Oxclose Community Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

Oxclose has improved since the last inspection and is now a good school.

Students start with average levels of attainment in a broad range of subjects including English, mathematics and science. On leaving, an above average proportion gain good grades in GCSE qualifications, including English and mathematics. Students behave in a mature and sensible way around the school and are keen to learn, with almost all groups making good progress in lessons.

They enjoy coming to school; for example, the inspection took place in poor weather conditions but despite this, large numbers of students and staff were determined to attend. Overall, levels of attendance have improved and are now around average. ...The care, guidance and support students receive are outstanding.

This means they feel safe and very few are excluded from school. Students are very well equipped for the next stage of their education. Most take action to improve their health by participating regularly in physical activities.

The active school council makes a positive contribution to the community. This is an inclusive school that welcomes students with a wide range of abilities and needs. Students celebrate this and it enhances their good social and moral development.

They respect each other's needs, interests and values. Teaching is good and in the great majority of lessons students develop good understanding and skills across a wide range of subjects. In the best lessons, teachers carefully match learning objectives and tasks to their assessment of students' progress, so that students consolidate and extend their understanding.

However, in a small minority of lessons, students spend too long working at one pace on the same topic. In particular, a few more-able students lose interest as a result of this approach and do not always reach the very highest grades at GCSE. The school's good curriculum is broad and has been strengthened significantly by its specialism in Visual and Performing Arts.

Students are successful in a large number of subjects in Key Stage 4, particularly in the wide range of vocational options. In Key Stage 3, the curriculum has improved but it is not as imaginatively adjusted across all subject areas to meet students' needs and interests. Senior managers are committed to bringing about improvement to all outcomes and have a good track record.

They provide effective leadership, self-evaluation is accurate and as a result, the school has a good capacity to improve. Communication with parents and carers is excellent, including those who are reluctant or unsure about approaching the school. The headteacher is held in high esteem by all and has been very effective in creating a climate to ensure the school's continuing improvement.

The governing body provides effective support and ensures that the school complies with statutory requirements, including those to safeguard students. However, its interrogation of middle leaders' progress reports is sometimes not thorough enough and as a result, they are not fully and systematically involved in evaluating the school. Good partnerships underpin the school's work, particularly in its specialism.

The school uses very effective strategies to ensure groups of students who may be subject to discrimination are treated fairly. Differences in the rates of progress made by particular groups of learners are reducing, although there are subjects where the trend is not as consistent. The observation of lessons usually leads to accurate evaluation of the quality of learning.

However, there are some inconsistencies in the abilities of middle leaders to come to consistently accurate judgements on the quality of teaching and use this as part of the self-evaluation process. The school makes a good contribution to promoting community cohesion based on a clear analysis of the value it can add to its community. This is achieved through the school's extended provision.

The school provides good value for money because outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils are good and the management of finances and resources are strong.

Information about the school

Oxclose is a specialist Performing and Visual Arts community school attended by students who live mainly in the Washington area. The roll has grown since the previous inspection and is now around the national average.

The school hosts a resourced provision for pupils with physical and medical difficulties which has 12 places. A relatively high number of students attending the school are in the care of the local authority. The vast majority of students come from a White British background.

There are higher than average proportions of students known to be eligible for free school meals, and of students with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school has gained many national awards including Healthy School status, International Schools Award, Arts Mark Gold Award and Investors in People Award. The school leads on the development of the Creative and Media Diploma for the local authority.

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