E-Act Ousedale School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those in the sixth form, attend a happy, respectful and inclusive school.

They proudly embody the school's vision of 'be kind, work hard, succeed together'. There are warm, positive relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils know that staff want them to grow up to be well-rounded individuals who achieve highly in all they choose to do.

Staff have high expectations for pupils' academic and personal achievement. Many pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve extremely highly across a broad range of subjects. The school, supported well by E-ACT multi-academy trust, is working to improve outcomes still furthe...r.

Pupils attend school very regularly, and their behaviour is typically polite, calm and focused. This is evident throughout the school, but most especially in the sixth form. Pupils feel safe and listened to.

They are confident that on the rare occasion there is any poor or unkind behaviour, it is swiftly dealt with.

Pupils are active citizens. They value the various opportunities to develop leadership qualities.

Pupils participate in a wide range of extra-curricular experiences, including trips abroad and visits to local care homes. The various popular choirs, orchestras and ensembles are at the heart of the vibrant atmosphere in the school.

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

Pupils, including in the sixth form, typically learn very well across a broad range of subjects.

Staff are experts in their subjects. Each subject's curriculum is designed so that pupils learn new knowledge in a logical order. In nearly all subjects, pupils' learning is checked systematically and learning is adapted to address any gaps in knowledge.

As a result, pupils build their knowledge over time and typically achieve very well. Geography and music are particular strengths of the school.

In most subjects, the curriculum is implemented consistently and effectively.

However, occasionally, the curriculum in a couple of subjects is not routinely delivered as intended, and sometimes learning moves on before pupils have embedded their knowledge securely. The school, along with experts from within the multi-academy trust, is providing useful help to support staff to pinpoint pupils' gaps in learning and ensure that these are filled.

Since the last inspection, published outcomes show that the proportion of pupils who enter the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) suite of subjects at GCSE has been low.

As a result of some curriculum reorganisation, the proportion of pupils currently studying the EBacc at GCSE is rising.

Provision for the most vulnerable pupils is well thought through. Teachers adapt learning to meet pupils' different needs.

Extra-curricular clubs are designed with pupils' particular needs in mind. For example, the 'Dungeons and Dragons' club helps pupils to develop their social and communication skills. Pupils benefit from a raft of support to help maintain their mental well-being.

Pupils' personal development is exceptional and central to the ethos of the school. The school's dedication to helping pupils to develop their talents in music and drama is highly regarded. Pupils and staff are proud that so many pupils get involved in the hugely successful and popular annual productions.

Pupils also have numerous opportunities to develop their leadership skills, including by supporting younger pupils with their learning. Pupils gain a strong understanding of the world around them through a well-designed personal, social, health and economic education curriculum. This helps them to understand risks and how to keep themselves safe, including online.

Pupils value how everyone is unique. For example, the pupil-led 'Alphabet Soup' club confidently promotes equalities and challenges inequality. Students in the sixth form are articulate.

They take up opportunities to join in with debates in school and in the local area, including when they represent the school at the Milton Keynes Youth Council.

Careers education is extremely well organised, providing bespoke help and advice for pupils. It helps pupils to consider how to follow their interests and talents and how these can help them have happy and fulfilling future careers.

As a result, there are positive destinations for pupils, including those who do not choose to stay on in the school's own sixth form. Pupils who leave at the end of Year 13 typically go on to attend well-considered university placements, degree apprenticeships or conservatoire placements.

Leaders at all levels, including those who are part of the leadership of the multi-academy trust, are extremely knowledgeable about the school.

Collectively, they work strategically and with precision to address any areas that they want to be even better. Staff work very well together because they are all dedicated to ensuring that every pupil is cared for and achieves the best possible outcomes across their education.

Staff feel very well supported by the highly effective training they receive and the careful attention the trust pays to their workload and well-being.

Staff are particularly positive about how smooth the transition to joining the multi-academy trust has been.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a very small number of subjects, sometimes teaching does not sufficiently reinforce the important components from earlier learning, and pupils' understanding is not systematically checked.

As a result, some pupils' understanding is not as secure as it should be. This affects how well some pupils achieve. Where this is the case, the school should ensure that pupils' understanding of important concepts is secure before moving on to new learning.