Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Charmaine Parry Interim Headteacher Oscott Manor School 290 Reservoir Road Erdington Birmingham West Midlands B23 6DE

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Oscott Manor School

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection that took place on 16 and 17 July 2025, on behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require special measures following the graded (section 5) inspection that took place in June 2024.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Oscott Manor School

The purpose of a monitoring inspection is not to grade the school’s key and (where applicable) provision judgements, but to identify and report on the school’s progress. It is to highlight to the school and parents any improvements that school leaders have made since the school’s previous graded inspection.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Oscott Manor School

During the inspection, I discussed with you and other leaders, the interim executive board (IEB) and the local authority the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection. I also visited lessons, met with other staff, spoke with pupils and scrutinised a range of school documents. I have considered all this in coming to my judgement.

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Oscott Manor School continues to require special measures. Leaders have

made insufficient progress to improve the school.

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The position regarding the appointment of early career teachers will be

considered again during any monitoring inspection we carry out.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Since the most recent graded inspection, you have made considerable changes in leadership, but these have been very recent. You and the IEB have brought a renewed drive and determination to improve the school since starting in June 2025 and April 2025 respectively. However, over time, the school has not acted in a timely way to bring about vital improvement. Other than the work done to develop the curriculum, there had been little progress to address the weaknesses identified at the last inspection before you and the IEB started. You and other leaders have a clear understanding of what needs to improve and of how this could be achieved. However, you have had insufficient time to bring about the improvements needed.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Your approach and guidance, in the short time you have been in post, has galvanised the passion of staff to provide pupils with everything they need to succeed. Staff are grateful for the vision and direction that you have brought to the school. You have been successful in improving communication with staff and they feel listened to and valued. There is now a tangible excitement among staff for the future at Oscott Manor. However, staff are fully aware that there is still plenty of work to do.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

You and your wider team’s work to redesign the curriculum, including for pupils with the most complex needs, has been underway since the start of the spring term. This was done collaboratively with teachers and sets out detailed expectations for each subject for each pathway. This curriculum is ambitious and organised coherently. It provides age- appropriate content that is adapted carefully to make it accessible to pupils. However, the curriculum is not yet fully implemented. Consequently, pupils’ experiences are varied. Too many pupils are not learning as well as they should. You have a clear plan to address this in September. You acknowledge that the curriculum needs to be continually reviewed and improved to ensure it meets the needs of pupils.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Until recently, your quality assurance processes have not been used in a way that has had an impact on the quality of provision. You recognise the importance of checking the quality of education and offering staff regular, focused support. Staff welcome this guidance and scrutiny as they are keen to provide pupils with a high-quality education. Teaching is currently inconsistent across classes and subjects, and so pupils’ experiences are mixed. You and other leaders are quickly gaining an accurate picture of the strengths and weaknesses of Oscott Manor. This should enable you and your team to plan what needs to be done to drive improvement.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

At the last inspection, the approach to teaching early reading was inconsistent because staff had not been trained well enough to deliver the phonics programme. Staff are passionate and knowledgeable about early reading and some have considerable expertise. However, a lack of oversight of early reading since the last inspection has led to inconsistent delivery. Therefore, too many pupils who are at the early stages of learning to read are not consistently receiving the help and guidance they need. This is also the case in how well staff use communication systems such as communication boards and symbol exchange. You have recently implemented a system that puts communication at the centre of provision by providing staff with detailed plans for each pupil. You and your colleagues recognise the crucial role staff training plays in this. Being so new, this is not bringing about a consistently high-quality use of communication systems.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

When first visiting the school, the IEB had concerns about the effectiveness of safeguarding systems. It quickly commissioned an external audit of safeguarding, which highlighted necessary actions. You have quickly made improvements and provided extensive training to staff that has brought about a shared, secure understanding of all procedures. You have clarified for staff the vital role that behaviour records play in safeguarding pupils. Your daily briefings have been a fundamental tool in making improvements and have quickly ensured an open and vigilant safeguarding culture. This has ensured that safeguarding is effective.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The school is due to become part of a multi-academy trust in the coming months. During your short time at the school, you have sought and made effective use of external support, including from a trust. This building of strong professional networks, and the involvement of a trust, is likely to ensure a smooth transition for the school as it becomes an academy.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

I am copying this letter to the chair of the IEB, the Department for Education’s regional director and the director of children’s services for Birmingham City Council. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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