Oak Heights Independent School

Inspection of Oak Heights Independent School 3 Red Lion Court, Hounslow TW3 1JS

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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 Good

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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?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They respond positively to teachers’ expectations that all pupils will achieve highly. Pupils appreciate their teachers helping them to gain new knowledge and skills and guiding them to remember what they have been taught.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like the school’s small community where everyone gets to know each other well. They make friends and socialise pleasantly at breaktimes. Staff are close at hand if ever needed to resolve any difficulties or worries. Leaders run the drop-in ‘Thrive’ sessions to provide pupils with support for emotional well-being. Pupils are safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are encouraged to participate in discussions in lessons which help them to grow in confidence and develop oracy skills. Members of the school council wear their badges with pride, valuing their responsibilities to work with leaders on ways to improve the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils were enthusiastic about the regular physical education lessons at a nearby leisure centre. Leaders organise occasional educational visits to museums and art galleries.

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better?

Leaders and subject teachers have a clear overview of the key themes that pupils should be taught in each subject. Leaders have developed the curriculum to identify the important facts and skills they expect pupils to learn over time.

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better?

Leaders and teachers have strong subject knowledge. They think carefully about the order in which specific themes are taught, and when, in different subjects. They select content to inspire pupils’ interests and make purposeful cross-curricular links to enhance pupils’ understanding. For example, leaders ensure that pupils’ learning in chemistry about atomic structure supports their work in biology and geography about climate change, atmospheric science and nutrient cycles. Pupils develop an appreciation of the work of famous artists when applied to their creative writing in English. Teachers check that pupils are secure with key facts learned previously before moving on to apply these to new or more complex and ambitious concepts. Leaders make sure that pupils have the knowledge and skills they need in mathematics to be able to understand and use formulae in physics.

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better?

Leaders ensure that pupils have access to subject resources to enrich their learning. Typically, pupils are fluent readers when they join the school. They are encouraged to read high-quality fiction and non-fiction books. Pupils are helped to develop their research and note-taking skills.

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better?

Teachers give pupils frequent opportunities to recap and recall their prior learning. They recognise swiftly when pupils need more support, including when pupils have 27 and 29 June 2023 special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders provide staff with information and guidance to help them identify and provide the interventions that pupils with SEND need to prevent them from falling behind.

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better?

Pupils are attentive and respectful to their teachers. They are motivated to learn because they are committed to doing well in their examinations. Pupils are encouraged to recognise the relevance of their studies to their everyday lives and future aspirations.

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better?

Pupils benefit from a well-organised programme of personal, social, health and economics (PSHE) education. Pupils are taught about managing their own safety, including online, and how to look after their physical and mental health. Aspects of relationships and sex education are included in PSHE education, science and religious studies. Themes such as different lifestyles and types of relationships are covered in an age-appropriate way.

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better?

Leaders provide pupils with careers education and guidance. Pupils in Year 11 receive individual, independent careers advice and gain an insight into the world of work when they complete work experience. The careers programme is not as well established in younger year groups. Before Year 11, pupils’ careers guidance comprises practising writing curriculum vitae and hearing about jobs relevant to their subjects. Pupils in Years 7 to 10 receive limited information on future career and education pathways.

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better?

Leaders communicate closely with parents and carers. The school’s portal is a helpful tool to enable parents to access important information about their child’s achievements. Leaders provide information on how parents can support their child’s learning at home.

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better?

Leaders value and encourage pupils’ participation in extra-curricular activities. They organise opportunities for pupils to broaden their outlook and gain new skills and interests, including residential trips and after-school clubs. However, the take up of any activities that are arranged is limited.

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better?

Leaders have taken steps to support staff well-being. Staff felt that leaders are approachable if they have any concerns, including about workload. Leaders facilitate opportunities for staff to complete training relevant to their roles and professional development.

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better?

The proprietor knows and fulfils their statutory responsibilities. The proprietor ensures that the independent school standards are met and ensures compliance with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders with responsibility for safeguarding are suitably trained. They make sure 27 and 29 June 2023 staff know up-to-date requirements and the processes to follow if they have any concerns.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work with outside agencies when pupils are identified as at risk. Leaders adapt the curriculum in response to any local safeguarding concerns. Staff are quick to recognise promptly if a pupil is not quite themselves. They also ensure that pupils have a trusted adult to speak to in school if they have any concerns. Pupils said that there are staff they would go to if they have any worries.

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Safeguarding

The safeguarding policy takes account of current government requirements and is published on the school’s website.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The careers education programme is largely focused on Year 11 pupils. Younger pupils receive limited guidance on future careers and education pathways. The school should implement plans to ensure that a comprehensive careers information and guidance programme is in place and delivered for all year groups.  Pupils have few opportunities to extend their learning through educational visits and extra-curricular activities. Take up of the opportunities that leaders organise is limited. The school should review the provision and take up of extra-curricular activities and other enrichment offered by the school to ensure that they extend pupils’ learning beyond their academic subjects.

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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. 27 and 29 June 2023

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School details

Email address s.dhillon@oakheights.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 27 to 29 November 2018 27 and 29 June 2023

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Information about this school

 Oak Heights Independent School is a selective secondary school for girls and boys in the London Borough of Hounslow.  The school’s previous standard inspection was in November 2018 when the school was judged to be good.  The headteacher is also the proprietor. Since the previous inspection, two team leaders have been appointed who, with the headteacher, form the senior leadership team. The governing body has two members, both appointed since the previous inspection.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school continues to operate as an examination centre for external candidates wishing to take public examinations.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors 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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Information about this inspection

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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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.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors met with school leaders. It was not possible to speak with either member of the governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: geography, mathematics, PSHE and science. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a range of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also considered other subjects in the school’s curriculum.  The inspection of safeguarding included meeting with the leaders with responsibility for safeguarding, looking at the school’s documentation relating to safeguarding, considering leaders’ communications with outside agencies, and reviewing relevant aspects of the curriculum.  The inspectors toured the school site accompanied by the headteacher to evaluate compliance with the independent school standards relevant to pupils’

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Information about this inspection

welfare, health and safety.  Inspectors looked at responses to online surveys completed by pupils, parents 27 and 29 June 2023 and staff.

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Inspection team

Amanda Carter-Fraser, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Bob Hamlyn His Majesty’s Inspector 27 and 29 June 2023 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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