Inspection of a good school: Oldhill Community School

Outcome

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well here. They show positive attitudes to learning and are respectful towards others. Staff encourage pupils to value and celebrate difference. Pupils understand what bullying is. They know how to report any incidences that might arise. Staff resolve any problems quickly and this makes pupils feel safe and well cared for.

Leaders value pupils’ opinions. For example, members of the school council thought of ways to improve the playground. They listened to ideas from their classmates and worked together with leaders to generate clear playground rules to make playtimes even better.

Pupils have regular opportunities to learn about and celebrate events from different cultures such as Eid, Chinese New Year and Easter. These opportunities help pupils to understand and respect people with different beliefs and customs.

Leaders provide a range of clubs including gardening, cheerleading and cooking club. These activities support pupils to develop their talents and pursue their interests.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Those pupils who find phonics difficult receive additional support. However, sometimes adults intervene too quickly when pupils are reading and, on occasions, decode for them.

Leaders have put a well-structured curriculum in place that meets the requirements of the national curriculum. They have identified what they want pupils to learn, and this is broken down into logical steps. For example, in Year 5, pupils can round decimals to the nearest whole number because they have previously been taught about place value. However, in a few subjects, the curriculum is not followed as leaders have set out. This means that some pupils do not learn the key concepts and knowledge that leaders have identified so that they are ready for the next steps in their learning.

Teachers, including those who teach in the early years, have access to effective training. This enables them to teach with confidence. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and explain concepts clearly so that pupils understand new content securely. Teachers address pupils’ misconceptions and provide support effectively.

Leaders and teachers adapt learning so that pupils get the most out of their lessons. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive support so that they can access learning. Leaders work effectively with outside agencies such as speech and language therapists and educational psychologists, who provide support and guidance for teachers and teaching assistants. Teachers ensure that pupils with SEND develop independence through practice.

Leaders and teachers have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils show positive attitudes when learning and know what is expected of them. This means that the curriculum can be taught without interruption. Staff help pupils to understand and regulate their feelings, including children in the early years.

Personal, social, health and economic education is well structured. Leaders aim for pupils to become responsible and respectful citizens. Pupils are taught about the importance of diversity and individual liberty. They value and explore others’ views. For example, pupils discuss and debate whether Olive Morris was more successful as an activist than those who led the Bristol Bus Boycott in 1963. Lessons across the curriculum help pupils to understand how to identify risks, and how to recognise healthy and unhealthy relationships. Pupils learn about democracy through voting in school council elections.

Leaders have created a caring environment for pupils and staff. Staff are very proud to work here. They value the care and assistance they receive from senior leaders to support their well-being and workload.

Safeguarding

Safer recruitment procedures are followed and all the required pre-employment checks are carried out.

Leaders invite visiting speakers to talk to pupils about the importance of keeping safe within and beyond school. This supports pupils’ understanding of how to keep safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, some teachers are not tightly following leaders’ intended curriculum. This means that some pupils are not able to learn the key skills and knowledge that leaders intend. Leaders should make sure that teachers are closely following the intended curriculum so pupils acquire the knowledge and skills that they want pupils to know and remember.
• Sometimes, adults working with weaker readers intervene too quickly and blend sounds for them. As a result, pupils have less time to practise their phonics skills and they do not make as much progress as they should in learning to read. Leaders should ensure that staff support pupils effectively when they are practising their reading.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

How can I feed back my views?

Further information

premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route.

School details

Unique reference number

100244

Local authority

Hackney

Inspection number

10269104

Type of school

School category

Age range of pupils

Gender of pupils

Number of pupils on the school roll

Appropriate authority

Chair of governing body

Headteacher

Website

Date of previous inspection

Education Act 2005

Information about this school

• The school has specially resourced provision for pupils with autistic spectrum disorder. There are currently ten pupils enrolled in this provision.
• The school runs a breakfast and after-school club.
• The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

Information about this inspection

• This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.
• The inspector held meetings with the headteacher and members of the senior leadership team to discuss school development.
• The inspector met with representatives of the governing body. She also met with a representative of the local authority.
• The inspector scrutinised a wide range of documents, including those related to safeguarding, pupils’ personal development and behaviour.

• The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at pupils’ work.
• The inspector also spoke to leaders and looked at samples of pupils’ work in science and history.
• The views of parents and carers and staff were also considered, including through Ofsted’s surveys.
• The inspector reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising records and through discussions with pupils and staff.
• The inspector reviewed a wide variety of documentation provided by the school. This included leaders’ self-evaluation, curriculum information and school policies.

Inspection team

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