1OAKHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL |

MAGAZINE EDITION

Dr Philip Jones, Head teacher

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Oakham’s core purpose as a school is to provide a learning-centred environment in which children can thrive and develop intellectually, emotionally, socially

and physically. Its aim is to foster an atmosphere within the school that prizes intellectual and academic development as central elements to a successful and enriching school experience. Head teacher Dr Phillip Jones strives to promote positive traits, such as cooperation and hard work, while striving to ensure that all pupils at Oakham leave the school with a love of learning that will inspire them for years to come.

Getting to where we are now has been an extensive journey of continuous

improvement and consolidation, focused on improving children’s learning

experiences by elevating standards across the board.

The journey began in earnest with the development of a clear and shared view of

learning to influence teaching and future improvements. Our definition recognises

learning as a reflective and interactive activity, allowing a learner to build upon prior

knowledge and experience to formulate new knowledge, skills, and understanding.

This avoids many of the “fashionable” pseudo-scientific methods of teaching which

I have encountered during my 17 years of being a head teacher, providing a basis

for a clarity of understanding that allows teachers to create a purposeful learning

environment conducive to academic progression. Our supportive and positive ethos

is reflected through the excellent learning attitudes of our pupillage and their thirst

for knowledge.

REPORT CARD OAkHAm PRImARy SCHOOl

» Head teacher: Dr Philip Jones

» Founded in 1939

» Based in Tividale, Sandwell

» local authority maintained primary school

» 483 students

» National support school

» Ofsted Rating: Outstanding (June, 2013)

» www.oakhamprimary.org.uk

Oakham Primary School

THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW

Highlighting best practice

2 | OAKHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL

The outcome of our adaptations has

culminated in children making good

progress during their time at Oakham.

While standards are not merely about

key Stage 2 results, they remain to be

the measures by which we are judged.

At Oakham, children progress from

very low entry baselines to be well

above national levels upon leaving.

Our 2017 results place us in the top 1

per cent for progress in maths and the

top 2 per cent for reading progress,

while we have been within the top

5 per cent for progress nationally

for many years. Within these results,

our disadvantaged children have

made equally good progress at rates

significantly above national levels. They

are situated within the top 2 per cent

for reading and the top 3 per cent for

maths nationally, emblematic of their

stark improvements that have been

fortified through adequate teaching

and adept leadership.

Our local authority is the 13th most

deprived out of 326 – based on the

2015 “Indices of Deprivation”. At a time

when austerity and declining education

funding places even greater pressure

on schools, never has leadbeater’s

notion of “living on thin air” been

more apt than in the current climate.

In such a climate, the importance of

high quality teaching is vital. Our aim

is to keep things as straightforward as

possible.

Teaching involves a clear

understanding of what children need

to learn, devising the best way of

doing this and then putting it into

practice. Whilst the development of

knowledge and skills is important,

their application is equally as

significant as children acquire greater

understanding. learning is active in

the sense that children are expected to

think not merely to be rushing around

“busily”. Whilst some consistencies

are required, good teaching must take

account of, and allow for, individuality

and creativity. It cannot be about a

“non-negotiable” formulaic approach

as it requires elements of improvisation

and compromise to achieve the best

results. Teachers concentrate on

planning and preparing next steps,

with marking kept to a minimum.

They recognise the importance of early

intervention through immediate verbal

feedback and believe that this is better

than written distance marking. In such

a scenario, assessment plays a vital

role, as the identification of “what is

currently known” allows the next steps

in learning to be made. Assessment

at Oakham is seen as a continuous

process integral to the learning cycle,

certainly one that isn’t mired in

pointless numerical data collection and

endlessly systematic tick boxes.

In sustaining the drive for our

continued improvement, we have

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Teaching involves a clear understanding of what children need to learn, devising the best way of doing this and then putting it into practice

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MAGAZINE EDITION

3OAKHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL |

taken a view that a steady approach

is best, finding out what works well

and sticking at it, modifying along

the way to improve processes and

accommodate relevant changes. We

consult and duly reference academic

studies in generating sound and

reputable methods of teaching, which

are generally adapted and customised

throughout the course of their

integration within our syllabus. We

have learned that there are very few

“off the shelf” solutions in existence,

but there are many glib notions with

little substance.

Our School Improvement Plan (SIP)

does not suffer from a lack of longevity

or failure to finish associated with

initiative overload, but it concentrates

primarily on ensuring ideas and

developments take hold and become

embedded in practice. Therefore, the

SIP is to the point and is concise not

congested, allowing responsiveness

and flexibility. Consequently, our plan

maintains our attention on what we

know works and is important – our

strategic intent – while addressing

the secondary issue of constantly

changing external demands. In this

way, we maintain a concentration

on what is important and not merely

what becomes urgent, thereby

generating sustainability.

A key part of our improvement is the acquisition and retention of staff. With teacher shortages increasingly impacting the education sector, we have taken the view that it is better to train staff in-house rather than outsource and have taken on a school direct role leading the training of new teachers. This, in addition to the persistent enhancement of existing staff, means that there is a positive climate of professional development with all staff being given the necessary time to develop. As such, staff meetings are focused upon pedagogy as far as possible, with staff happy to discuss and share ideas and thoughts or ask questions, seeking clarification and further knowledge around concepts. This means as little time as possible is wasted on simple organisational or administrative issues that can be dealt with more simply.

At Oakham, we have created a learning culture that recognises the importance of learner agency, where the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills, alongside making learning a conscious object of attention, enables children to do well. By keeping things simple and maintaining a distinct focus on what matters, with a clear approach to teaching and learning our foremost priority, the raising of standards will undoubtedly follow.

A key part of our improvement is the acquisition and retention of staff

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