Oasis Academy Oldham

Inspection of Oasis Academy Oldham Hollins Road, Oldham, Greater Manchester OL8 4JZ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Inadequate 1 and 2 March 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils enjoy coming to school. They told inspectors that they feel safe. Most pupils get along well with each other and show respect for staff. Pupils said that there is always someone to talk to if they need help. They told inspectors that some bullying still happens occasionally. However, most pupils are confident that staff will deal with any bullying incidents quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders place a strong emphasis on promoting pupils’ development. Pupils take part in a wide range of clubs, including table tennis and cookery. They enjoy representing the school in sports competitions. Pupils are keen to take on positions of responsibility, such as school prefects and equality and diversity ambassadors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have raised their expectations of pupils’ behaviour since the previous inspection. Most pupils respond positively to teachers’ instructions in lessons. However, there are still times when lessons are disrupted. This makes it difficult for pupils to learn. A small minority of older pupils have struggled to adapt to the new behaviour policy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have introduced many changes that are beginning to have a positive impact on the quality of education that pupils receive. Despite these improvements, pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Some weaknesses remain in how well the curriculum is designed and delivered. Added to this, there has been some turbulence in the leadership of the school and the staffing arrangements. This has slowed down the pace of improvement.

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better?

Together with staff, and with the support of the trust, leaders are taking positive steps to improve the school. Leaders have recently overhauled the curriculum to ensure that it is suitably ambitious for pupils. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), now study a broader range of subjects than they did in the past.

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better?

Staffing has now stabilised, but this does mean that many subject leaders are new to their roles. Trust representatives are providing training and support to help subject leaders to develop their subject curriculums further. In some subjects, leaders are clear about the knowledge that they want pupils to learn. In these subjects, teachers use their expertise well to design learning that helps pupils to build securely on what they already know. This deepens their understanding over time so that they achieve well.

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better?

In some other subjects, there is a lack of clarity about what pupils should learn. This means that teachers are unsure about the essential knowledge that pupils need to know. This hinders teachers when designing learning and it prevents pupils from progressing as well as they should through the curriculum. 1 and 2 March 2022

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Some teachers do not use assessment strategies sufficiently well to check pupils’ understanding of their previous learning or to identify any misconceptions. As a result, some teachers move pupils on to new learning without making sure that pupils’ prior knowledge is secure. This hinders pupils’ progress. It leads to gaps in pupils’ understanding and makes it difficult for them to build their knowledge over time.

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Leaders ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified quickly. Leaders provide teachers with appropriate information about this group of pupils. However, some teachers do not use this information well enough to adapt learning. Consequently, some pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they should.

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Reading is promoted well by leaders. Pupils have opportunities to develop their reading knowledge and comprehension skills across the curriculum. Leaders have identified those pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read. These pupils benefit from additional support from well-trained adults. This is helping these pupils to build their confidence and fluency in reading.

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Leaders have improved the systems for managing pupils’ behaviour. This is helping to make classrooms calm environments where pupils can learn. Most pupils have positive attitudes to learning and they behave well. However, some lessons continue to be disrupted by poor behaviour. This means that some pupils struggle to get on with their learning.

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Leaders have introduced a range of strategies to improve pupils’ attendance. This is leading to improvements for individual pupils. Leaders work closely with families, providing appropriate support for those pupils who are reluctant to attend school as often as they should.

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Leaders have improved pupils’ awareness of the importance of respecting and appreciating difference. Through the curriculum, visiting speakers and new initiatives, such as the LGBTQ club, pupils learn to celebrate diversity. Leaders and teachers challenge any inappropriate comments made by pupils. Pupils reported that the use of discriminatory language has reduced significantly.

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Pupils learn about democracy and the rule of law. Leaders ensure that pupils know how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. Pupils receive impartial careers advice. They undertake relevant work experience which helps to raise their aspirations. Almost all pupils move on to further education, employment or training.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They feel that leaders are approachable and considerate of their workload and well-being. Staff value the training opportunities that they receive to develop their subject knowledge. Members of the trust board challenge and support leaders effectively to improve the quality of education. 1 and 2 March 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of vigilance at the school. Staff receive regular safeguarding training from the trust. They know what to look out for that may indicate a pupil is at risk of harm.

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Safeguarding

Leaders follow up any concerns quickly with external agencies, including the police and the local authority, to protect vulnerable pupils. Leaders make sure that those pupils who attend alternative provision attend regularly, are safe and follow an appropriate curriculum.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that pupils learn about risks to their safety, such as peer-on-peer abuse and the dangers of drug and knife crime.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not thought carefully enough about the knowledge that they want pupils to learn. This means that teachers do not have the information that they need about what should be taught. Subject leaders should ensure that they finalise their curriculum thinking so that teachers are clear about what they should be teaching and when this should take place.  In some subjects, teachers do not use assessment strategies well enough to check on pupils’ understanding of earlier content. This means that they move on to new topics without knowing if pupils’ prior learning is secure. This causes gaps to appear, which halt pupils’ progress through the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that teachers are well equipped to use assessment strategies that identify pupils’ misconceptions so that pupils have a strong foundation of knowledge on which to build.  Some pupils with SEND are not supported well enough by staff. This means that

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

these pupils are unable to progress through the curriculum as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that teachers use the information about pupils with SEND to adapt how they deliver curriculum content.  During lessons, some pupils do not follow teachers’ instructions or behave as well as they should. This hinders pupils’ learning. Leaders should ensure that staff implement the school’s behaviour policy more consistently so that pupils can learn the curriculum without disruption. 1 and 2 March 2022

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 1 and 2 March 2022

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1478

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 June 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The current principal took up post in September 2021. A significant number of other senior and subject leaders have joined the school since the last inspection.  Leaders make use of five alternative providers for a small number of pupils.  The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

In accordance with section 13(5) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement. 1 and 2 March 2022

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the principal, other senior leaders, subject leaders and staff. Inspectors spoke with executive leaders from the Oasis Community Learning Multi-Academy Trust, including the chief executive officer, the regional director of education and the national director of education. The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors spoke to many pupils about their experience of school and their views on behaviour and bullying. Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes.  Inspectors checked the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures, including the school’s single central record. Inspectors met with leaders, staff and pupils to

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check how effective safeguarding is in the school. An inspector held telephone calls with representatives from alternative providers.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of evidence, including the school’s self- evaluation document, improvement plans, minutes of trust directors’ meetings, records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance and an external review of the provision for pupils with SEND.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in art and design, English, history, mathematics and science. Inspectors met with staff to discuss curriculums, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and spoke with them about their learning.  Inspectors discussed curriculums with subject leaders and reviewed pupils’ work in a range of other subjects.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View and the responses to the pupil and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Ahmed Marikar, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Phill Walmsley Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 March 2022

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regulates and inspects 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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