Oaklands Infant School

Overview

Pupils “thrive” at this infant school, supported by “warm and supportive staff” and an “ambitious curriculum” that fosters curiosity and confidence. The report highlights “exemplary” classroom behaviour and high attendance, though it notes that positive conduct is not consistently maintained outside lessons.

Strengths

• The curriculum is “well-designed,” with leaders skilfully adapting it to meet pupil needs, ensuring even those with lower starting points “achieve highly.”
• Staff possess “strong subject knowledge” and use “effective questioning” to check understanding, supporting disadvantaged pupils in grasping language quickly.
• The phonics programme is “well-developed” and taught with consistency, enabling pupils to become “confident, fluent readers.”
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from “high-quality learning” and tailored support in a “supportive, well-considered environment.”
• Personal development is “well-developed,” helping pupils become “well-rounded individuals” who value respect for differences and community engagement.

Areas to improve

• The school must ensure staff “consistently address any behaviour not in line with the school’s high expectations” outside the classroom, as pupils do not always uphold these standards in corridors or playgrounds.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”