Oasis Academy Leesbrook

Inspection of Oasis Academy Leesbrook Roxbury Avenue, Oldham, Lancashire OL4 5JE

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 January 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 17 and 18 January 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very proud of the diverse nature of their school community. They enjoy the opportunities that leaders provide to celebrate this diversity, such as the school’s culture day. Pupils appreciate the different ways that staff encourage them to be respectful and to treat everyone equally.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils feel happy and safe in school. They develop a sense of belonging by spending time in their school family groups, for example during family dining. Pupils have trusted adults that they can talk to about any concerns. Any incidents of bullying are dealt with well by leaders.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. There are clear routines that support pupils to meet these expectations. Most pupils value the positive difference that these routines make to the learning environment in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are highly ambitious for all pupils to achieve well and pupils meet this ambition. A very high proportion of pupils follow the English Baccalaureate, for example all of the current Year 11 are studying the full suite of subjects. Pupils have numerous opportunities to take on meaningful leadership roles, for example by joining the student leadership team or training as a student librarian. Most pupils participate in at least two extra-curricular activities each week, chosen from the extensive range on offer to them.

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better?

Leaders want pupils to experience a high-quality curriculum that is relevant to their lives. Subject leaders have thought carefully about what pupils will learn. They have chosen topics aimed at broadening pupils’ understanding of both their local context and the wider world. Within these topics, subject leaders have identified the most important knowledge that pupils should learn and the appropriate order in which they should learn it.

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better?

Teachers have strong knowledge of the topics that they teach. They understand how to support pupils to learn effectively. For example, teachers select appropriate activities to help pupils to understand and remember new learning well. This ensures that pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that teachers use assessment strategies effectively to check that pupils understand and remember important knowledge within a topic. However, some teachers do not check that pupils are remembering this important knowledge over time. This means that sometimes pupils develop gaps in their learning.

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better?

Leaders know that reading can be a barrier to learning for many of their pupils. Leaders place sharp focus on reading across the wider curriculum, for example through reading aloud strategies and building pupils’ vocabulary. All pupils participate in a reading programme which supports them to read fluently and 17 and 18 January 2023

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confidently. In addition, leaders have introduced a robust programme for those pupils who struggle with their reading. Leaders are in the process of ensuring that the pupils who will benefit most from this intervention are receiving it.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Teachers use a range of strategies to adapt how they deliver the curriculum for these pupils. This helps most pupils with SEND to achieve well. However, leaders do not identify the needs of some pupils quickly enough. This means that a few pupils with SEND do not receive the most effective support as swiftly as they could.

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The atmosphere in school is calm and focused. Learning is not usually disrupted by misbehaviour. Pupils have positive relationships with their teachers and feel well supported by them.

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Leaders have developed a school curriculum that is carefully focused on pupils’ personal development. Pupils learn about relevant issues, such as online safety, in an age-appropriate way. They experience a suitable careers programme which provides them with relevant information regarding their next steps.

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Leaders at all levels are committed to addressing social disadvantage. Trustees ensure that leaders prioritise the development of a high-quality curriculum and they hold leaders to account for this. Leaders have taken steps to reduce staff’s workload. Most staff appreciate these actions and are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have a comprehensive understanding of local safeguarding issues. They take a proactive approach to identifying pupils who might be at risk and are vigilant about reviewing those risks. Leaders have ensured that staff are appropriately trained and that they understand their responsibilities regarding safeguarding.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have robust systems in place for recording concerns. They engage with a range of external agencies and are tenacious about ensuring that pupils get the help that they need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe. Leaders adapt the curriculum to ensure that it is timely and relevant in helping pupils to stay safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some teachers do not have a sufficient understanding of how well pupils develop their knowledge of the curriculum over time. As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their learning without teachers knowing. This makes it difficult for 17 and 18 January 2023

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teachers to address these gaps. Leaders should ensure that their assessment strategies are well matched to the intent of the curriculum, so that teachers identify with accuracy where pupils need to revisit previous learning.  Leaders have not ensured that the processes for identifying and reviewing the needs of pupils with SEND are sufficiently rigorous. This means that a few pupils with SEND are not provided with the right support at the right time. Leaders should ensure that they have a consistently robust approach to early identification of SEND needs and that pupils receive the precise support that they need in a timely way.

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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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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. 17 and 18 January 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10244619 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This is a free school, which opened in September 2018. It has not previously been inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.  This school is part of the Oasis Community Learning Trust.  School leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 7 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 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. 17 and 18 January 2023

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 Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other leaders, staff and representatives of the trust. An inspector held telephone calls with representatives of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: mathematics, English, science, modern foreign languages, history and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in other subjects.  Inspectors spoke to 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 arrangements are in the school.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of evidence, including the school’s self- evaluation documents, records of governing body minutes and records relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, including the free-text comments. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Sally Rix, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Stephen Ruddy Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 January 2023

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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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