Eastbourne school is ‘moving from strength to strength’ as it jumps from ‘inadequate’ to ‘good’ rating from Ofsted

Schools are rated on five categories - the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. There are four rankings with Ofsted reports - outstanding, good, requires improvement, and inadequate.

Oakwood Primary Academy in Magnolia Drive, which is part of Aurora Academies Trust (AAT), was previously rated as inadequate in March 2020, but following an inspection last month (October 11-12) the school has risen two ranks to good in all categories.

The report says: “Leaders’ vision, ‘aiming high with confidence, courage and perseverance’, lies at the very heart of their aspiration for all staff and pupils. Together with their much-respected headteacher, the trust and members of the interim executive board have worked tirelessly to ensure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive a good quality of education. Trustees and the board members maintain a rigorous oversight of leaders’ actions. The school is now moving from strength to strength.”

The curriculum is praised as being ‘innovative and well-structured’. However, the leaders have identified that ‘in a small number of foundation subjects, pupils do not learn as well as they could’. A revised curriculum has been introduced for these subjects. The inspector does say in early years, some staff do not check and help children develop their ideas and vocabulary which means they don’t achieve as well as they could. The report says leaders are addressing this problem.

Other areas that are praised are the attitudes towards reading and opportunities outside of lessons such as clubs, trips, and career sessions.

A school spokesperson said: “The staff, pupils and parents of Oakwood Primary Academy are celebrating today after the school was rated as good in all areas in a recent two-day Ofsted inspection. Oakwood had previously been judged to be inadequate and this outcome recognises the remarkable improvements that the school has made.”

Headteacher Ryan Laker joined the school just after it was judged to be inadequate. He said: “I am particularly pleased that Ofsted recognised the significant work that has taken place to improve the curriculum, across all subjects during these past two years, which was described as ‘innovative and well-structured’. I am very grateful to the entire staff team who have worked with such passion and commitment to ensure all pupils receive the high-quality education that they deserve.”

James Freeston, director of education for AAT, said: “Oakwood was placed in special measures a week before the first national lockdown at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges this caused, Oakwood has maintained a rapid trajectory of improvement and we’re very proud of the excellent provision that all pupils now benefit from.”

Martha Burnige, AAT interim CEO, said: “This report is more great news for education in Eastbourne.”

Mr Laker said, ‘It is great that the report has identified so many strengths, but we are not complacent and we’re determined to keep working to make sure that Oakwood is the very best it can be.”

See the full report here

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