Oasis Academy Coulsdon

Inspection of a good school: Oasis Academy Coulsdon Homefield Road, Old Coulsdon, Croydon, Surrey CR5 1ES

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Outcome

Oasis Academy Coulsdon continues to be a good school. The principal of this school is Catrin Green. This school is part of Oasis Community Learning, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), John Barneby, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Caroline Taylor. There is also a regional director, Anthony Williams, who is responsible for this school and three others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school that cares about its pupils. The school is described by many here as being like a ‘family’. The school has high expectations of pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/ or disabilities (SEND). This is particularly the case for pupils in the school’s resource provision.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders work hard to address any barriers faced by any pupils who are vulnerable or disadvantaged in any way. Staff want the best for pupils. Working relationships between pupils and adults are positive. Pupils behave well in class and around the school. Pupils know they can talk to an adult in school if they are worried about anything. Pupils are happy and safe here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides many opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests. Pupils can work towards the school ‘Personal Development Award’. They can attend many clubs such as gardening and debating. Pupils contribute to the student newspaper and enjoy taking part in the annual school musical production.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Every year, older pupils undertake a charity project, participate in a public speaking competition and visit a local university as part of their careers education. All pupils can take part in one of the school’s student leadership groups, for example on equality and diversity.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils benefit from a carefully considered curriculum that is broad and balanced. The knowledge that pupils learn builds sequentially on pupils’ prior learning. The school’s 19 and 20 March 2024

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curricular thinking helps to build a rich mental framework for pupils. For example, in science, pupils deepen their understanding of forces from Years 7 to 9, so that by Year 9 they understand balanced and unbalanced forces and Newton’s laws of motion. The curriculum is highly ambitious. Older pupils develop an understanding of complex concepts in each subject. For example, in English, pupils use Freudian psychoanalysis to understand ‘Macbeth’. Staff enabled pupils to examine ‘A Christmas Carol’ through a Marxist interpretation. The key vocabulary that pupils must learn in each subject is also carefully selected and taught to pupils.

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Reading is a key priority at the school. Younger pupils are supported to develop their reading through a structured phonics programme. The school also supports those in the early stages of reading effectively. Staff help pupils to segment and blend sounds well. Pupils read fluently and with confidence. Leaders identify and meet the needs of pupils with SEND, both in lessons and in the ‘O Zone’ resource provision. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Typically, teachers’ strong subject knowledge enables them to present information to pupils clearly. Teaching is designed to help pupils know more and remember more. On occasion, teaching does not check pupils’ learning carefully enough in lessons. This limits pupils’ deeper understanding of subject content.

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The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Lessons proceed without disruption. The school is calm and orderly. The attendance of pupils was affected by the pandemic, but it is now a high priority for the school. Pupil absence is analysed carefully. Leaders put in place clear actions to support pupils to attend school regularly. However, overall absence is not reducing as quickly as hoped. The number of pupils who are severely absent from school is too high.

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The school provides a high-quality curriculum in personal, social, health and economic education. Pupils learn about healthy relationships and consent in an age-appropriate way. The school ensures that pupils receive expert guidance on careers. Staff teach pupils about other faiths and beliefs. An annual ‘culture day’ is organised by pupils to celebrate the diversity of the school community.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They value leaders’ support for their workload and well-being. Leaders at all levels are committed to the school’s continuous improvement. The trust provides constructive support and accountability.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, the school does not provide pupils with opportunities to embed and extend their learning during lessons. This limits pupils’ development of their subject-specific 19 and 20 March 2024

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knowledge and skills. The school should ensure that all teachers have the skills and knowledge to consistently check and embed pupils’ deeper understanding.  The school’s work to improve pupils’ attendance is not fully embedded and has not led to increased attendance. As a result, too many pupils are missing out on their education. The school must continue to embed its attendance strategy fully and thereby ensure that pupils attend more regularly. In particular, those pupils with the highest rates of absence must be supported to attend school more regularly.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2015.

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How can I feed back my views?

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 ’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 19 and 20 March 2024

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School details

Type of school Secondary Comprehensive School category Academy sponsor-led

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 July 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Oasis Community Learning, a multi-academy trust.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.  The school provides an additional resourced provision for up to 30 children with autism.  The school makes use of three registered alternative provisions and one unregistered alternative provision for a small number of pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 19 and 20 March 2024

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 Inspectors met with members of the school senior leadership team, a selection of subject leaders, teachers and support staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, science and design and technology. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors met with the principal and other senior leaders. They also met with the chair of the trust, the CEO, the regional director and other trust staff.  The views of pupils, parents and staff were considered through discussions and looking

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at information collected from Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Christian Hicks, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Stephen Hall Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 March 2024

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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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