Oakwood House Independent School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 1 April 2025

The school's guiding principle is that every pupil deserves the best possible education. Pupils are provided with another chance to engage in learning after lengthy periods of time when they have not attended school. Oakwood House is a safe space where pupils' experience of education is transformed. Pupils appreciate the difference the school has made to their lives and the help they have received to change for the better. Parents and carers also value the school. One parent's comment was typical of many, 'My child can now access the wonderful education they are entitled to'. The school is aspirational for all pupils. Staff are sensitive to the personal difficulties that pupils face. They show immense kindness to pupils while being firm. They challenge pupils to do their best in lessons and behave well. They provide pupils with the personal strategies they need to make the right choices. Increasingly, pupils strive to meet the school's high academic expectations of them. They realise their futures are full of possibilities. For example, older pupils plan to continue their education after they leave the school. Over time, pupils learn to manage their feelings and begin to enjoy positive relationships with their peers.

What the school should improve

• The strategies that the school uses to engage pupils in their learning are not consistently effective. There are occasions when pupils do not have a positive attitude to their learning. They do not engage well in their lessons and as a result do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that pupils continue to develop the skills and attributes they need to engage more consistently in their learning.

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