Oakwood Infant School

Overview

Pupils “flourish at this happy and welcoming school,” where leaders and staff maintain high ambitions for every child’s learning and personal development. The report highlights that children get off to an “excellent start in Reception,” building a secure foundation for their future progress. Overall, the school is judged as ‘Good’ for overall effectiveness, with ‘Outstanding’ ratings for personal development and early years provision.

Strengths

• Children in Reception receive a high-quality start, with staff prioritising communication skills and adapting the curriculum to individual needs.
• Reading is a strong focus, supported by a “well-sequenced phonics programme” and effective support for struggling readers, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Pupils demonstrate resilience and school values, understanding that “mistakes are a part of learning” and showing respect for others.
• Personal development is a top priority, with disadvantaged pupils directly benefiting from targeted support and opportunities to contribute to the community.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff receiving high-quality training and reporting concerns swiftly.

Areas to improve

• Leaders need to complete the process of reviewing the curriculum in all subjects, as it is “not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in a few subjects.”
• In some foundation subjects, staff do not accurately check pupils’ learning, meaning pupils do not secure their learning well enough; leaders should ensure consistent checking of retained knowledge.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with leaders providing high-quality training to help staff notice when pupils may be at risk and acting promptly to ensure they receive necessary help.