Oasis Academy Oldham

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteachers of this school are Gemma Blackwood and Sam Collins. 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, John Barneby, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Caroline Taylor. 12 and 13 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Over recent years, the school has raised its expectations and ambition for pupils at Oasis Academy Oldham. Pupils have responded positively to the changes made to the school. In most subjects, pupils achieve well. Pupils are proud of their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school serves a diverse community. Pupils embrace the differences of others, and they learn about a range of cultures and beliefs. This is a school where pupils are safe and happy. They build positive relationships with their peers and staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The behaviour of pupils is noteworthy. Pupils understand exactly what is expected of them, and they value the rewards that they receive for their efforts. On occasion, when pupils’ behaviour does not meet expected standards, staff deal with this quickly. Many pupils attend well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils have been elected to leadership positions in the school. This enables pupils to contribute meaningfully to decision-making in the school. For example, pupils influenced the policy on being able to wear their sports kit on days when they have physical education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a range of opportunities for pupils to build their interests and talents, such as cooking and writing. Pupils are encouraged to participate in sports and exercise. They enjoy the range of clubs that they have, including cheerleading and handball, and using the fitness suite.

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better?

With the support of the trust, the school has considerably increased the ambition in the curriculum. The school is aspirational for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). A growing number of pupils are choosing to study the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects in key stage 4.

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better?

For the most part, the curriculum is designed effectively. The school has carefully organised the important knowledge that it wants pupils to know and remember. Opportunities for pupils to learn about different cultures are skilfully interwoven through the curriculum. For example, pupils learn about artists from Pakistan.

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better?

In a few subjects, in recent years, the school has made many changes to the content and the structure of the curriculum. This sometimes hinders how well teachers support pupils to build a secure body of subject knowledge over time. Some pupils’ learning is uneven as a result.

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better?

The school has built a stable, well-trained body of staff. Staff implement the curriculum increasingly well. In most subjects, the consistent, high-quality delivery of the curriculum has resulted in strong achievement for pupils. 12 and 13 June 2024

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Teachers have secure subject knowledge. In the main, teachers explain concepts well, and they select appropriate activities for pupils to learn the knowledge in the curriculum. Typically, teachers use assessment strategies successfully to identify and address pupils’ misconceptions. In a small number of subjects, teachers do not use assessment strategies consistently well to address pupils’ missed or forgotten learning. In these subjects, some pupils’ retention of knowledge is less secure.

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The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND accurately. The information that staff receive is regularly updated. Staff use this information to adapt their teaching to meet the needs of pupils with SEND so that they learn well alongside their peers. In the main, pupils with SEND progress well through the curriculum.

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The school has prioritised reading. Gaps in pupils’ reading knowledge are swiftly identified and pupils are provided with the precise support that they need to become confident and fluent readers. There is a strong culture of reading throughout the school.

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Staff implement the updated behaviour system consistently well. Strategies to improve pupils’ rates of attendance have been successful. The school continues to work closely with pupils who find coming to school difficult. For example, they provide additional support for pupils with their mental health.

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The school has a carefully tailored programme for personal, social and health education. This builds the knowledge that pupils need to prepare them well for life in modern Britain. For example, pupils learn about personal safety, managing money and the world of work. This provides pupils with the information that they need about future education and careers.

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Leaders, including trustees, have a secure understanding of the school’s priorities and they provide appropriate challenge and support. Leaders have a clear vision for the continued development of the school. Staff feel well supported with their workload. For example, the school carefully considers the distribution of work over the academic year.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, teachers do not use assessment strategies well enough to pinpoint where pupils’ knowledge is less secure. Some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge as a result. The school should ensure that teachers are fully equipped to identify and remedy pupils’ misconceptions or gaps in their learning. 12 and 13 June 2024

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 In a small number of subjects, frequent changes to the curriculum have hampered teachers’ efforts to ensure that pupils build securely on what they know already. Some pupils do not build the knowledge that they should in sufficient depth. The school should ensure that in these subjects, the design and structure of the curriculum support pupils to build a rich body of subject knowledge.

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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). 12 and 13 June 2024

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,474

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School details

Headteachers Gemma Blackwood and Sam Collins

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 June 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Oasis Community Learning multi-academy trust.  Since the last inspection, the school’s leadership structure has changed. There are currently two co-headteachers.  The school makes use of three unregistered and three registered alternative provisions for a small number of pupils.  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 12 and 13 June 2024

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education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, modern foreign languages, history, design technology and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors considered the curriculum in other subjects.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other senior leaders, subject leaders and members of staff.  The lead inspector met with leaders of the trust and members of the board of trustees. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils from Years 7 to 11 about their experiences of school and their views on behaviour and bullying. Inspectors also observed

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pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes.  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 considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments.  Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Eleanor Overland, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Stephen Cox Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 June 2024

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