Oxford International College

Inspection of Oxford International College 1-5 London Place, Oxford OX4 1BD

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Sixth-form provision Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils who attend this school are from overseas, aiming to gain qualifications to secure places at British universities. The education they receive here does not prepare them for life in modern Britain. Students in the sixth form, which makes up most of the school, do not receive personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. This means that they do not learn about topics such as drugs, alcohol and online safety. In addition, sixth-form students do not receive adequate relationships and sex and health education (RSE). In addition, the school’s arrangements for safeguarding are not effective and this has left some pupils at risk of harm.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve well academically at this school. Many go on to their chosen universities in the United Kingdom or abroad. Pupils are highly motivated, and their teachers encourage them to aim high. Pupils attend school regularly and behave well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have the opportunity to access a range of clubs during the school day, such as philosophy and coding, where they can pursue their interests. Some pupils have recently established a chess and mah-jong group, where they enjoy competing with each other. Pupils are encouraged to stay healthy, for example, by accessing local sports and leisure facilities, although not all participate in these activities.

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better?

The school offers a suitably broad curriculum, which meets the needs of the pupils who attend here. Pupils enrol at this school from Year 11 upwards with the aim of eventually studying specific university courses. This is reflected in the school’s curriculum which specialises in subjects, such as science, mathematics, economics and computer science.

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better?

The curriculum within each subject is organised well so that learning builds over time. The school uses a system of regular assessments to check what pupils know. Pupils who fall behind, including with reading, are given effective support to catch up with their peers. Teachers use information from regular assessments to adapt lessons. They focus on those topic areas where pupils need more input or practise. Pupils know their teachers are experts in their subjects, and they appreciate opportunities to ask questions or clarify their understanding. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified. Guidance is provided to teachers, and they adapt their approach for these pupils as appropriate.

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better?

Students in the school’s sixth form are not taught a PSHE curriculum. This means that students do not have the chance to learn about the challenges and opportunities of life in modern Britain. They do not learn about discrimination and the protected characteristics, including how these relate to British law. Although there are some opportunities for pupils to learn about other cultures and backgrounds, they do not learn about fundamental British values or receive a 16 to 18 April 2024 rounded social and moral education. For example, students are not taught about the law in Britain and the parliamentary system. In addition, there is no RSE curriculum for sixth-form students, so they lack guidance about what constitutes safe and healthy relationships. There are a number of unmet independent school standards (the standards) relating to personal development and RSE.

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better?

Most pupils appreciate the guidance they receive in relation to careers and next steps. In particular, pupils benefit from support with university applications and advice about specialist career pathways, such as medicine. For a small number of pupils, the advice on offer does not meet their needs because they want to pursue a career or university course that is less common within the school.

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better?

Pupils understand the importance of attending school and do so regularly. However, leaders’ oversight of attendance is poor, meaning attendance figures are not always accurate and reliable. Although leaders check where pupils are when not in school, they are unclear about their broader role in relation to tracking and promoting regular attendance. There is an unmet standard relating to the keeping of admission and attendance registers.

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better?

Behaviour in the school is excellent. Pupils demonstrate complete commitment to their learning and low-level disruption is extremely uncommon. Leaders follow their policies to deal with behavioural incidents when they arise. However, there is little strategic oversight of pupils’ behaviour. For example, leaders do not have a detailed understanding of behavioural patterns and trends. This also means that links between behaviour and safeguarding concerns are sometimes missed.

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better?

Leadership capacity has not kept up with the pace of the school’s growth. Leaders requested a material change inspection at the same time as this inspection to increase the school’s capacity further. The school is not currently meeting the independent school standards and it would not be appropriate for it to expand further at the current time.

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better?

The school’s leadership lacks the capacity and expertise to improve. Leaders have failed to identify and address serious issues in the school, including those relating to safeguarding. The school does not have effective systems and processes to ensure oversight of areas, such as attendance. Most staff at the school feel that their workload is considered when new policies are introduced. However, some feel frustrated that leaders do not always listen to their views, for example, on how to develop the school’s curriculum.

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better?

The governing body is entirely made up of professionals from within the proprietor body. This has contributed to a lack of challenge and transparency. The proprietor body has not carried out their role effectively. It has failed to hold leaders to account and ensure that the school meets the required standards. It has not ensured that the school meets statutory obligations relating to the teaching of PSHE and the protected characteristics. In addition, an inspection of boarding provision which took place at the same time has identified breaches in the national minimum standards. The standards relating to the quality of leadership and management are not met. 16 to 18 April 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

School leaders are not sufficiently knowledgeable about safeguarding practice to carry out their duties effectively. Staff receive training in safeguarding although many remain uncertain about some of the school’s procedures, including the policy on whistle-blowing. Leaders do not always recognise when something constitutes a serious concern. Consequently, they sometimes fail to take important actions to keep pupils safe.

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Safeguarding

The school’s safeguarding culture is not open and transparent. Leaders do not refer to children’s services or liaise with other agencies when they should. They do not have a clear approach to communicating with agencies overseas where necessary, despite this being raised at a previous inspection of the boarding provision. This has left some pupils at increased risk of harm.

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Safeguarding

There is a lack of oversight in areas connected to safeguarding, including attendance and personal development. This means that pupils are not taught how to keep themselves safe when they encounter risky situations. The proprietor recently commissioned a review of the school’s safeguarding practice which raised some issues. However, the action plan they have put in place with leaders does not identify the extent of the problems, which are entrenched.

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Safeguarding

The school have not published an up-to-date safeguarding policy on their website, despite this being requested during the inspection. This has resulted in the relevant standard being unmet.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The school does not have an open and transparent safeguarding culture. The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. Leaders do not always recognise when something constitutes a serious concern. This results in poor decision- making. Leaders do not routinely share information with other organisations, including children’s services, to help keep children safe. Leaders should act urgently to address the safeguarding failings identified in this report.  Sixth-form students are not prepared for life in modern Britain. They do not receive a PSHE or RSE curriculum. Leaders must ensure that there is a curriculum in place and that this meets the specific needs of their student cohort. They should ensure that this is designed to equip students with the knowledge they need to keep themselves safe now and in the future.  The school lacks robust leadership oversight. Leaders have neither identified nor

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

addressed weaknesses in the school. This includes serious concerns about safeguarding and personal development which have left pupils at risk. The 16 to 18 April 2024 proprietor body should take action to strengthen leadership in the school and make sure that the independent school standards are met consistently over time.

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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. 16 to 18 April 2024

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School details

Unique reference number 146516 DfE registration number 931/6022

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School details

Inspection number 10286465 Type of school Other Independent School

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School details

School category Independent boarding school

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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form

Proprietor Oxford International Schools Limited

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form

Annual fees (day pupils) £29,250–£30,500

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form

Date of previous inspection 19 to 21 November 2019 16 to 18 April 2024

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Information about this school

 Oxford International College is an independent boarding school that provides education for pupils aged 14 to 19 years. The majority of the pupils use the school’s boarding provision. Most of the students are from overseas, including Hong Kong, China, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.  The school’s proprietor body is Oxford International Schools Limited, which is owned by Nord Anglia Education. Nord Anglia Education is responsible for over 80 international day and boarding schools in more than 30 countries.  The school operates from multiple addresses: – 1–5 London Place, Oxford OX4 1BD – 1 Alfred Street, Oxford OX1 4EH – Threeways House, 36 George Street, Oxford OX1 2BJ – In addition, there is an administrative hub at 58 St Clements, Oxford OX4 1AH  The majority of students at the school are in the sixth form. Some pupils enrol at the school in Year 11, where they study GCSE courses completed in one year.

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Information about this school

 None of the school’s pupils have education, health and care plans. A small proportion of the pupils have identified SEND.  The school’s last standard inspection took place in November 2019. Material change inspections were carried out in October 2020 and July 2022 to increase the number of pupils on roll. At these inspections, the school was judged likely to meet standards. The last inspection of the school’s boarding provision was carried out in October 2021.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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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 has failed to meet the independent school standards. These are the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  This inspection was carried out at the same time as an inspection of the boarding provision. 16 to 18 April 2024  Inspectors held a wide range of meetings with school leaders, including the principal and vice-principal. The lead inspector met with the chair of the governing body, who also represents the proprietor body as director of UK schools for Nord Anglia Education.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics and economics. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke

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Information about this inspection

to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 spoke with a range of pupils and staff throughout the inspection. Survey information could not be considered during this inspection as leaders did not send out the required information to parents, pupils and staff despite multiple requests.  Inspectors checked whether the school continues to meet the independent school standards. This included looking at the school’s premises and other relevant information, such as policies, risk-assessment and documents relating to health and safety.

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The school’s proposed change to the maximum number of pupils

The school has applied to the Department for Education (DfE) to make a ‘material change’ to its registration. At the DfE’s request, we checked whether the school is likely to meet the relevant independent school standards if the DfE decides to approve the change. This part of the inspection was carried out under section 162(4) of the Education Act 2002.

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The school’s proposed change to the maximum number of pupils

 The outcome of this part of the inspection is: the school is unlikely to meet the relevant independent school standards if the material change relating to the school provision is implemented.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding are ineffective.  Leaders have not ensured that the well-being of pupils is actively promoted. Students in the sixth form do not receive teaching in PSHE or RSE. They are not well prepared for life in modern Britain.  Leaders do not have sufficient capacity and expertise to ensure that the school meets the independent school standards. The proprietor body has not carried out its role in holding leaders to account and ensuring that the school continues to meet its statutory obligations.

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Inspection team

Chris Ellison, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jason Philipsz Ofsted Inspector 16 to 18 April 2024

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if- – 2(1)(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub-paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively and  2(2) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are- – 2(2)(d) personal, social, health and economic education which- – 2(2)(d)(i) reflects the school’s aim and ethos; and – 2(2)(d)(ii) encourages respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the 2010 Act[9]; – 2(2)(g) where the school has pupils above compulsory school age, a programme of activities which is appropriate to their needs; – 2(2)(i) effective preparation of pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in British society.  2A(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor-

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 2A(1)(b) ensures that every registered pupil who is provided with secondary education at the school is provided with relationships and sex education, except in so far as the pupil is excused as mentioned in sub-paragraph (2), – 2A(1)(d) in making arrangements for the purposes of paragraphs (a), (b) or (c), has regard to any guidance under section 80A of the Education Act 2002 that applies in relation to the provision of education by maintained schools, – 2A(1)(e) makes and keeps up to date a separate written statement of its policy with regard to the provision of education as required by each of paragraphs (a) and (b), – 2A(1)(f) consults parents of registered pupils at the school before making or revising a statement under sub-paragraph (e), and – 2A(1)(g) publishes a copy of the statement on a website and provides a copy of the statement free of charge to anyone who asks for one.  2A(2) Arrangements made by the proprietor for the purposes of sub-paragraph

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

(1)(b) must ensure that where a pupil’s parent requests that the pupil is wholly or partly excused from sex education provided as part of relationships and sex education, the pupil is so excused until the request is withdrawn, unless or to the extent that the head teacher considers that the pupil should not be so excused.

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Part 2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

 5 The standard about the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils at the school is met if the proprietor- – 5(a) actively promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs; – 5(b) ensures that principles are actively promoted which- 16 to 18 April 2024 – 5(b)(i) enable pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self- confidence; – 5(b)(ii) enable pupils to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England; – 5(b)(iii) encourage pupils to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative and understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality in which the school is situated and to society more widely; – 5(b)(iv) enable pupils to acquire a broad general knowledge of and respect for

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Part 2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

public institutions and services in England; – 5(b)(vi) encourage respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the 2010 Act; and – 5(b)(vii) encourage respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic process, including respect for the basis on which the law is made and applied in England;

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and – 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.  8 Where section 87(1) of the 1989 Act 1 applies in relation to a school the standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 8(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of boarders while they are accommodated at the school; and – 8(b) such arrangements have regard to the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools or, where applicable, the National Minimum Standards for Residential Special Schools.  15 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that an admission and attendance register is maintained in accordance with the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006[13].

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Part 6. Provision of information

 32(1) The standard about the provision of information by the school is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 32(1)(c) particulars of the arrangements for meeting the standard contained in paragraph 7 are published on the school’s internet website or, where no such website exists, are provided to parents on request;

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

1 Section 87(1) was amended by section 105 of the Care Standards Act 2000 (c.41) and section 1A was inserted by section 43 of the 2011 Act. 16 to 18 April 2024  34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school- – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and – 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils. 16 to 18 April 2024 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

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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