Oxford International College

Inspection of Oxford International College 1–5 London Place, Oxford OX4 1BD

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Students are highly motivated and determined to be successful in their chosen career. They are supported by their teachers who have expert subject knowledge and high expectations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The vast majority of students are sixth-form students following A-level examination courses. Students achieve exceptionally well in these examinations. As a result, the vast majority go on to highly regarded universities to pursue their preferred courses.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Students’ welfare and safety are high priorities for the school. Leaders meet routinely to review students’ individual academic achievement and personal circumstances. Specialist advice is sought where necessary and used to inform the support offered.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Students’ behaviour is superb. The care and support they receive promotes mutual respect and positive relationships. Classrooms and corridors are calm and orderly places. At breaktimes, students talk about their studies and enjoy one another’s company.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Students say that bullying is rare and dealt with swiftly and effectively. Minor instances of racist and homophobic intolerance have been very quickly addressed. Such behaviour is not welcome and not tolerated. Students say that they feel happy and safe, and we agree.

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better?

Staff act with a common purpose to provide students with the best possible education. Leaders ensure that the curriculum is ambitious and well matched to students’ aspirations. They think very carefully about what students need to know, remember and understand.

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better?

Subject leaders share their expertise with other teachers. They work with other departments to align and sequence the curriculum with other subjects, for example considering common content in mathematics and physics. Subject leaders are developing ideas on how to better link their subject to the world beyond the school.

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better?

Governors and leaders of the school are suitably focused on staff welfare. The staff survey confirms that leaders treat staff fairly and with respect. Staff say that leaders are considerate of their well-being. Their feelings are summed up in the comment, ‘Working at this school is the best thing that’s ever happened to me’.

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better?

Students enter the school with high levels of English. Literacy skills, supported by reading lists and wider reading, are encouraged. A wide range of texts, including technical, biographical and fiction, are recommended. Students regularly reflect on their reading through planned discussions with peers and staff. 19–21 November 2019

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The school has no students registered with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders are aware of students potentially with SEND. These include students with autism and specific literacy difficulties. Referrals are made to specialist advisers where appropriate and additional personal support provided.

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Leaders say that teaching staff are well informed about such difficulties. They have received training on dyslexia, dyscalculia and attention deficit disorder. However, in the classroom, students’ specific needs are not sufficiently recognised and supported. Leaders agree that this is an area for improvement.

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Leaders provide a comprehensive programme of personal, social and health education (PSHE). This is delivered through assemblies as well as visiting speakers, including police and health workers for example. However, there is no specific curriculum for PSHE, so provision lacks coherence.

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The school promotes students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development. Content is supported through assemblies on British values, personal resilience and sexual consent. However, auditing and tracking of SMSC development is not rigorous enough to ensure that all elements are well covered.

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Students are well supported with their university applications. Relevant work experience and volunteering opportunities enrich their school experience. Their activities support their personal statements in highly competitive areas of higher education.

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Behaviour seen around the school is thoroughly positive. Students are attentive and reflective in assembly. Outside of school, students volunteer in the local community, for example helping at the local food bank. Students’ attendance is close to the national average and exclusions are low.

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Bullying is not tolerated. Rare instances of homophobic or racist comments are promptly addressed. Posters supporting gay rights and ‘give racism the red card’ make the school’s approach very clear.

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All students are supported by a University of Oxford mentor. Mentors are undergraduate, postgraduate or doctorate students studying at the university. They offer knowledge, support and experience. This allows students to know exactly what they are aiming for.

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Students achieve well. External examination results are very high. In the 2019 A- level examinations, 92 per cent of students achieved the highest grades. Students successfully compete in competitions such as mathematics challenges and music awards. Almost all students are successful in getting into their chosen university.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 19–21 November 2019

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Safeguarding is a high priority. Leaders take their responsibilities very seriously. They carefully check the suitability of adults working in or visiting the school. Staff receive appropriate training and regular updates.

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Leaders and staff keep students’ welfare and well-being at the heart of everything they do. Staff constantly check on students’ welfare and act swiftly if there are any problems. They seek support from counsellors and doctors where help is needed.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Leaders provide a varied programme covering PSHE and SMSC development. This is offered through assemblies, visiting speakers, individual discussions and the academic curriculum. However, the planning, sequencing, content and delivery of these elements are not well thought through. Leaders should ensure that this provision is systematically and coherently planned and overseen to ensure that PSHE and SMSC development are coordinated to deliver a high-quality education for all students.  The school has no students registered with SEND. Regardless, leaders identify potential students with SEND who may require further support for their learning or language development. The pastoral care and support for these students are particularly strong. However, not all teaching staff are well informed about these students’ needs. Leaders should ensure that all staff are well informed about students’ specific needs so that learning activities are thoughtfully adapted by

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

teachers to ensure the best possible outcomes.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 19–21 November 2019

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School details

Unique reference number 146516 DfE registration number 931/6022

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School details

Inspection number 10100149 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

School category Independent boarding school

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School details

Proprietor Oxford International Education Group

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school was taken over by the Oxford International Education Group in April 2019. The school is currently registered for 160 students, but at the time of this inspection it had 174 students on roll.  Most students are international students. The school offers GCSE, AS and A2 level courses, as well as courses in English.

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We carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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The school meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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 We met with senior and subject leaders. The lead inspector spoke to two governors. He asked them about their work and how they supported and challenged school leaders.  We did deep dives in English, mathematics, biology and psychology. We visited lessons and talked to students, looked at books and held discussions with subject teachers.  We scrutinised the recruitment checks that the school makes on adults who work in the school. We talked to senior leaders responsible for safeguarding and looked at records of the actions they have taken to protect students.  We also checked whether members of staff understand and abide by the school’s safeguarding policy. We spoke to a range of different staff, including new teachers.  We spoke to students to check how safe they felt and to what extent they know how to keep themselves safe.  We walked around the school to check on punctuality, behaviour and literacy.

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During these times, we held informal discussions with students.  We looked at information about attendance, behaviour, safeguarding and enrichment activities.  We took account of the 46 responses to the online pupil survey and the 29 responses to the online staff survey. There were not enough responses to Ofsted’s online Parent View survey to be considered.

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Inspection team

Paul Metcalf, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Siân Thornton Her Majesty’s Inspector 19–21 November 2019

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to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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