Oak Bank School
Sandy Lane, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 3BEOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Oak Bank School is a special school in Leighton Buzzard for ages 9 to 19. It is one of the 134 schools in Central Bedfordshire. Its latest Ofsted rating is Outstanding, from an inspection in March 2019.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 26 March 2019, report published 29 April 2019
- Overall effectiveness
- Outstanding
- Leadership and management
- Outstanding
- Sixth form provision
- Outstanding
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 22 October 2024
Pupils are made to feel welcome from the outset. They are cared for by staff who are deeply committed to every pupil being safe, valued and successful. Pupils have had a very disrupted education prior to coming here. This school gives them a lifeline back into learning. Pupils like having their own trusted key worker. All staff know every pupil very well. This ensures pupils' social and emotional needs are universally understood and acted on. Pupils also benefit from a tailored and flexible curriculum. Consequently, most pupils achieve well from their starting points and meet their education, health and care plan (EHC plan) targets. Pupils respect the school's expectations for their conduct. Staff use their expert knowledge well to support pupils to understand how to manage their thoughts and feelings safely. Pupils are motivated by daily enrichment targets and the much-coveted 'Level 2' reward. They know that any unwelcome behaviours are dealt with swiftly and fairly. Therefore, the school is a positive and orderly place. All pupils work towards qualifications in core subjects. There is also a wide range of vocational opportunities offered both in school and externally. Pupils enjoy the educational and therapeutic benefits of helping on the school farm, cooking, and exercising in the school gym.
What the school should improve
- There are instances where some pupils are completing work that is not routinely ambitious enough. This means they are not achieving as highly as they are capable of. The school needs to ensure that when pupils have social and emotional readiness there is an increased expectation as to what they can achieve academically. School leaders, including trustees, then need to check that this is happening.
- For some pupils, while their absence rates are reducing, they still remain too high. This limits the range of learning and social opportunities these pupils engage with, therefore limiting their potential. The school needs to continue its work to reduce absence even further so that these pupils access the full curriculum offer.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
7 pupils took the tests
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
18 pupils in the year group
Pupil numbers and mix
123 pupils on roll, with places for 127
Schools near Oak Bank School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin College | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| KWS Milton Keynes | 5 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| White Spire School | 6 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | 0% met the expected standard |
| Cambian Bletchley Park School | 6 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Weatherfield Academy | 6 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good | Not published |
School details
- School type
- Academy special converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- OAK BANK SCHOOL
- Age range
- 9 to 19
- Gender
- Mixed
- Headteacher
- Mr Philip Collier
- Phone
- 01525374559
- Address
- Sandy Lane, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 3BE
- Local authority
- Central Bedfordshire
- URN
- 140286
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.