Ofsted conducted a short inspection of Oakley Church of England Combined School on 25 June 2019, following its previous judgment of good in December 2015. The inspection confirmed that the school continues to maintain a good quality of education. The leadership team, under the new headteacher Caroline Witton, has provided stability and a clear vision for the school community, ensuring that all stakeholders are aligned with the goal of helping pupils achieve their potential. While the school has made significant progress, there is recognition that some pupils, particularly the most able in mathematics, could achieve even better outcomes. The leadership team is actively addressing this issue with the support of dedicated staff.
The school has established strong relationships with parents, carers, and the wider community, reflecting its Christian ethos. Parents express high satisfaction with the school's care for pupils, and students feel proud to be part of the school. They demonstrate good behavior, work hard, and appreciate the supportive environment created by the staff. Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities, such as being school councillors or helping younger students, which fosters a sense of community and care among them.
In terms of academic performance, the school’s attainment in reading, writing, and mathematics aligns with national figures, and recent assessments indicate improvement. The previous inspection highlighted strengths in education quality, teaching, and governance, which have been maintained and further developed. The school has improved its monitoring of teaching, providing valuable feedback to staff, which has enhanced accountability for pupil progress. Additionally, there has been a focus on improving handwriting and presentation, with noticeable progress in pupils' work.
Safeguarding practices are robust, with a strong culture of safety established since the new headteacher's appointment. The school prioritizes safeguarding, ensuring that all staff understand their responsibilities. Pupils feel safe and supported, with effective policies and procedures in place. The designated safeguarding lead collaborates with external agencies to provide necessary support for pupils and their families.
The inspection focused on the quality of mathematics teaching, as previous data indicated weaker outcomes in this subject compared to reading and writing. Most pupils are making good progress in mathematics, with effective teaching of number concepts. However, opportunities for reasoning and problem-solving, especially for the most able pupils, need further enhancement. The provision for the most able pupils in reading and writing is improving, with increased opportunities for complex texts and writing tasks that challenge their skills.
Phonics instruction is well-organized and mostly effective, although there is room for improvement in follow-up activities to enhance pupil progress. The school is encouraged to ensure that all pupils, particularly the most able, have opportunities to deepen their learning in mathematics and to build on their phonics knowledge effectively. Overall, the inspection findings indicate that Oakley Church of England Combined School is on a positive trajectory, with clear next steps identified for continued improvement.
