Oxted School

Oxted School

Address: Bluehouse Lane, Oxted, Surrey, RH8 0AB Unique reference number (URN): 142315

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have an astute understanding of the school. They have worked closely with the trust to establish an accurate assessment of the quality of the school's provision. Together, they have addressed areas for improvement and closely monitored the impact of their actions. This has led to rapid and notable improvement in behaviour and attendance. While there are some areas that need to develop further, for example increasing some pupils' attendance and improving outcomes in national examinations for disadvantaged pupils, the journey of improvement is already underway. Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Those responsible for governance share leaders' high aspirations. Trustees and members of the local governing board provide robust challenge. They are knowledgeable about the school's work and fulfil their statutory duties. Those responsible for governance maintain close oversight for the wellbeing of school leaders and ensure that the school has the resources it needs to continue to act in pupils' best interests.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have developed a highly effective professional learning programme that underpins the drive for continuous improvement. This ensures that staff, including those at the early stage of their career, have the expertise needed to provide a high quality education for all pupils. Staff value the consideration that is given to their workload.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The impact of leaders' actions is recognised by staff, parents and pupils. They appreciate the significant improvements that have been made in the school in recent years. Staff and pupils are proud advocates of this community.

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Achievement Expected standard

Published examination outcomes at key stage 4 show that most pupils attain close to national averages for most subjects. Disadvantaged pupils achieve less well. However, outcomes in 2025 demonstrate that this is improving. Pupils are typically well prepared for their next steps. Many choose to study at the school's sixth form.

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Achievement Expected standard

Students achieve well in vocational subjects at post-16. However, students have achieved less well overall in academic qualifications over time. This is not reflective of the work students produce at post-16. Where teaching has recently strengthened, students demonstrate secure knowledge and understanding of increasingly complex ideas. They use technical vocabulary accurately and with confidence.

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Achievement Expected standard

Across the curriculum, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are making suitable progress from their individual starting points, including pupils in the specially resourced provision. Pupils who have not secured foundational knowledge in reading, handwriting and mathematics are catching up quickly.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have prioritised attendance and the behaviour of pupils in the school. They have taken effective action to tackle increasing levels of absence. They closely monitor and analyse attendance information. Where patterns of absence emerge, leaders act quickly to tackle this. This includes working closely with families and external agencies. There is extensive emotional support for pupils who have previously had negative experiences of attending school. Part-time timetables are used appropriately and are well managed. The school's approach has led to rapid improvement in overall attendance and a notable reduction in persistent absence. While the attendance of disadvantaged pupils has improved, some pupils still do not attend school as often as they could.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

The school is a calm environment with a culture of mutual respect. Leaders have established clear, simple expectations for pupils' behaviour. Staff apply these consistently. Pupils are polite and well behaved. They typically display positive attitudes to learning. Parents, staff and pupils note that behaviour has improved significantly since the previous inspection. Bullying and discrimination are rare. Staff take swift action to address this when it does happen. Pupils who need additional help to manage their behaviour receive effective support.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school's curriculum is broad and ambitious for pupils. It is well planned and builds on what pupils have learned previously. Leaders have designed the curriculum so it meets the needs of all pupils. Pupils who join the school with gaps in their reading and mathematical skills get the help they need to catch up quickly. Leaders regularly review and adapt the support for pupils in the specially resourced provision so these pupils can be successful.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have a clear and detailed understanding of the quality of teaching. They use this information well to make informed decisions about how to make further improvements. Since the previous inspection, leaders have strengthened how the curriculum is taught. They have planned the professional learning programme carefully to ensure teachers have the knowledge they need to deliver the curriculum with greater consistency.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is generally well taught. Teachers are knowledgeable about the subjects they teach. They present new concepts clearly. Teachers typically use the school's agreed approaches to help pupils apply what they have learned. The 'Oxted way' includes frequent opportunities to revisit prior learning. Where there is any variability, leaders use coaching and expertise from the trust to further improve teaching across the curriculum.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), those who are disadvantaged and those known to children's social care are well supported and cared for. Leaders are passionate about removing barriers for the most vulnerable pupils so they can thrive academically and personally. Leaders have established effective systems to identify the help pupils need. Staff are provided with detailed information so they can support pupils' learning effectively. Ongoing training helps staff to make thoughtful adaptations to learning tasks for pupils with SEND. This enables them to access the curriculum, including pupils in the specially resourced provision. Leaders regularly review the impact of the support provided to pupils with SEND and make adjustments as necessary. However, leaders are less precise in how they monitor the impact of the support provided for some disadvantaged pupils.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders work closely with external agencies to provide additional assistance that pupils may need. This includes careful consideration of how alternative provision is used. Leaders have close oversight of the education and safeguarding arrangements for these pupils to ensure that pupils' needs are successfully met. Pupil premium funding is used diligently to enable disadvantaged pupils to benefit fully from the wider opportunities the school provides.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school has a comprehensive, well-planned personal, social, health and economic curriculum. Leaders have carefully planned the content so pupils are well prepared for life beyond school. For example, pupils are taught about what it means to be in a healthy relationship. They develop an appropriate understanding of consent and behaving respectfully. Pupils are taught about risks to personal safety. They are acutely aware of the dangers of substance misuse and online risks. Pupils have a keen sense of right and wrong. This is reinforced through the school's values and the consistent implementation of the behaviour policy. Leaders ensure that pupils receive high-quality pastoral care, tailored to meet their individual needs.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils develop mature attitudes to difference. They appreciate that everyone has the opportunity to 'be who they want to be'. Through the curriculum and wider opportunities, pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. Pupils engage in thoughtful debate about domestic and world affairs. This helps them develop a secure understanding of fundamental British values.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The curriculum is enhanced by a range of trips and extracurricular activities. These include chess, coding, small animals club and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Pupils value the many sporting and performing arts opportunities, which enable them to develop their talents and interests. Pupil premium funding is used appropriately to ensure that disadvantaged pupils benefit fully from these experiences.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school's careers provision is effective and focused on pupils' aspirations. Pupils are well informed about potential next steps. They receive useful information about the different options for further education, employment or training available to them at the end of Year 11 and Year 13. The school's work experience programme is well established. This provides pupils with meaningful opportunities to engage with employers. Leaders make careful adaptations to the careers programme to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those in the specially resourced provision.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

There is a broad, inclusive vocational and academic curriculum offer at post-16. Students receive appropriate guidance about which courses are best suited to them. Leaders have an astute understanding of the quality of the post-16 provision. They have acted swiftly to address the outcomes in national examinations that are not where leaders want them to be. Leaders have implemented an improvement plan to address variability in the quality of teaching in the sixth form. The impact of this can be seen in the work students produce across the curriculum. This is typically of a high quality. Students demonstrate a secure understanding of complex technical vocabulary. They use this confidently when drawing connections between challenging concepts. This includes disadvantaged students and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

Students benefit from a well-planned careers programme. This provides students with meaningful work experience and dedicated support for university and apprenticeship applications. Consequently, students are well prepared for their next steps in education or training. The broad enrichment offer supports students' wider personal development. Students act as positive role models to younger pupils through the extensive leadership opportunities that are available to them.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are happy and proud to be members of the Oxted community. They feel valued by staff who know them well. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those in the specially resourced provision, feel a real sense of belonging in this inclusive school. They benefit from a wide range of opportunities outside of the classroom. These include clubs such as choir, fitness, languages, poetry and debating. Pupils feel that their voices are heard. They are encouraged to take up the many leadership roles on offer. Warm relationships are a cornerstone of the school's ethos. Pupils are respectful of each other and the adults that support them.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils feel safe. Older pupils appreciate the recent positive changes to behaviour. Leaders have high expectations for pupils' conduct. These are applied consistently by staff. The school is calm and pupils engage well in their learning. During social times, pupils behave sensibly. Bullying is rare in the school. Pupils are supported to report any concerns they may have. They know that staff will act swiftly to address any discriminatory language should it be heard. The welcoming environment means that pupils enjoy coming to school. Attendance has improved and most pupils attend well. Vulnerable pupils are well supported to attend more regularly.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils value their education and many enjoy learning. Pupils are benefiting from the recent improvements that leaders have made to the quality of teaching. Pupils who experience barriers to their learning are well supported to access the full curriculum. Pupils in the specially resourced provision benefit from carefully considered adaptations that help them make positive progress through the curriculum. Typically, pupils achieve well. Outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in national examinations are improving. The effective careers provision means that pupils are well informed for their next steps in education, employment or training.

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Next steps

Leaders should strengthen the systems for monitoring the support provided to disadvantaged pupils to ensure barriers are consistently removed and these pupils achieve well across the curriculum. Leaders should continue to implement their strategy to reduce any ongoing barriers to pupils' attendance so that the number of pupils who attend school regularly increases.

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About this inspection

This school is part of The Howard Partnership 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), Louise Lee, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Ian Wilson.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the principal and other senior leaders during the inspection. The lead inspector met with the CEO, trustees and the chair of the local board.

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About this inspection

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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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The current principal took up post in September 2024.

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About this inspection

The school includes a specially resourced provision for 16 pupils with visual impairment.

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About this inspection

The school makes use of 12 alternative provisions, including 4 that are unregistered.

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Lead inspector:

Stephen Cattell, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Keith Pailthorpe, Ofsted Inspector Andy Platt, Ofsted Inspector Owen McColgan, Ofsted Inspector Daniel Botting, Ofsted Inspector Giles Osborne, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England. National average: 1,153

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (if applicable).

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English and maths GCSE

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2024/25 (revised) 39.2% 45.4% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 44.6% 45.9% Close to average

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Attainment 8

A measure of pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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national average

2024/25 (revised) 44.6 46.0 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 45.7 45.9 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 44.2 46.3 Close to average

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Progress 8

How much progress pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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national average

2023/24 (final) -0.27 -0.03 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) -0.25 -0.03 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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national average

2022/23 (final) 31.4 35.0 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

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A-level average point score

The average points that students achieved per A-level entry.

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national average

2022/23 (final) 32.81 34.16 Close to average

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A-level value added

A score showing students’ progress between the end of key stage 4 and the end of their academic qualification studies.

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national average

2023/24 (revised) 0.0 0.0 Close to average

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 31.0% 26.5% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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