher has the enthusiastic support of the deputy head, teachers and key governors, all of whom share his undoubted commitment to improvement. As a result, the overall leadership and management of the school are very good. The consistency of approach can be seen in all aspects of the school’s work, which is underpinned by a clear set of specific aims designed to promote the academic and personal development of pupils, which it is very largely meeting. The school’s commitment to social inclusion includes a clear stance on ensuring racial equality.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

73. The school’s success in meeting its targets for improvement depends to a large extent on the work done by all the staff, particularly the deputy head, in carrying out their responsibilities for the leadership and management of subjects and other areas of its provision. The leadership and management of most subjects are good: they are satisfactory in all others.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

74. With the exception of providing a daily act of collective worship, the governing body carries out its legal responsibilities and key governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They use this knowledge well in planning future developments. The governing body as a whole is having an increasing involvement in planning the school’s future.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

75. On his appointment the headteacher had to make a number of swift decisions. He, the deputy and local authority advisers monitored teaching and learning in English and mathematics. He has also introduced an effective system of peer observations, but the regularly monitoring of teaching and learning in all subjects is yet to be put in place. The monitoring that has taken place has been very effective in raising the quality of teaching throughout the school. The headteacher has taken steps to ensure that the school makes the best use of its talented teachers.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

76. Arrangements for performance management are well established and feed into staff development and the school improvement plan. This identifies all the necessary priorities for development, which set a clear and direct path to meet the school’s targets. The plan could be further improved if the success criteria were more specific and measurable.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

77. The school is also successful in raising extra resources from a number of different sources. All the monies available are used very well to meet the appropriate and well-framed educational priorities. The school and governors Oaklands Primary - 26 carefully monitor the budget to ensure that it meets these priorities. The expected surplus in 2002-2003 is to be used to maintain staffing levels. The school took effective action to meet the targets it set for the percentage of pupils to achieve the expected Level 4 or above in last year’s Year 6 national tests in English and mathematics.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

78. Newly qualified teachers and staff new to the school are given good support. The school has good arrangements with teacher training institutions and regularly offers places to students on their teaching practice. The school has a good match of staff to the needs of the curriculum, benefiting from the high number of skilled learning assistants, who work closely with teachers to support the learning of individuals and groups of pupils.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

79. There is good provision for pupils with special educational needs and the co- ordinator provides good management. Paper work is up-to-date, easily accessible and well known to all. The staff know the pupils in this large school well and meet their individual needs successfully. The funds available to support pupils with special educational needs are well used.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

80. The Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant is well used to provide specialist staffing. The school action plan for pupils who speak English as an additional language is detailed and focuses on strengthening the partnership between the specialist teacher and her classroom colleagues, which is already a strength of the school. More recent targets to strengthen cultural diversity were the result of consultations with governors, staff and pupils. Resources are clearly targeted on pupils' specific needs and are being constantly updated. Senior managers, and the headteacher in particular, have good knowledge and understanding of providing for pupils who speak English as an additional language; this is having a positive impact on the quality of provision and particularly on pupils' achievement.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

81. The building is dated and presents the school with considerable maintenance challenges. Despite this, the interior is bright, welcoming and well maintained by the caretaker and cleaning staff. The displays are particularly imaginative, and entertaining. They enhance the quality of the environment whilst providing stimulation and boosting the self-esteem of pupils. The exterior of the buildings is in need of a great deal of work, especially to window frames, the playground surface and some of the wire fencing.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

82. There have been significant improvements to the décor in the recent past, which are recognised by pupils and parents. The environmental area needs some further work and there is no area of grass in the main school or useable grassed space for children in the nursery. In addition the accommodation for reception children is cramped and there is no outdoor play area, which limits the school’s ability to cover the recommended early learning goal for physical development.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

83. The information technology suite is a significant improvement to the accommodation since the previous inspection, although there remains a need to reduce the glare on screens. The school makes good use of information and Oaklands Primary - 27 communication technology to support pupils’ learning and in the administration and management of the school. The library area is good, but not easily accessible for younger pupils whose classrooms are in other parts of the building. Resources generally are satisfactory. Whilst the lack of grassed areas affects the teaching of games, the school has forged good relations with other local schools and pupils are able to use their facilities. Activities for reception children are limited by the lack of equipment such as large wheeled vehicles and dressing-up materials. Oaklands Primary - 28

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to raise standards, the headteacher, staff and governors should:

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1. Improve achievement, particularly in English in Years 1 and 2*, by:

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring that all pupils with special educational needs and with English as an additional language have clearly identified targets for English within their individual educational plans, and that teachers integrate these targets into their planning of lessons in all subjects to meet the specific needs of these pupils; • improving pupils’ skills in spelling; • improving pupils’ speaking skills by planning speaking and listening opportunities more systematically to use their speech in other subjects; • increasing the use of ICT for drafting to improve writing. Paragraphs: 7, 92, 93, 95, 98.

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2. Improve the use of assessment information* by:

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• analysing national test results to establish pupils’ strengths and weaknesses; • setting individual targets that are specific to pupils’ individual learning needs and reviewing them regularly; • compiling a portfolio of annotated work in the subjects other than English, mathematics and science, which can be used to ensure consistent assessment criteria; • analysing data to identify specific groups of pupils and monitor their progress, and taking action to raise the standards of any group that is not achieving highly enough. Paragraphs: 9,52, 54-56, 103, 115, 118, 139, 158, 164, 172.

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3. Improve the monitoring of teaching and learning by ensuring that all subject leaders have sufficient time to observe lessons and monitor work in all subjects on a regular basis. * Paragraphs: 75, 118, 143, 150, 164, 180

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

4. Improve the Foundation Stage curriculum* by:

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• following the recommendations of the Foundations Stage curriculum guidance; • providing an outdoor play area with appropriate resources for reception classes; • improving the accommodation of the reception classes to allow all areas of learning to be taught; • providing additional support for pupils with English as an additional language. Paragraphs: 39, 83, 84, 90.

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The governors should also consider: Oaklands Primary - 29 • Ensuring that there is a daily act of collective worship suitable to the needs of the pupils; Paragraphs 46, 73

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensuring that success criteria in the school improvement plan focus clearly on raising standards and are easily measurable. Paragraphs: 76, 150

p.29

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensuring that the marking of pupils’ work is consistent and includes clear guidance on how pupils might improve. Paragraphs: 27, 56, 102, 113, 143

p.29

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

*The school has already identified these as areas for improvement.

p.29