Oakwood Infant and Nursery School

Overview

Oakwood Infant and Nursery School continues to be a good school, where pupils enjoy learning and feel safe. Leaders have maintained high expectations and provided an effective curriculum, ensuring that any gaps in learning from the pandemic are rapidly closing. The school fosters a calm environment where pupils work well together and receive strong support for their academic and personal development.

Strengths

• Pupils describe learning as "fun" and are "keen to answer questions," achieving well in most areas of the curriculum.
• Reading is a high priority; staff are well trained in phonics, and pupils develop a "love of reading" with books well matched to their progress.
• There is "effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities," allowing them to access the same curriculum as their peers.
• Behaviour is described as "calm," with pupils feeling confident to talk to adults if they have problems and knowing there is "no bullying."
• Leaders have implemented strategies to reduce staff workload, which is "starting to have a positive impact" on well-being.

Areas to improve

• Senior leaders should ensure new subject leaders support teachers in planning lesson sequences that help pupils "learn and remember more" as they progress.
• Governors need to identify appropriate training to better evaluate how the curriculum is implemented and hold leaders to account more effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with "robust and highly effective systems" in place to ensure all pupils are safe.