The Oaks Academy

Inspection of The Oaks Academy Buchan Grove, Crewe CW2 7NQ

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Peter Kingdom. This school is part of The Learning Partnership Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Dan Thomas, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Wootton. 16 and 17 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school has created a welcoming and supportive environment for its pupils. Pupils feel safe and know that they are cared for by staff. They enjoy coming to school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In the past, pupils did not benefit from these high expectations of achievement. This affected their performance in public examinations. The school has put this right. Pupils now follow a broad and ambitious curriculum, which is helping them to know and remember more.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in classrooms and around the school. They follow the school’s three golden rules: to listen, be polite and follow instructions. Pupils have strong relationships with each other. They understand the value of the school’s diverse community. There is a strong pastoral system that supports pupils’ well-being.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils attend a wide range of clubs and activities, which includes football, badminton, young interpreters club, politics club and debating. Some pupils complete their bronze or silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. They have opportunities to develop leadership through a range of student groups. Their responsibilities include community work, cultural activities and equality and diversity.

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better?

The school and the trust have taken decisive action to transform the experience of pupils in this school. Staff teach pupils how to behave well and pupils have risen to the high expectations now in place. Staff consistently use the school’s clear systems to deal with poor behaviour. Relationships in the school are now respectful and warm.

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better?

The new curriculum seeks to inspire pupils to aim high and enables them to achieve well. At each stage, the curriculum sets out the essential knowledge and key vocabulary that pupils should learn.

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better?

Effective training and support contribute to teachers’ strong subject knowledge. Most teachers implement the curriculum skilfully, including presenting and explaining new learning. However, sometimes, some teachers do not present new information clearly. As a result, some pupils do not learn as well as they could in some subjects. Most teachers check pupils’ understanding regularly and use this information to adapt future teaching. This helps pupils to build their knowledge securely. However, in some subjects, teachers’ strategies for checking learning are less effective. This means that some pupils have gaps in their knowledge.

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better?

For pupils who sat their GCSEs in 2023, attainment and progress were not good. This is because these pupils experienced a weaker curriculum in the past. Current 16 and 17 April 2024

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pupils in key stage 4 are making better progress. Pupils in key stage 3, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, achieve well.

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The school quickly identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Leaders provide staff with clear information about these pupils’ needs. Staff make appropriate adaptations and help pupils with SEND to work successfully alongside their peers.

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Reading is a priority for this school. Staff identify any gaps in pupils’ reading knowledge with precision. Pupils receive focused help to catch up quickly. The school promotes reading across the curriculum well. Staff teach pupils important vocabulary and pupils read together regularly, for example in form time. This is increasing pupils’ confidence in reading.

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Pupils follow a well-designed programme that promotes their personal development. Staff teach them to ‘be the best version of themselves’. Pupils learn about the importance of healthy relationships and staying safe. Staff give them opportunities to debate moral and social issues. Pupils learn to celebrate the differences between people. The school’s careers programme helps them to make the right decisions about their next steps.

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The school uses information about attendance effectively to identify pupils or families who may need support. Staff work successfully to help pupils to come to school regularly. Most pupils attend well.

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Leaders, trustees and members of the local governing body carry out their roles effectively. They have a clear, ambitious vision for the school. This is well understood by staff. The school ensures that staff receive appropriate training and development opportunities. Staff value the support that they receive. Opportunities for staff to work collaboratively have increased staff well-being. Staff are proud to work at this school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is variation in how well some teachers present and explain new information. Consequently, some pupils do not learn and achieve as well as they could. The school should continue to refine and embed teachers’ approaches so that pupils learn well enough and reach their full potential.  Teachers’ gathering and use of assessment information are not as effective in some subjects as they are in others. Consequently, some pupils do not receive as much help as they could to improve their learning further. The school should 16 and 17 April 2024

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ensure that checks on pupils’ learning in all subjects enable teachers to help pupils to achieve well.

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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’ 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). 16 and 17 April 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The Oaks Academy reopened in November 2019. When its predecessor school, The Oaks Academy, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to require special measures overall.  The school is part of The Learning Partnership Academies Trust.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.  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.

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s 16 and 17 April 2024

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education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other leaders and members of staff. The lead inspector met with members of the local governing body, including the chair of governors. She also spoke to representatives of the trust, including the chief executive officer and the chair of trustees.  Inspectors completed deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science, Spanish and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors 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 pupils’ work. They also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school and their

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views of behaviour and bullying. They also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation, including the school’s self- evaluation document, leaders’ improvement plans, minutes of local governing body meetings and records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments. There were no responses to the pupil and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Stephanie Gill, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Geoff Baker Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 April 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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