Co-op Academy Oakwood

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 17 May 2023

Pupils at Co-op Academy Oakwood are friendly and welcoming. Leaders have high expectations of them and are determined for all pupils to fulfil the school's motto of 'be the best that you can be'. There are some aspects of the school where leaders' high expectations and ambition are not realised in practice. The staff at Co-op Academy Oakwood provide a good quality of education for the pupils in their care. Leaders worked diligently to build parents' and carers' trust in the school as a safe environment for learning during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Despite this, many pupils were absent for extended periods of time. These absences impacted very negatively on their learning and outcomes in 2022. Many pupils in school behave well. A minority of pupils struggle to manage their behaviour. Adults support these pupils to minimise the impact on their learning. Pupils say that bullying does sometimes happen, but that adults quickly sort it out. Pupils are happy in school. The school provides exceptional pastoral support to pupils and their families. They know that they can talk to a trusted adult, such as the therapeutic practitioner, about any of their worries or concerns. There is a wide range of opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests through extracurricular activities, such as the choir and the pottery, drama or coding clubs. Older pupils access science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workshops through the University of Bradford. This is part of the school's high-quality, careers-related learning programme.

What the school should improve

• The targets and provision listed on some support plans for pupils with SEND are not specific enough. This means that some pupils do not get the precise support that they need in order to achieve the best possible outcomes. Leaders should ensure that staff are trained in how to write targets that are specific, measurable and time-bound so that the provision that pupils get aligns closely with their needs.
• Some leaders do not have sufficient oversight of their area of responsibility. Inconsistencies in practice mean that pupils do not make the progress of which they are capable. Leaders should ensure that they have clear oversight of, and address deficiencies in, the delivery of the planned curriculums across the school.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)