Oasis Academy Leesbrook

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very proud of the diverse nature of their school community. They enjoy the opportunities that leaders provide to celebrate this diversity, such as the school's culture day. Pupils appreciate the different ways that staff encourage them to be respectful and to treat everyone equally.

Most pupils feel happy and safe in school. They develop a sense of belonging by spending time in their school family groups, for example during family dining. Pupils have trusted adults that they can talk to about any concerns.

Any incidents of bullying are dealt with well by leaders.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. There are clear routines that sup...port pupils to meet these expectations.

Most pupils value the positive difference that these routines make to the learning environment in school.

Leaders are highly ambitious for all pupils to achieve well and pupils meet this ambition. A very high proportion of pupils follow the English Baccalaureate, for example all of the current Year 11 are studying the full suite of subjects.

Pupils have numerous opportunities to take on meaningful leadership roles, for example by joining the student leadership team or training as a student librarian. Most pupils participate in at least two extra-curricular activities each week, chosen from the extensive range on offer to them.

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

Leaders want pupils to experience a high-quality curriculum that is relevant to their lives.

Subject leaders have thought carefully about what pupils will learn. They have chosen topics aimed at broadening pupils' understanding of both their local context and the wider world. Within these topics, subject leaders have identified the most important knowledge that pupils should learn and the appropriate order in which they should learn it.

Teachers have strong knowledge of the topics that they teach. They understand how to support pupils to learn effectively. For example, teachers select appropriate activities to help pupils to understand and remember new learning well.

This ensures that pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

Leaders have ensured that teachers use assessment strategies effectively to check that pupils understand and remember important knowledge within a topic. However, some teachers do not check that pupils are remembering this important knowledge over time.

This means that sometimes pupils develop gaps in their learning.

Leaders know that reading can be a barrier to learning for many of their pupils. Leaders place sharp focus on reading across the wider curriculum, for example through reading aloud strategies and building pupils' vocabulary.

All pupils participate in a reading programme which supports them to read fluently and confidently. In addition, leaders have introduced a robust programme for those pupils who struggle with their reading. Leaders are in the process of ensuring that the pupils who will benefit most from this intervention are receiving it.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Teachers use a range of strategies to adapt how they deliver the curriculum for these pupils. This helps most pupils with SEND to achieve well.

However, leaders do not identify the needs of some pupils quickly enough. This means that a few pupils with SEND do not receive the most effective support as swiftly as they could.

The atmosphere in school is calm and focused.

Learning is not usually disrupted by misbehaviour. Pupils have positive relationships with their teachers and feel well supported by them.

Leaders have developed a school curriculum that is carefully focused on pupils' personal development.

Pupils learn about relevant issues, such as online safety, in an age-appropriate way. They experience a suitable careers programme which provides them with relevant information regarding their next steps.

Leaders at all levels are committed to addressing social disadvantage.

Trustees ensure that leaders prioritise the development of a high-quality curriculum and they hold leaders to account for this. Leaders have taken steps to reduce staff's workload. Most staff appreciate these actions and are proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have a comprehensive understanding of local safeguarding issues. They take a proactive approach to identifying pupils who might be at risk and are vigilant about reviewing those risks.

Leaders have ensured that staff are appropriately trained and that they understand their responsibilities regarding safeguarding.

Leaders have robust systems in place for recording concerns. They engage with a range of external agencies and are tenacious about ensuring that pupils get the help that they need.

Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe. Leaders adapt the curriculum to ensure that it is timely and relevant in helping pupils to stay safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some teachers do not have a sufficient understanding of how well pupils develop their knowledge of the curriculum over time.

As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their learning without teachers knowing. This makes it difficult for teachers to address these gaps. Leaders should ensure that their assessment strategies are well matched to the intent of the curriculum, so that teachers identify with accuracy where pupils need to revisit previous learning.

• Leaders have not ensured that the processes for identifying and reviewing the needs of pupils with SEND are sufficiently rigorous. This means that a few pupils with SEND are not provided with the right support at the right time. Leaders should ensure that they have a consistently robust approach to early identification of SEND needs and that pupils receive the precise support that they need in a timely way.