Oakley School

Oakley School

Address: Quercus Way, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV33 9WN Unique reference number (URN): 149717

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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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Early years Strong standard

Leaders have created a nurturing and well ‑ organised early years provision where children feel secure and ready to learn. Staff know children well and use this understanding to plan routines that help them settle quickly. Relationships are warm and consistent, and children respond positively to the calm, purposeful environment. Leaders work closely with pre- school settings and families so that children’s needs are identified early and support is in place from the start.

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Early years Strong standard

The curriculum is thoughtfully designed and rooted in early childhood development. Staff prioritise developing children's early reading, communication and language skills, and their personal, social and emotional development. Phonics is taught systematically, and staff check children's understanding well to identify gaps and plan targeted support. Children who need additional help, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive carefully structured support that enables them to take part fully in learning. As a result, children develop confidence and independence.

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Early years Strong standard

Children achieve well from their starting points. They learn to take turns, communicate their needs and build positive relationships with adults and their peers. The early years environment is safe, well organised and adapted thoughtfully to meet children’s needs. Leaders’ strong oversight ensures that provision is continually refined so that all children can thrive.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have established a highly ambitious and coherent programme for pupils’ personal development and wellbeing. This is central to the school’s ethos and is reflected in a carefully structured offer that combines a well-planned curriculum with a wide range of meaningful wider opportunities. As a result, pupils benefit from a rich set of experiences that extend beyond academic learning and contribute strongly to their confidence, resilience and readiness for life beyond school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The personal development programme is extensive and thoughtfully designed. Pupils participate in a wide range of enrichment opportunities, which they value highly and consistently identify as a key strength of the school. These experiences are deliberately planned across phases, ensuring that pupils build a cultural awareness and develop their interests and talents securely over time. Leaders are particularly effective in ensuring that disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils access these opportunities, so that participation is equitable and inclusive.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The curriculum for personal development is well planned and coherent. Pupils learn about relationships, health, diversity and online safety in age ‑ appropriate ways. They can explain what they have learned about topics such as consent, family structures and mental health. Older pupils build on this knowledge through more mature discussions that help them to understand the choices they may face as they grow up. Careers education begins early and develops progressively, giving pupils meaningful encounters with employers and experiences that help them to think about their future pathways.

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Expected standard

Strong pastoral systems underpin this work effectively. Pupils can identify trusted adults and describe a range of support available to them, including mentoring and structured spaces to regulate and seek help. This contributes to a positive relational culture in which pupils feel supported, included and able to engage fully in school life. Leaders know their pupils well and are systematic in identifying and supporting those who need additional help. Targeted provision, including mentoring and specialist support, has a demonstrable impact on pupils’ confidence, engagement and aspirations.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils’ achievement is typically secure across the school. Leaders’ work to strengthen core knowledge, particularly in reading and phonics, is having a positive impact. In early years and key stage 1, children build strong early reading skills through a consistent phonics programme and well ‑ targeted support. Many pupils who need additional help catch up through structured interventions. This provides a firm base for future learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Across the curriculum, pupils develop knowledge and skills in line with leaders’ expectations when teaching is consistent and routines are well established. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make expected progress from their starting points, particularly where personalised pathways, specialist provision and adaptive teaching are implemented well.

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Achievement Expected standard

However, achievement is not yet consistent for all pupils. Attendance and mobility interrupt learning for some, particularly in key stage 3, which affects how securely they remember important knowledge. In a small number of lessons, variability in teaching means that some pupils do not build understanding as securely as others.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have established clear systems for monitoring and improving attendance, and these are increasingly effective. They understand the school’s complex context, including high mobility, pupils awaiting specialist placements and those with significant social, emotional and mental health needs. These factors continue to impact headline figures, particularly for pupils who are eligible for free school meals. Even so, overall attendance is improving, and persistent absence is reducing over time. Leaders use daily tracking, mentoring and targeted groups to support pupils who face barriers to regular attendance. Many pupils improve their attendance through this work, although the impact is not yet consistent for all pupils, especially in key stage 3.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have established clear expectations and systems for behaviour, which pupils understand and can articulate. They can explain the school’s expectations and the steps adults take to help them behave well. In many lessons, routines support calm and focused learning. Pupils value the relational approach and the adults they trust. However, behaviour varies between classrooms. A small minority of older pupil's day-to-day experience is affected by some low-level disruption and crowded social spaces. Some pupils say that concerns about unkind behaviour are not always resolved as quickly as they would like.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed a clear and coherent curriculum that reflects the school’s unique context and ambition for all pupils. They have set out the knowledge pupils should learn and the order in which they will learn it, with defined end points and well ‑ sequenced content across subjects. Leaders have invested heavily in reading, phonics and communication, which is strengthening pupils’ core knowledge, particularly in early years and key stage 1.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is inclusive and adapted thoughtfully for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Systems such as pupil passports and provision mapping give teachers clear information about pupils’ needs. In the specialist resource provision, pupils follow personalised pathways that help them to develop communication, independence and confidence, with increasing access to mainstream lessons where appropriate. This reflects leaders’ strong intent to ensure that all pupils can access a meaningful curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching is strongest where routines are well established and expectations are clear. In these lessons, pupils engage well and build knowledge securely. However, teaching is not yet consistent across the school. In some classes, teachers do not check pupils’ understanding or adapt tasks well enough so that all pupils can learn successfully. In a small minority of lessons, low-level disruption and variation in expectations interrupt learning for some older pupils.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have established a well ‑ organised and responsive approach to identifying and meeting pupils’ needs. They have a detailed understanding of the school’s context, including the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face additional barriers. Systems help staff to identify emerging needs quickly and to plan support that is matched to pupils’ needs. Leaders work closely with external professionals and use their advice to refine provision. Children in the early years benefit from secure routines, clear communication strategies and carefully planned support that help them to settle and learn well.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school’s approach to supporting disadvantaged pupils is effective. Leaders use pupil premium funding to remove barriers to participation and to ensure that pupils can access enrichment, mentoring and targeted academic support. Leaders also maintain strong oversight of pupils who are known, or previously known, to social care. They use information well to plan support, adapt routines and communicate with families and other agencies.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The specialist resource provision plays an important role in the school’s inclusive culture. Pupils benefit from personalised pathways, consistent relationships and carefully structured support that help them to develop independence and confidence. Many pupils move successfully between the provision and mainstream lessons. Some pupils say that support in lessons varies and that adults do not always respond to their needs in the same way.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have established a clear and ambitious vision for the school and understand its strengths and the challenges it faces. They know their pupils well and use key information to shape their decisions, for example attendance data and information about safeguarding trends. Leaders respond quickly when concerns arise and adapt provision thoughtfully, drawing on strong relationships with external agencies. Their work to strengthen curriculum design, behaviour systems and inclusion is improving pupils’ experiences, although the impact is not yet consistent across all year groups.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have invested in staff development. Early career teachers receive well ‑ structured support and protected time to develop their practice. Staff value the inclusive culture of the school and say that leaders consider their workload and wellbeing. As the school has grown rapidly, some systems are still embedding, and leaders recognise that variability in classroom practice remains a priority for improvement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governance is effective. Those responsible for governance understand the school’s context and statutory responsibilities. They receive detailed information that enables them to ask informed questions and offer appropriate challenge and support. Governors are reflective and committed to supporting the school’s continued improvement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are very aware of the unique context of the school and take this into consideration when making strategic decisions. As a result, their actions are continuing to improve the school as it grows and evolves. The majority of parents are positive about the school. However, leaders understand the importance of communication with parents about the changing context of the school as it continues to grow.

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

Pupils experience a school that cares about them and wants them to succeed. They say that adults know them well and take time to understand their needs. Many pupils describe staff as kind and approachable, and they value the strong relationships that help them feel settled. They speak warmly about the opportunities they are given, particularly the trips, enrichment and memorable experiences that feel like a defining part of school life. These experiences help pupils to feel proud of their school and to imagine futures that feel possible.

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

Pupils know that support is available when they need it. They can explain how different spaces and adults help them to manage their emotions, whether through taking a short break, speaking to a mentor or using quieter environments. For many, these systems make a meaningful difference and help them feel listened to. Children in the early years benefit from secure routines and positive relationships that help them to thrive. Some older pupils, particularly those who are quieter, say that they find it harder to ask for help and are not always confident that support will reach them at the right time.

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

Pupils describe a largely positive experience in lessons, with many talking about teachers who create calm, purposeful classrooms where they can focus and learn well. They enjoy their learning when teaching is consistent and expectations are clear, and these moments help them feel confident and engaged. At times, pupils say that learning is less smooth, as low ‑ level disruption or inconsistent expectations can interrupt their concentration, but they recognise that this is not their experience in every lesson.

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

Around the school site, pupils are open about the practical realities of a busy environment. They describe crowded corridors and lively social spaces. They are clear that they do not see the school as unsafe; rather, these moments influence how comfortable and relaxed they feel as they move through the day. Pupils with weaker attendance often feel less connected to school life, which shapes how well they experience the curriculum.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that, across all subjects, teachers routinely check that all pupils, including those with additional needs, have secured the intended knowledge in each lesson and adapt teaching precisely where this is not the case, so that pupils keep up with the full curriculum alongside their peers and can access appropriate support promptly when needed. Leaders should ensure that improvements in attendance are sustained and extend across all groups, particularly disadvantaged pupils, so that attendance no longer limits pupils’ learning and wellbeing. Leaders should ensure that behaviour expectations are implemented consistently for older pupils to ensure a calm and purposeful environment in classrooms and around the school.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Stowe Valley Multi Academy 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), Ranjit Samra, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Clare Chevassut.

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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

This is the first inspection since the school was opened in September 2023.

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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

Inspectors spoke with school leaders, including the headteacher and members of the senior leadership team. They also spoke with representatives of the trust including trust leaders,

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Team inspectors:

Chris Pollitt, His Majesty's Inspector Elizabeth Lawson, Ofsted Inspector Donna Wright, 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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1,354

trustees and members of the local governing body during the inspection.

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1,354

Inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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1,354

The school includes specially resourced provision to support up to 15 pupils with their Social, Emotional and Mental Health.

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1,354

The school currently makes use of 7 alternative provisions, including 6 that are unregistered.

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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.

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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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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

2023/24 (3 term) 26.8% 25.6% 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.

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Urgent improvement

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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk . Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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