Oaklands School in Hungerford, West Berkshire is delighted to announce the result of its first full Ofsted inspection since opening in September 2023. Oaklands School is an independent special education school, providing places for up to 40 pupils with Autism and associated needs.
Oaklands was visited by Ofsted inspectors from the 4th to 6th June 2024. The school received the top grading of “outstanding” for pupil personal development and a “Good” grading across all other areas of the school that includes the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes and leadership and management.
The report stated: “Oaklands is a school where pupils thrive. Staff have high expectations for pupils’ achievement. In a short space of time, pupils make exceptional and rapid progress in all areas of their personal development. This includes in working together, listening, communicating and managing emotions. The personal development offer is exceptional. Pupils make strong progress towards achieving their individual targets which are set out in their education, health and care (EHC) plans.”
Pupils told inspectors that life at Oaklands is different and they now love this school. One said, “The teachers are so nice, they do not shout or get mad, and they listen and help you” Another said, “My teacher is the best I have ever had.”
Parents and carers that responded to the Ofsted Parent View survey were equally very happy with the school. One parent said, “This school has changed our lives”
‘Pupils make friends and feel safe and included. The highly nurturing environment means that pupils want to come to school. As a result, their attendance is good."
The report concluded: “Pupils’ attitudes to learning are improving all the time. The school uses the “Oaklands Way” to make the school values of respect, honesty, kindness, commitment and creativity clear.
Headteacher, Georgios Chatzakis, said: "We are immensely proud of the results from our first Ofsted inspection. This rating is a reflection of the hard work, dedication, and passion of our staff, pupils, and the entire Oaklands community. Our goal has always been to create a nurturing environment where each pupil can thrive and achieve their full potential”
The recognition of our outstanding personal development programme and the positive feedback from pupils and parents alike is truly heartening. We are committed to maintaining high standards in all areas of our provision and continuing to support our pupils in their educational journey."
The founder of Oaklands School Sir Peter Birkett stated “I am very proud of what has been achieved in a relatively short period of time, this is simply down to a shared vision and a passion for excellence for our children and in all that we do. As a school we are delighted with the Ofsted findings - this is true recognition of all the hard work that the staff, leadership team and Headteacher have put in over the last year. Oaklands is a special place with every child following a truly personalised an individualised learning programme designed for them to learn and develop in ways best suited to them.”
You can also find our report on the Ofsted website.
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