Oasis Putney Looks CAN deceive

[ParentFather]

A lovely spanking new school, great facilities and right IN a common, what cold possibly go wrong?
Well an obsession with Ofsted for starters. The school are so keen on ticking boxes that they've forgotten why they are there. Although they profess to care about a child's development its a big porky pie. Not long ago they sent out an email thanking parents for sending their children to school even though they weren't well. It boosts the attendance statistics they are obsessed with.
Almost weekly a parent has taken away a child from the school.
Despite being ON the common you will find far more kids from neighbouring schools actually using the common and playing on it. The Oasis lot are cooped up indoors learning phonics and maths. While there is nothing wrong with some learning but 5 year olds need to be doing other things as well. What is the point of dedicated kitchens when they are just for show and barely used?
Music? No chance.
Oh and if you aren't happy they suggest you take your child elsewhere!
Countering that the actual teachers themselves are great, its the admin et al who need to up their game and act like people who actually care about children

[BS2am]

Just had to comment on this as it paints a picture of Oasis Academy Putney that, as a parent of a Yr 3 child, I don't recognise. This is a new school, so the current top year is Year 3. I can confirm that specialised music and swimming lessons, like other local schools, start then. There has been outdoor play from the start and the kindness of the staff runs throughout the school. Attendance, unfortunately is a big part of getting a good Ofsted rating and as this is what many parents look at when choosing a school, it is understandable the school is keen to achieve the required attendance rate. A lovely school with a HUGE rooftop playground and which, yes, is very hot on the academic side of things too!

[GK1]

Oasis Academy Putney is an abysmal school. Safeguarding of children is the biggest failure of the school but it is also severely lacking in other areas with inept and untrustworthy leadership.

We withdrew our child from the school due to ongoing safeguarding issues and haven’t regretted it for a second. In our time at the school we witnessed; verbal abuse of a child on multiple occasions by a member of staff, bullying of a child by multiple members of staff, threats of physical violence towards a child by multiple adults and at least one physical assault of a child. OCL has ignored concerns of serious abuse in the school, and even invited at least one individual that they knew had assaulted and threatened a child into the classroom and into close contact with children. Management is happy to lie about which adults are present in the classroom and have attempted to hide behind GDPR by saying parents do not have a right to know who has access to their child. We witnessed gangs of parents standing round the school gate encouraging bullying by their children and participating in bullying themselves, threatening and shouting at children. Again, the management of the school failed to act despite repeated contact with the police and local authorities.

Apart from safeguarding failings inside the school itself, the environment itself is dangerous for children. The school shares an entrance with a block of flats, the residents of which drive dangerously through groups of children and we witnessed many near misses with children. Delivery vehicles also use the road and do not keep to the speed limit. Some parents also feel entitled to park illegally; blocking crossings, blocking traffic, parking on pavements, etc. Residents of the neighbouring road, Commondale, have opposed the school from the outset and we witnessed racist abuse directed at families waiting outside the school (instead of investigating, the school’s reaction was to get the children to think about how the residents were feeling!). We also witnessed a resident deliberately driving at children on the pavement and shouting abuse. There is a real danger that a child may be seriously injured (or worse) outside this school.

Prospective parents should ignore the Ofsted report for the school - it is very outdated. The staff turnover is very high (we witnessed the previous management verbally abusing staff) and the school has changed management twice since the Ofsted visit. Staff are generally inexperienced and seem to have no support. (A senior member of staff broke down in tears saying she had no experience and wasn’t getting any support.) Rather than using Twinkl as a resource, teachers seem to view it as a replacement for preparing anything themselves. Don’t be fooled by the small class sizes - the school is still half empty after being open for several years (it is supposed to be a two-form entry). Natural attrition accounts for only a small proportion of families who have left and other schools in the area have many families who have withdrawn their children from Oasis.

The poor reputation of the school leadership and staff is well known in Putney. At least one five-star review here is posted by a relative of a member of staff. Some parents may feel their children are happy and safe at this school and may not have encountered the same dishonesty and unprofessionalism that we witnessed but far from being “fantastic”, “extremely positive” and “dedicated”, we found the latest “management” to somehow be even more rude, incompetent and weak than the previous. The “Oasis ethos and habits” that are plastered all over the school are nowhere to be seen in senior staff.

There are plenty of other schools in and around Putney with excellent, experienced teachers and with management that take a zero-tolerance approach to abuse and actually care about children. Don’t be fooled by the veneer of smiles - Oasis Academy Putney has no redeeming features and cannot be recommended at all.

[IC90]

My son is a student at Oasis Academy Putney. He is totally thriving. They learn mandarin every week from Reception, he is 6 and now drops mandarin into conversation like it’s nothing. They have music once a week as well as singing incorporated into other subjects to help memorise key facts. (My toddler now joins in singing the continents and also the planets song - and it’s cute but I’d be happy for them to get a new song soon!!) The Christmas and end of year performances are frankly incredible - the drama, dance and music teachers worked superbly together. They have outdoor learning lessons for an hour every week on the common in Reception and throughout KS1 and are very lucky to have this level of access to the common.

My son, to date (recognising he is only 6), has performed well academically and Oasis teachers have stretched his learning and ensured that he is challenged. He is reading above his age group. When he started Oasis he could only recognise a handful of basic words from what I’d done with him. He is very happy going to school every day and adores the teachers.

They have used the on-site kitchen, which we love as it encourages independence and teaches a key life skill!

We find Senior Leadership to be, frankly, incredible. The passion they show for the children’s experience is unquestionable and they are always very responsive and have multiple excellent reasons for any decisions they make. Miss Hughes, Head of School, has been there for years and knows each child individually, whether she has taught them or not. She asked my son how one of his weekend activities went one Monday that I’d never mentioned to her. The teachers truly care.

We have had great experiences with each class teacher getting to know our son very quickly and where his interests lie to motivate him. My son also adores the French teacher who is a TA at school, and his own class TA.

Oasis Putney aligns their lessons and assemblies closely with their 9 habits and the children are always polite and engaging. They have mini student teams that the children write applications for, such as Eco Team, Charity Champions, Mini Senior Leadership (like prefects) to name a few. These groups are excellent and very worthwhile experiences for the children in my view to prepare them for applications and leadership responsibilities later in life.

There is also an excellent behaviour system in place which clearly works as the children behave impeccably in assemblies that parents are invited to and are always courteous in the playground.

Year 5s can volunteer to be playground monitors alongside the teachers for the KS1 playground. Year 6s read to their “buddy” in Reception once a week. The children have friends across year groups, which is rare in my experience and truly fosters a sense of a strong community.

Frankly my only fault with the school is that they do not offer a nursery for our youngest.

Despite this already long post, I could go on listing the positives - the library! The costume room, sensory room, forthcoming science lab - but I’d suggest calling the school to arrange a tour. They are always very welcoming.

I am a current, very happy, parent at the school, with no familial connection to the staff.

Excuse the thesis!

[GK1]

Parents looking at this school can see from the attitude of "Selfishmama"(an apt username!) what the environment is like at Oasis Academy Putney. Calling another parent "unhinged" and "malicious" is unfortunately typical of the parent mafia at Oasis Putney. Groups of parents have been given power within the school and attempt to wield that power against other families. I'm sure for those parents who the school is powerless to counter it is a lovely experience but for the others it is a nasty, toxic environment that the ineffective management of the school is incapable of fixing. I have witnessed parents assaulting, threatening and shouting at children. I have witnessed several members of staff bullying children. The teaching we witnessed during lockdown exposed unprepared lessons, poor presentation and bullying behaviour towards several children by the teacher. Some parents may have had different teachers but the only members of staff we encountered that had any skills have now left. If it is "malicious" to point that out then so be it. Prospective parents should be aware of the experience of all families.

Having 3 "Executive Principals" and 3 "Heads of School" in 7 years is not normal even for a new school. I have witnessed one teacher in tears pleading with the Deputy Head to "just be nice to me". The fact that many children have left the school cannot be denied. It is not surprising that the Head can remember children's names when there are so few!

Another point "Selfishmama"(!) raises is valid - this school "facilitates" a church on premises. Oasis schools are not supposed to be faith schools but Oasis seems to set up a school and then move a church into the premises. The main goal seems to be to benefit the church and not the children. Parents can decide for themselves if this is a positive thing.

There are some extremely positive reviews from new accounts being posted online in quick reaction to my review. Prospective parents should be aware that several members of staff have children in the school.

"Far from having this "kind of take on the Primary School experience" the intention of a review is to give prospective parents a balanced view of the school. We are extremely happy with the new school we are now in and have none of the issues caused by families and staff at Oasis. The staff at our new school are universally excellent and caring, the management is honest and professional, the teaching is amazing and the community is safe and welcoming. The "Primary School experience" is infinitely better outside Oasis!

There is now a community of families in Putney who have left Oasis that chat regularly and I have not heard anyone express regret at leaving this school.

[Ericaequites]

If teachers and staff can’t scold students, how can the children be expected to mind? In a class of thirty, there’s little time for gentle methods. Employers won’t soft talk when these children are adults.

[GK1]

Some parents are obviously happy with the behaviour of staff at Oasis and it is their right to have that opinion, of course. In my experience, it is not normal for teachers to call children names, to shout at children and to subject children to public humiliation. If adults experience this behaviour from an employer, I would suggest that legal action against that employer would be appropriate. It's certainly not anything I've witnessed in my career.

[Wellintentioned]

I chose the user name Selfish Mama because I thought it was funny and ironic - when you have a child they always come first. I realise now how his may not translate so well.
My response to your review of the school was genuine and based on my own experience. Incidentally I am not a member of staff, a ‘powerful parent’ or even a member of the PTFA. I actually find drop off/pick up/school events fairly uncomfortable due to mild social anxiety. However, I have invested my hope, my family’s time and a lot of faith in the educational professionals working in the school and teaching my child. And it’s worked out well.
I respect you have had a bad experience. I would not ever tell you that your lived experience is wrong, but I will be clear that it is not an experience I recognise and when you published a damning review with accusations of criminal behaviour from teachers, parents and local residents - let’s just say it didn’t sound ‘balanced’. And also maybe a matter for the police rather than a social media forum - physical and verbal assaults, bullying and intimidation are most serious accusations. It pains me to feel that you are tarnishing the parents and teachers of the school with being part of or bystanders to this behaviour.
The resident who you say mounted the pavement and drove at children should be arrested - I never heard about this. The block of flats that share an entrance is a small luxury development with less than 10 flats (I’m guessing) and over the years I’ve not really encountered many of them, and if they were driving at speed through the children I would definitely take issue myself.
I am choosing my words carefully when I say that I feel some of the claims you have made to be unfair and damaging to a whole community linked through the school. If you feel free to report these claims, I should be able to question them without being accused of being part of a parent mafia or ‘school insider’. I’m actually merely a parent who feels passionately about holistic education.
I realise there is some disparity in teaching but the staff at Oasis dedicate their careers to enabling children to flourish. It is such a shame that your experience hasn’t been this and I’m pleased you have moved on to a happier place and an environment that suits your child more.
I honestly think primary school should be a happy, exciting time of discovery for whole families, but I know this isn’t always a straight forward journey. I’m sorry that you have decided that upon reflection, it is a toxic culture and reprehensible parents and weak leadership that have caused you to be so disparaging about the school that I am still highly invested in. The idea of sending my child in daily to what you have described is horrifying and I seriously worry that one sided, unchallenged criticism like this makes teachers feel demoralised and harder to retain.
I think we need to focus our energy on supporting the people that support our children, not tearing down those we feel may have failed us.

[GK1]

"Wellintentioned" - I'm sure some parents have never encountered the staff we had the misfortune of dealing with or are unaware of the failure of staff to record abuse of children by adults at the school. For those parents I suspect they can see nothing wrong with the school. For obvious reasons I cannot go into detail about the criminal activity I witnessed outside the school gates and on the common, but I will say that the police are aware of the behaviour of several parents and LADO strongly criticised the safeguarding policies of the school. The management of the school lied repeatedly about severe safeguarding issues and OCL has failed to respond to concerns of serious abuse of children in the school. I'm sure you can understand that I would never "focus my energy" on supporting such an organisation? There is no "balance" when it comes to child safety. The school we experienced was pretty awful all round but the attitude of management to safeguarding is something that has no place in education. You are correct in that concerns of "physical and verbal assaults, bullying and intimidation" are a matter for the police, but they are also something that I feel prospective parents should be aware of. If you have not witnessed these yourself, that is absolutely fine, but to make comments about me and my family when you don't know me is unacceptable and unfortunately representative of the families that we had to deal with. I'm sure if you knew the details you would find it as "horrifying" as other education professionals and parents we have spoken to. Again - I don't know you - I am just pointing out that that your previous behaviour is what greets some families at the school on a daily basis. I have no idea who you are or your level of involvement in the school but the insults and nastiness you have demonstrated on here is typical of the behaviour that creates the toxic environment that is not present in other schools. There were some lovely families at Oasis who have now also left and we are still in contact with so fortunately your attitude is not universal.

You may feel my comments are "unfair" and "damaging" to the school "community". I supported the school and staff in every possible way but when the third lot of management continued the deception and unprofessionalism of the previous two it was time to leave quickly. (I am well aware of the reasons and circumstances behind the regular changes of management and most parents will be unaware of the full story.) I'm sure they have not lied to every single parent and some parents may not be aware of the lies but the safeguarding risks became too much for us.

If I could think of something good to say about this school I would but our experience was so extremely unpleasant that I would not wish it on any other family. After seeing glowing reviews that describe a school that is not what we experienced at all I feel parents should see the other side of life at Oasis Putney. I'm sure some of those are valid, honest reviews from parents but I have seen reviews that are clearly from family of staff members and from members of the attached church - all of whom have an interest in the school growing. The school is supposed to be a two-form entry and only one year now seems to have two classes. The numbers speak for themselves - when that number of children are withdrawn there are serious problems.

Our new school is excellent in every possible way with a warm and welcoming community and no sign of anyone exhibiting the sort of behaviour towards other parents that you clearly feel is appropriate. Our biggest regret is placing our "hope and faith" in Oasis staff and not leaving Oasis Putney sooner.

[Wellintentioned]

Oh wow 😯

just because I don’t agree with you doesn’t make me a toxic bully. I’ve empathised with the fact that you have not had an easy time of it.

To challenge the validity of a review that makes unsubstantiated accusations of abuse in a school I send my child to is not nastiness it is diligence.

I think it’s fair for me to post a opinion that highlights some of the excellent work the school does as I feel my child has benefitted greatly from the school ethos and quality of teaching. However, that clearly angered you and it feels like you’re getting really personal.

I mentioned before about channelling energy towards those supporting our children in relation to the new school you’ve found. It seems like you’re waging a campaign against the old school, which I personally feel constitutes toxic behaviour and doesn’t benefit anyone.

We are never going to agree on our opinion of the school, as to send my child into the environment you have repeatedly described would be negligent - and I would never assume that you are implying that I am a negligent parent. As you say, we don’t know each other and you obviously feel that your views are not slanderous or lacking perspective.

I do not envy those in the teaching profession when there is so much to contend with.

Best of luck to you

[GK1]

I have not said anything personal about you at all. You are the one who created a new account to throw insults at me and my family. If you notice, I pointed out that this is the behaviour of many parents we witnessed at the school towards us and other families. This is clearly toxic bullying and unfortunately a reality of the school environment for some families. You engaged in that as well - it is not a personal attack to point out your own behaviour!

You can express your opinion of the school, of course - the point of a discussion like this is to bring different perspectives. The more replies to this discussion the higher it will be ranked in search results and the greater visibility to prospective parents. Your "nastiness" is the vile words you used to describe me and my family who you do not know. Your attempt to hide this by changing your username will not change the fact that the language you used against me is exactly the type of disgusting behaviour we witnessed from other parents at Oasis on a daily basis.

I am not angry about your alternate view at all. You clearly believe that supporting teachers should be the highest priority and think that the teaching at Oasis Putney is of an acceptable standard. My family has many decades of experience in education at all levels from reception to postgrad and no-one has ever come across such a badly run school or such inept teaching as we experienced. As the school used to have more children we did not experience every teacher's lessons so I obviously cannot say that the teaching is bad throughout the entire but the teaching we experienced was so poor that other children in the class needed outside tutoring to make up for the shortcomings at Oasis.

You suggest that my comments are "slanderous". I do of course have extensive written records of my experience and communications with the various parties which I am not going to disclose to a random angry parent on the internet!

You may feel I am "waging a campaign" against the school and it constitutes "toxic behaviour" but your demonstrated nastiness towards me (despite your changed username) is exactly the sort of environment that prospective parents should be aware of. You clearly value the "ethos" the church claims to follow (even though you don't seem to yourself judging by your behaviour on here) and are clearly very angry that your view of the school is not universally held. The large numbers of pupils being withdrawn from the school are partly down to people behaving in exactly the way you have.

I have not implied you are a negligent parent at all and to suggest so is extremely paranoid. I believe this school is not safe for children and that is why we have gone elsewhere. If you are comfortable with the environment that is none of my business. Again - I have not said anything personal about you apart from to point out your own behaviour towards me and my family and how it aligns with that of others at the school. I do thank you for adding your demonstration of this behaviour to the thread, however.

[BS2am]

I applaud WellIntentioned for her measured responses to this tirade! The hyperbole is telling. If there were "severe safeguarding issues" and "serious abuse of children in the school" I would have called the police, not posted on Mumsnet! If the police haven't been involved I think it's fair to say the above phrases can disregarded.

[GK1]

"BS2am" obviously hasn't read the whole thread and has ignored the fact that the police and local authorities have been involved many times regarding the activities of adults at the school. They also seem to think that "Wellintentioned/selfishmama"'s starting with an attack on me and my family is a "reasoned response". Attacking someone's family and then crying "personal attack!" when it is pointed out is exactly the sort of behaviour we witnessed from parents at the school gate (changing your username and then claiming to empathise is a pretty transparent attempt to hide previous behaviour). I have no idea if "wellintentioned/selfishmama" or "BS2am" talk this way about other families at the school gate or only in the safety of an anonymous internet forum.

I cannot be bothered to respond to people like this any more and I am under no obligation to prove anything to random people on the internet. OCL is aware of who I am and knows I have extensive written and photographic evidence of what has happened in this school. I obviously will not give specific names on here so ongoing investigations are not jeopardised.

I would suggest that prospective and current parents consider;

1. Is it likely that a school would advertise extensive police involvement in the school newsletter? Would they be more likely to tell parents "all is not what it seems"?
2. Could the police could have been involved without the parent grapevine knowing about it?
3. Is it normal for there to be abrupt staffing changes during the school year?Is the school likely to advertise the reasons for these changes?
4. Is it normal for a school to lose so many pupils?
5. Could the same problems that have been reported in the press as happening in other Oasis academies have happened again?

I openly admit that I would dearly love this school to be closed down - I believe children are in danger at the school. I am sure that any parent would be shocked if they knew what had occurred in the school and the attitude that senior Oasis staff express about child abuse behind closed doors. Even if the teaching was of a high standard (and unqualified, inexperienced teachers reading out Twinkl sheets is not) the basic failures at the school should be cause for concern.

I am publicising what I have witnessed at the school in the hope that fewer children are subjected to the environment I saw there (and the Streisand Effect is clearly helping me). The language I have used may seem "extreme" but that is an expression of my belief that this school is not fit for purpose. It is difficult to fight against a large, wealthy organisation like Oasis and I'm sure my reviews/posts will eventually go the way of others that have mentioned safeguarding concerns at this school and then mysteriously disappeared.

Parents can make up their own minds, of course, but if one family decides to take their child elsewhere it is worth the abuse and threats directed at me by certain parents online. I understand it is upsetting for parents to hear uncomfortable things about their children's school but I will not respond any further to "selfishmama/wellintentioned" or "BS2am". I will continue to report further attacks on my family.

[Wellintentioned]

I was not going give this tirade any more oxygen but I'm strongly opposed to what I feel are unjust and inflammatory accusations against so many people including myself, being flung about.

My initial reaction to the litany of complaints levied at the school teachers, parents and local residents was that I felt it was a bit malicious, which GK1 chose to take as an “attack” on them and their family (!) when I was actually calling them out for setting out to damage the reputation of the school. The latest diatribe has left me feeling slightly vindicated as they have admitted to their agenda, and openly said that they “would dearly love for the school to be closed down”. Despite the many happy children and families being served by the school.

I said the review came across as “slightly unhinged” - again not a personal attack sultanate all, but a comment on the plethora of complaints; describing scenes involving gangs of bullying parents gathered at the school gates and residents mounting the pavement in their cars to drive at families. But my response was reported as “vile nastiness” and “toxic bullying”, which has left me feeling like my words have been twisted to suit the agenda.

I can only reiterate that I do not recognise the negative descriptions of the school nor have I heard anything of criminal activity alluded to.
Realistically not every school can meet the needs of every family but my experience of the school has been very positive. I am grateful that I have a very happy child who’s doing really well and exceeding expectations. The teachers really care about the children and in most cases this is reciprocated by the families, lending to a nice atmosphere and a congruent community.

To care about the teachers who are supporting our children is a kindness that parents can afford. That said, it doesn’t mean I put the teachers above the children or the parents. I think education is a team effort and my experience at Oasis embodies this belief.

[PC1]

I can honestly say this has been the most wonderful school for our child. They have grown in confidence every year and the school has really helped develop a love of learning. The staff have been so nurturing, and so many opportunities have been created to really bring the best out of children, as well as such a wide range of extra curricular opportunities to take part in.

my child raves about school whenever anyone asks, and have genuinely loved every single one of their teachers.

I could go on and on about the wonderful experiences my child has had but sometimes fewer words are more effective - years in now, we are just so glad we chose this school for our child - thank you Oasis Academy Putney.