Blidworth Oaks Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to this warm and welcoming village school.

The school is determined that all pupils will achieve well. While published outcomes at the end of key stage 2 in 2024 were below national expectations, the school does provide an effective education for pupils. Pupils are catching up more quickly than previously because of the effectiveness of the school's revised curriculum.

There are high expectations for behaviour. Right from the Nursery Year, children learn to cooperate, take turns, play purposefully with each other and be responsible. Pupils conduct themselves very well.

They are polite, kind and respectful towards others. Younger pupils bene...fit from the excellent role models that older pupils provide in following the school's well-established routines. This helps to make the school a safe and happy place for everyone.

The school's values of 'aspiration, inspiration, responsibility, resilience, inclusion and respect' link to every aspect of school life. Pupils know these values and are proud to earn values points when they demonstrate them in school. They speak with confidence about the importance of inclusion.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of after-school clubs in the 'BOPZone' to nurture their talents and interests. They make good use of these.

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

The school has undertaken a review of the curriculum and the way in which this is taught.

The curriculum has been designed carefully to include the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn. Consequently, many pupils are now achieving well. However, these improvements have not been in place for long enough to be reflected fully in the published outcomes at the end of key stage 2.

Children get off to a flying start in the early years. Children are very well cared for. They access a high-quality curriculum that is delivered expertly by staff.

As a result, children in the early years make good gains in their development.

In some subjects, the school's checks on learning effectively identify how well pupils have learned key knowledge. However, in some other subjects, these checks focus on recent learning and do not enable staff to determine how securely pupils remember knowledge in the longer term.

This makes it difficult for the school to ensure pupils develop a depth of knowledge over time.

The school quickly identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff take the time to understand these individual needs and make appropriate adaptations, such as the use of physical resources where needed.

Consequently, pupils with SEND successfully access the same curriculum as their peers.

The school prioritises reading. Children in the early years enjoy a curriculum that is rich in songs and rhymes.

Staff role play and retell familiar tales to foster children's love of stories from the very start. Pupils who are learning to read benefit from high-quality phonics teaching. Regular checks on the sounds pupils have been taught identify any pupils who fall behind.

These pupils are quickly given the help they need to catch up. Consequently, published outcomes for phonics are strong. Staff teach pupils the skills they need to be fluent readers.

There is variation in how well handwriting is taught. This means that some pupils do not secure foundational skills in handwriting, such as accurate letter formation, well enough.

Pupils demonstrate a willingness to work hard and engage eagerly in their learning.

They show high levels of focus during lesson time and do not disrupt the learning of others. They move around the classroom and the school quietly and calmly. The school has a sharp eye on any pupil absences.

It works with families to make sure that pupils attend regularly. This means that pupils do not miss out on their education.

Pupils benefit from a broad personal development offer.

They develop an age-appropriate understanding of relationships and how to keep healthy. They enjoy trips to enrich the curriculum, such as to a nearby wildlife park and to London. These increase pupils' awareness of the world around them.

Pupils have an excellent range of opportunities to develop their leadership skills. For example, eco captains, sports captains and house captains. These encourage and develop pupils' organisation skills and sense of responsibility.

The trust and local governing body have strong oversight of the school's work. The trust uses its knowledge effectively to provide appropriate support and challenge. School leaders make decisions in the best interests of pupils.

Staff appreciate the strategies in place to reduce their workload and support their well-being. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the school's assessment systems do not enable staff to check that pupils have remembered key knowledge over time. This makes it difficult for the school to determine how securely pupils remember knowledge in the longer term and to evaluate the impact of the curriculum in the longer term. The school and trust should ensure that assessment systems are effective in checking that pupils are developing a depth of knowledge over time across the curriculum.

• There is variation in how well handwriting is taught. This means that some pupils do not secure foundational skills in handwriting, such as accurate letter formation, well enough. The school and trust should work with staff to improve teaching in this area so that all pupils can write well.