Oakwood School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. School leaders, working closely with the governing body, have succeeded in accelerating the improvements in students' achievement and behaviour and in the quality of teaching, which were highlighted by the school's last inspection. Students make good progress from their starting points to gain results at GCSE which are now above the national average.

Teaching is consistently good and, at its best, is stimulating and highly successful in engaging students' interest and enabling them to make rapid gains in their learning. Students behave well in lessons and around the school. They have few concerns about bullying and a high proportion hold position...s of responsibility.

The headteacher and her senior team have made sure that staff share their passionate commitment to raising standards and their high ambition for the school. The curriculum is broad and balanced. It provides students with a wide range of experiences which promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively.

Governors have a detailed knowledge of the school's performance and hold leaders rigorously to account for ensuring that challenging targets for improvement are met or exceeded. The substantial progress which the school has made since its last inspection confirms its capacity for further improvement. It is not yet an outstanding school because : There is not yet enough highly effective and inspirational teaching throughout the school.

Teachers do not always check students' understanding frequently or thoroughly enough during lessons, and adapt activities if learning is faster or slower than they had foreseen. Teachers do not all use imaginative enough teaching strategies to ensure that all students are fully engaged in lessons and are able to take responsibility for their own learning.

Information about this school

This is a larger than average-sized secondary school.

Most students are of White British heritage. Just under one in six students is eligible for the pupil premium, which is additional funding provided for children in local authority care, children with a parent in the armed services and those known to be eligible for free school meals. This proportion is below the national average.

About one in three Year 7 students are eligible for the Year 7 catch-up premium, which is provided by the government to support those students who have not previously reached the expected levels in English and mathematics. About one in eight students is supported through school action. This is in line with the national average.

The proportion of students, about one in seven, who are supported at school action plus or have a statement of special educational needs is above the national average. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress. About 30 students in Key Stage 4 follow courses at East Surrey and Reigate Colleges.