Oasis Academy Fir Vale has achieved the Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence status.
Incredible Journey of Improvement
Oasis Academy Fir Vale is a highly inclusive 2-form entry primary school in the Fir Vale area of Sheffield. The school has been purposely built in a disadvantaged locality to ensure optimal impact for the children, families and community they serve. The vast majority of children attending Oasis Academy Fir Vale have EAL or are new to English; 94.3% EAL and 81.5% are new to English/Early Language acquisition. In 2023, 80% of in-year starters were new to English or EAL. 66% of children are of a Roma cultural background from Slovakia; the remainder are from a range of ethnic heritages, thus providing a wonderfully rich social and cultural tapestry. In addition, 70% of children attending are eligible for Pupil Premium funding and 27% of children have SEND. On average there is 40% mobility across the school.
Oasis Academy Fir Vale has been on an incredible journey of improvement since becoming an Oasis Academy in 2014. As a collective, all stakeholders are extremely proud of the progress and achievements made so far, yet demonstrate boundless enthusiasm and energy, open-mindedness and aspiration coupled with a forensic approach to identifying long, medium and short-term aims. They utilise staff and stakeholder strengths which have already proved to have been pivotal in the transformational journey of the school. These aspects have been driven by the determined approach of all staff recognising and positively embracing the changes, actively engaging with the strategies, training and opportunities available. Every member of the school community exhibits an unwavering commitment to the children, school and community underpinned and framed by a deep rooted ethos championing both equity and equality for all. This was recognised and celebrated in the most recent Ofsted Inspection of 2021, “The Oasis ethos… supports pupils to be able to thrive in modern society”.
Warmly Welcomed Into the Community
During the Ofsted Inspection of 2021, Oasis Academy Fir Vale celebrated an outcome of ‘good’ with outstanding features. Significant strengths were recognised in leadership and in teaching and learning, which ultimately impacts positively on outcomes in the widest sense for all children, “leaders and staff provide exceptional opportunities to support pupils’ personal development”.
From arrival and taking their first step into the Fir Vale family, our Assessor felt warmly welcomed into the community. Subsequently, when meeting leaders, staff and children, it became clear that the Fir Vale ethos underpins, permeates and shapes every aspect of school life, “it is what we believe and who we are, a set of values that inform and provide the lens on everything we do”.
All staff, parents and carers, Oasis Community Learning Leaders, and children ‘buy in’ to the inclusive culture. Classroom environments and corridors are inviting, aligned and bespoke to need, purposeful and celebratory. Examples include Young Leaders, Attendance, Outdoor Learning, Zones of Regulation, Emotions Tree, Oasis Academy Fir Vale Experience Trail, Mental Health, Worry Monsters and Sensory Circuits. Every class door proudly appreciates the languages spoken within each class (including staff). There are 39 languages spoken across the school and over 65% of the staff team have dual language skills and talents.
Every area, alcove and space has been utilised to drive the children’s engagement and immersion in language, oracy and reading. High-quality resources are attractively displayed to inspire oracy and language development. A language-rich environment with a stunning library area central to the school reception highlights the importance placed upon reading, language acquisition and development. There are opportunities to practise, rehearse, question and respond alongside high-quality teaching of phonics and EAL bespoke support, delivered both in classrooms and in newly resourced breakout areas.
Detailed Knowledge and Understanding
What is clearly evident is the detailed knowledge and understanding the staff has of every child to ensure that learning opportunities are maximised which, in turn, enables children to be engaged fully in their learning, achieve and succeed.
The staff spoke with admiration of the Principal, stating wholeheartedly that she is “inspirational” and “unmatchable”. Her calm demeanour determines the calm approach of all staff. The highly skilled, determined, and dedicated Leadership Team so effectively recruited, demonstrate a deep commitment to love, support and encourage, ensuring that all stakeholders recognise learning in all its forms and are committed to nurturing lifelong learners demonstrating a powerful resilience to ensuring that as a learning community, the aspects of daily life they value the most are appreciated and cherished.
The recruitment of like-minded individuals who articulated so strongly their “sense of belonging to the Fir Vale community family”, staff commitment and strength of purpose were captured within two separate discussions, “Emotionally invested. Stay a week. Stay forever” and “Came as supply, found a home”. These quotes epitomise why Oasis Academy Fir Vale is exceptional in meeting the needs of their diverse community when staff are so emotionally invested in their relationships, roles and responsibilities to fully support the community. The Principal has created, alongside her inspiring leaders and staff who are driven, motivated and have an equally clear, ambitious vision for Oasis Academy Fir Vale; they are all unwavering in achieving it.
Staff Work Tirelessly
Staff describe themselves as “a family” and work collaboratively to support the children and their families. In all meetings, it was evident that the staff’s commitment to their roles extends way beyond the classroom. There is a collective responsibility amongst the staff to look after the children and give them the best Oasis Academy Fir Vale experience possible. This is evident in the establishment of the ‘Fir Vale Experience Trail’ which highlights a wide range of experiences the school wishes all children to have exposure to each year they attend the Fir Vale.
Examples include visit a place of worship, watch a live performance, build a den, make a healthy packed lunch, take part in a residential stay (Kingswood, Willow Farm), work with an artist and meet a writer. All adults who work in the school are kind, caring, nurturing, motivated and highly proactive. Staff work tirelessly to support their children and are happy to do so due to the respect shown and the feeling of being valued and appreciated by leaders and parents/carers. This was unanimous in all discussions. Staff articulated the supportive systems in place, the open-door policy and the “sense of togetherness” they feel as they know they have support, we have “always got each other’s backs”. All staff members are willing to “go above and beyond”.
It is evident through the documentation completed by the Assistant Principal, the Designated Leader of Inclusion, Equality and Wellbeing, that leaders know their academy well and can provide detailed and extensive evidence to demonstrate their effectiveness. There is a rigorous cycle of monitoring, evaluation and review of teaching and learning, provision and practice, identifying any gaps where actions are then quickly taken to ensure it is continuously improving – a proactive approach.
Leaders have noted, similarly to most children nationally, that the pandemic has had a detrimental impact on attendance and emotional wellbeing. To support the increase in the number of children who need support for their emotional and mental health, the academy has prioritised the establishment of a mental health and wellbeing accredited emotionally available adult within the school whom our Assessor had the pleasure of speaking with. Our Assessor observed her sensitive, well-informed approach to supporting a child with grief and loss. The record book of sessions undertaken was a joy to observe. Our Assessor also had the privilege of observing the fantastic work of the Pastoral Lead: Lego therapy, boxing after school club and the whole school assembly. The nurturing, calm manner in which the children were encouraged to communicate, collaborate and work together demonstrated the high level of respect and the trusting relationship built over time between practitioner and child.
Children’s Wellbeing
Regarding attendance, the school has prioritised the appointment of an experienced Senior Leader with responsibility for Attendance and Behaviour. The team of ‘attendance staff’ led by an extremely proactive Attendance Officer/Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) in partnership with the EAL Leader has built strong, trusting relationships with families within the community. They are all often seen out and about within the community, undertaking wake-up calls, home visits and generally supporting families in ensuring children arrive safely at the academy where every child is welcomed with a warm breakfast. These are such vital and valuable roles in building strong, trusting relationships between home and school.
All staff fully recognise and appreciate that children’s wellbeing needs should be met before they are ready to learn with several staff throughout the day referencing Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. The staff know their children and families well. This holistic knowledge of the children aids the strong relationships all leaders and staff form with their community. Positivity radiates throughout the school. Everyone spoken to during the assessment visit has a positive outlook. The staff, children, parents/carers and all stakeholders are motivated to work very much together to find solutions to any issues they face. As one parent shared, “we are always learning something new here”.
Find out more about the IQM Inclusive School Award
If your school is interested in obtaining the IQM Inclusive School Award or you wish to talk to a member of the IQM team please telephone:
028 7127 7857 (9.00 am to 5.00 pm)
or email: admin@iqmaward.com for further details.
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