Oakfield Primary School

Inspection Report Oakfield Primary School

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134867 Unique Reference Number North Lincolnshire Local Authority 294191 Inspection number 14 °15 September 2006 Inspection dates Chris Penter Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Morecambe Avenue School address Primary Type of school Scunthorpe Community School category DN16 3JF 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01724 842246 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01724 278657 Fax number 291 Number on roll (school) Mr Geoff Taylor Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Janice Szymonowicz Headteacher Not previously inspected Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 294191 14 °15 September 2006 4°11 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Oakfield Primary School is an average sized primary created in January 2005 by the amalgamation of an infant school, in which standards were well above average, with a junior school judged by Ofsted to be causing concern. It serves a mixed community with a high percentage of pupils living in rented accommodation. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is higher than the national average. The school is on two adjacent sites. Almost all the pupils are White British. Less than 2% of pupils have a statement of special educational needs, a proportion that is below the national average. There is no previous inspection report for this school and standardised attainment data is only available for 2005.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Oakfield Primary School, 14 °15 September 2006

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Grade: 2

In the short time that the new school has been in existence, it has made good progress, developed many good features and provides a good standard of education. Particularly successful has been the initiative to tackle the inadequate achievement of pupils in Years 3 to 6. Pupils now achieve satisfactorily by the time they leave school and attain broadly average standards. Although improvements have yet to fully impact on the results in national tests, inspectors are able to confirm that most pupils are now making good progress towards the challenging targets set for them. Children achieve well in the Foundation Stage, but there are insufficient opportunities for developing children’s independent learning through play and underdeveloped resources for outdoor learning. Oakfield is a happy and vibrant school which provides a bright, stimulating and welcoming place for pupils to work, socialise and play. One pupil said, ‘I like it because

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Grade: 2

my friends are here and I learn a lot’. Pupils behave well, are polite and respectful and feel safe and secure. They work hard and enjoy their lessons, particularly when they are learning by doing. The school is successful in developing confident young people who are able to make informed choices about living healthy lives, staying safe and understanding their place in the world. Teaching is consistently good and this ensures that most pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, make good progress. However, higher ability pupils in Years 1 and 2 need greater challenge to enable them to reach the higher levels of attainment. Teachers set targets that pupils understand and assess progress carefully and accurately providing not just praise and encouragement but clear advice on how to improve. This has created a ‘can do’ culture in which pupils feel their particular learning needs are being addressed.

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Grade: 2

The substantial achievement in bringing the two schools together and in creating a rapidly improving school is due in no small part to good leadership and management and the energy, commitment and effective teamwork of all staff. The leadership and direction provided by the headteacher is outstanding and she is ably supported by the governing body, senior team and subject coordinators. They examine school performance in all its aspects very carefully and take well judged actions to make things better. Parents are rightly very supportive indeed and appreciative of the progress the school has made. One parent commented: ‘My son’s head is always full of a lovely mixture of history, science and geography and his heart is full of consideration for others.’

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in Years 1 to 6, particularly for the more able pupils by the end of Year 2. • Develop the outdoor classroom and provide better opportunities for independent learning through play in the Foundation Stage. 2 Inspection Report: Oakfield Primary School, 14 °15 September 2006

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Grade: 3

The majority of pupils enter the school with standards that are around or below average and by the time they leave standards remain around or below average. This represents satisfactory achievement when the legacy of significant underachievement in Years 3 to 6 inherited through the amalgamation is taken into account. Children make good progress in the Foundation Stage. By the end of Year 2, pupils also make good progress except too few of them attain the higher levels in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Good provision has been put in place and pupils are now making good progress in Years 3 to 6. Standards in national tests have risen since 2005 and most pupils achieve at or just below nationally expected levels. It is too early to confidently identify a trend, but the school’s own very robust tracking systems indicate that progress continues to accelerate across the school and standards continue to rise. With the

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Grade: 3

exception of higher ability pupils in Years 1 and 2, all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are now making good progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good, as is their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Assemblies give time for reflection and link into broadly Christian themes. Good displays, visitors, multicultural days and links with a school in China ensure that pupils develop good awareness of and tolerance for different cultures. Behaviour is good both inside and outside the classroom and pupils show care and consideration for each other. They know how to stay safe and healthy and appreciate the efforts made by the school to keep them safe and promote healthy eating and exercise. Pupils clearly enjoy their lessons because they feel actively involved in their own learning and share their teachers’ enthusiasm for the subject. Attendance is satisfactory but the school has clear strategies to engage the small number of families causing concern. Year 6 pupils take on extensive responsibilities by acting as ‘buddies’

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Grade: 2

to younger pupils and organising the effective school council. There is good provision to acquire skills for later life through ample opportunities for cooperative work in the classroom, extensive external links and a focus on the development of literacy and numeracy skills.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good because teachers have high expectations and pupils respond positively and with enjoyment to the range and variety of the challenges set for them. It is clear that everyone is working together to maximise what goes on in the classroom towards the common goal of raising standards. This is demonstrated by 3 Inspection Report: Oakfield Primary School, 14 °15 September 2006 the level of consistency seen in good planning, marking and assessment. The high profile given to monitoring and evaluating the work of staff and the effective sharing of good practice also contributes to ensuring that teaching is of good quality. Teachers ensure that lessons are generally well matched to the individual needs of pupils and make good use of assessment data in planning a variety of activities to challenge all pupils. As a result, the rate at which most pupils make progress is accelerating with

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Grade: 2

the exception of some more able pupils in Years 1 and 2. Pupils behave well and respond enthusiastically, particularly when given opportunities to take an active part in their learning. They understand their targets, know how to improve their work and how to ask for support. Teaching assistants are generally well deployed.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good because it offers a richer range of opportunities than required by the national curriculum. For example yoga, aerobics, French and ‘Young Enterprise’ activities are all available. The Foundation Stage curriculum covers all the required areas of learning but does not provide sufficient structure to play activities. The recent significant developments in information and communication technology (ICT) and its use in other subjects, has an increasingly positive impact on standards. A good programme of personal, social and health education supports the development of healthy lifestyles, good behaviour, socialisation skills and concern for others and underpins the school’s commitment to pupils’ enjoyment and well-being. A strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy throughout the school is now beginning to raise standards. The school provides a wide range of enrichment activities including themed

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Grade: 2

events such as ‘Islam Day’, sport, music, art and drama. Strong links with business and industry, such as engineering with a local steel company, the school’s involvement in a project entitled ‘Children Challenging Industry’ run by a local frozen food company or study support with the local football club promote enterprise skills and economic awareness. Curriculum provision for all groups of learners is equally good.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good with some outstanding features, particularly the scheme to help pupils overcome personal problems in their life which may adversely affect their progress and emotional development. The school has taken all the necessary steps to ensure that the safety of pupils and child protection procedures are firmly in place. The tracking of pupils’ progress and the setting of challenging targets which are shared with and understood by the pupils is a strong feature and provides a good platform to accelerate progress and lever up standards. Pupils are constantly aware of how they are progressing and what they need to do to improve. Pupils who need extra help with their learning are quickly identified and receive extra support, for example in ‘booster’ sessions. Teachers are increasingly using the results of assessment to inform their planning and pupils are routinely asked to assess their own and each

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Grade: 2

other’s work. The provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities 4 Inspection Report: Oakfield Primary School, 14 °15 September 2006 meets their needs well. The full effect of the good guidance and support has yet to be reflected in a rise in standards in national tests.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. This is because an effective senior team was put in place following the amalgamation and they are now strongly supported by subject coordinators who have a clear understanding of the challenges facing the school and the necessary skills to drive improvement. The leadership provided by the headteacher is outstanding. She has worked tirelessly to bring together two quite different schools and tackle a legacy of underachievement in Years 3 to 6. She has a clear vision which is shared by all and an overriding focus upon raising standards through effective teamwork. Robust and effective systems have been put in place to monitor teaching and learning, track progress, set challenging targets and support achievement through clear assessment. These are already helping to increase the rate at which pupils make progress. School self-evaluation is thorough and takes account of the views of both parents and pupils. In particular, analysis of pupils’ performance

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Grade: 2

provides strong evidence for the success of initiatives to accelerate progress and drive up standards. The chair of governors is highly visible around the school, knowledgeable about the school and well able to act as a critical friend. The relatively new governing body is increasingly involved in monitoring the work of the school and is prepared to question new initiatives or current procedures. Finances are carefully managed and resources well deployed to support school priorities. School leaders at all levels exhibit a passion for improvement, a clear understanding of future priorities and a drive and optimism which demonstrate good capacity to improve. 5 Inspection Report: Oakfield Primary School, 14 °15 September 2006 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Oakfield Primary School, 14 °15 September 2006

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: Oakfield Primary School, 14 °15 September 2006

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Oakfield Primary School, 14 °15 September 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

19 September 2006 The Pupils Oakfield Primary School Morecambe Avenue Scunthorpe DN16 3JF Dear Pupils We really enjoyed our visit to your school and would like to thank you for being so cheerful, polite and helpful. Particular thanks to those of you who gave up your lunchtime to talk to us about your life at school. We think you are lucky to be in a school that cares so much about you and plans carefully to help you enjoy your lessons and do well. You receive good teaching and you work hard in lessons and particularly enjoy learning by doing things. This means that you are becoming better at learning all the time. We liked the way you get on well with each other and help each other if you can. You all do your very best to behave well and appreciate the ways in which the school helps you to stay healthy and safe. A few of you need to come to school more regularly. Oakfield provides lots of opportunities to involve yourselves in extra activities like aerobics,

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

sport and music and many of you take part. Mrs Szymonowicz is an excellent headteacher and she, and all the staff are eager to continue improving your school. She will need your help to do this and the school council will continue to play an important part. The school is going to continue to support you to achieve the best that you are able. You can help by paying attention to the areas where teachers tell you what you need to improve and by working hard to reach your targets. We have asked your teachers to provide more challenging work for some of you, particularly by the end of Year 2 and to provide more support to help the youngest children learn through play. Keep up your good efforts. We wish you good luck for the future. Yours sincerely CHRIS PENTER Lead inspector 9 Inspection Report: Oakfield Primary School, 14 °15 September 2006

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