Loxley Hall School

Inspection of Loxley Hall School Stafford Road, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire ST14 8RS

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The executive headteacher of this school is David Bownds. This school is part of the Manor Hall Trust which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Philip Harrison and overseen by a board of trustees chaired by John Fitchett. 8 and 9 July 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

To be a pupil at Loxley Hall is to be genuinely seen and warmly welcomed. Pupils are guided with care. Learning is shaped to fit each dream. Every step forward is met with a steady hand. Pupils do not just prepare for exams; they prepare for life. Many pupils arrive with difficult experiences of school, education and life. They leave with resilience and quiet confidence, knowing they can succeed, no matter where they began.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Lessons stretch beyond the classroom, from reading and mathematics to cooking and engineering. Pupils are surrounded by high expectations and supported to achieve results comparable to those of their peers elsewhere. They rise to meet these goals and take pride in their journey.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is met with understanding, not punishment. When emotions rise, safe spaces like ‘The Loft’ and the ‘Emotional Support Unit’ (ESU) at the school, offer calm places to reset and return, ready to learn. Respect flows both ways and trust is built in every conversation. Consequently, there is a calm and purposeful environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils discover their talents through vocational courses, such as firefighting and agriculture, as well as activities like boxing, knitting and football. Events like Pride Week and Brew Monday bring the school community together, such as to celebrate identity and connect with others over a cup of tea.

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

Over time, leaders have worked diligently to improve many aspects of the school’s work, including reading, the curriculum and behaviour. With strong support from the trust, local academy board and trustees, they have driven rapid and positive change. The quality of education is now strong and continues to improve.

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

From the moment pupils arrive, staff work to understand their individual needs. Many have complex social, emotional, and mental health challenges. Additional needs, like speech, language, and communication are identified quickly through staff’s caring interactions with pupils. Most staff adapt their teaching well to support these needs. However, in some cases, pupils with communication difficulties are not given enough time to process information.

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

Leaders have set high expectations for what pupils should learn and when. Across subjects, knowledge builds clearly from one lesson to the next. The school ensures that its curriculum deepens pupils’ understanding and knowledge of real-life applications. In science, for example, lessons build knowledge and show real-life applications, such as firefighting or drug and alcohol awareness.

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

Leaders have made substantial efforts to develop the skills of classroom teams to deliver the curriculum effectively in subjects like English and mathematics. Lessons are often exciting, engaging and focused on practical application. For example, pupils wrote instructions for making tea and then followed them to test the clarity of their writing skills. 8 and 9 July 2025

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However, in some subjects, staff training on curriculum delivery is still ongoing, while in others, it is not in place. As a result, some teaching does not resolve gaps in pupils’ knowledge effectively or ensure that all pupils retain the intended learning.

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Most staff check pupils’ understanding effectively. Many staff use skilful questioning to see if pupils can apply learning in different contexts. In a mathematics lesson, for example, pupils explained how ratios apply to both cooking and map reading. This helped staff to assess whether learning could be transferred beyond the classroom.

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The nurture provision in ‘The Loft’ supports newer pupils to develop their emotional regulation, helping them to integrate smoothly with peers who have been at the school longer. The ESU provides a safe space for pupils to take a break and reset when needed. Attendance leaders work closely with families to overcome barriers to regular attendance. As a result, pupils’ attendance is steadily improving.

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Lessons develop not only academic skills, but also emotional, social, and practical understanding. Pupils learn about healthy relationships, staying safe and risks like gang culture and online dangers. They say that these lessons help them make good choices and feel prepared for adult life.

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From Year 7, pupils explore careers, develop life skills and participate in activities that enhance confidence, independence and resilience. Careers education is integrated into the curriculum, encompassing curriculum vitae writing, interview preparation and guidance on apprenticeships. Partnerships with local employers provide hands-on experience in fields such as engineering and design.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the school does not ensure that staff identify or address gaps in pupils’ knowledge effectively. On occasion, teaching does not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to consolidate their learning and embed it into their long-term memory. This affects some pupils’ achievement. The school should ensure that all staff can address knowledge gaps and support pupils to secure and retain their learning over time.  In some cases, the curriculum is not delivered in a way that fully supports pupils’ listening and processing needs. On occasions, some pupils receive too much language or and learning is not broken into manageable parts. This does not allow enough time for pupils to process what is being taught. The school should ensure that all staff adapt their teaching appropriately, with particular attention to pupils who struggle with listening and processing. 8 and 9 July 2025

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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). 8 and 9 July 2025

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School details

School category Academy special converter

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School details

Headteacher David Bownds (executive headteacher)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 26 and 27 September 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Loxley Hall School caters for pupils with a range of social, emotional and mental health needs. Many of the pupils have additional needs such as autistic spectrum conditions, speech, language and communication needs and learning and cognition needs.  Many pupils attending Loxley Hall have been permanently excluded from their previous school. All of them have an education, health and care (EHC) plan relating to their social, emotional and mental health needs.  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 does not use any form of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements 8 and 9 July 2025

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(quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school's education provision.  This was the second 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.  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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: English including early reading, mathematics, science and personal development. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors

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also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  Inspectors observed informal times to evaluate safeguarding and pupils' behaviour.  During the inspection, the inspectors had meetings with the executive headteacher, head of school and members of the local academy board and board of trustees. An inspector spoke with the school’s external school improvement partner, a representative of the local authority and representatives from the trust.  The inspector took account of responses to the Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text responses. Inspectors also spoke with a sample of parents in person and on the telephone.

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Inspection team

Chris Pollitt, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Eve Morris His Majesty's Inspector 8 and 9 July 2025

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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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