Hazel Oak School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 10 December 2024

This is a welcoming school. Pupils contribute well to this ethos. Whether it is a simple greeting or pupils keen to share their experiences, they make visitors feel welcome. Positive relationships exist between staff and pupils. This helps pupils to feel safe in school. Most pupils attend school regularly. They feel confident to talk to adults if they have a concern. Pupils are clear that any concerns will be resolved quickly. The school is developing their curriculum to meet pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Some pupils experience variability in the quality of education and provision at the school. There are aspects of the curriculum that help pupils to build learning and prepare them well for life beyond school. However, pupils' learning across the curriculum is uneven as, in some pathways, their needs are not met as well as they should be. The school has clear expectations for pupils' behaviour. Consequently, behaviour is typically positive. When pupils require additional support, staff are child-centred in their approaches and work quickly to intervene and offer the support that is needed. Most parents are happy with the school's provision. However, the school recognises there is more to do to ensure all pupils flourish and attain the best outcomes.

What the school should improve

• The curriculum is not developed sufficiently in some subject areas and pathways. The school has not yet identified the essential component knowledge a skills they want pupils to learn and in what order. This means that pupils are not building their knowledge or skills over time well enough. The school should ensure that they clearly identify the specific knowledge and skills they want pupils to learn and remember in all areas of the curriculum.
• Staff do not always implement the curriculum well enough to support pupils' learning. Learning activities provide pupils with some experiences but do not always build effectively on what pupils know and can do. This limits pupils' learning. The school should ensure that the work teachers give to pupils precisely identifies the important knowledge and skills and enables them to build on their learning.
• Communication systems for pupils with the most complex communication needs are not yet securely embedded across the school. Sometimes, staff do not apply their training to ensure that pupils access and use the systems to get their 'voice' across. Leaders need to ensure that all pupils have access to and are consistently enabled and encouraged to use the most appropriate communication system.

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