Oakwood School
Unit 2, The Oaks Business Park, Shepherds Lane, Shrewsbury, SY3 8BTOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Oakwood School is a special school in Shrewsbury for ages 5 to 16. It is one of the 183 schools in Shropshire. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 14 November 2023, report published 21 December 2023
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 14 November 2023
Pupils at Oakwood school are given the opportunity to thrive. All staff share a moral purpose to help the pupils be the best they can be. This starts as soon as the pupils arrive. Often pupils arrive at the school after experiencing turbulent periods of education. Leaders understand this and ensure that pupils are supported to feel safe and settle quickly, through building strong and nurturing relationships. Leaders are passionate about ensuring that pupils have the knowledge and skills to be successful in life. As soon as the pupils arrive, leaders put in place an ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of the pupils. Learning is adapted to reflect pupils' gaps but also to build on their strengths. Pupils are taught how to regulate their behaviour and emotions. Well-trained staff know and understand potential triggers and skilfully support pupils to manage difficult situations. There are a wide range of activities that develop pupils' interests. For example, music is used as a way to support pupils' communication across the curriculum. Pupils were keen to share their raps that they had written about history and for the Christmas play.
What the school should improve
- Due to staffing changes, there is some variability in how well the foundation subjects are taught as some staff do not have secure subject knowledge in these subjects. This means that pupils do not develop a deep understanding in these subjects. Leaders need to ensure that staff are well trained to teach the subjects on offer, so that pupils can continue to learn and make progress.
- The opportunities for pupils to gain an understanding of careers and further qualifications are not as wide as they could be. This means that some opportunities are missed to develop pupils' self-confidence and to enhance their understanding and interest in careers and future aspirations. Leaders should consider ways to offer pupils a range of tailored curriculum opportunities that celebrate pupils' success and support their interests and career aspirations.
Pupil numbers and mix
8 pupils on roll, with places for 30
Schools near Oakwood School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Keystone Academy | 2 miles | Ofsted judgements: Requires improvement to good | Attainment 8: 7.8 |
| Bettws Lifehouse | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 6.6 |
| The Fitzroy Academy | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Harlescott House School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Severndale Specialist Academy | 4 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good | Attainment 8: 0.8 |
School details
- School type
- Other independent special school
- Sector
- Independent
- Age range
- 5 to 16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Headteacher
- Mr Mark Hazlehurst
- Phone
- 01743850840
- Address
- Unit 2, The Oaks Business Park, Shepherds Lane, Shrewsbury, SY3 8BT
- Local authority
- Shropshire
- URN
- 131033
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.