Oathall Community College celebrates ‘good’ rating after Ofsted’s inspection of ‘ambitious’ Haywards Heath school

Ofsted’s recent report, published on Friday, October 20, confirms that Oathall continues to be ‘good’ after an inspection on September 13.

Headteacher Edward Rodriguez said: “I am delighted to be able to share this report, which highlights many of the positive aspects of the school and its community. This report reflects our own self-assessment and underpins the effectiveness of our ambitious plans for the school. I was particularly pleased that so many of our stakeholders – staff, parents and pupils – shared positive opinions about the school and that this was clearly apparent in the surveys that were carried out during the inspection.”

The report called Oathall ‘a large, happy school community’ with ‘ambitious values’ that are reflected in pupils’ positive behaviour.

It said: “Everyone is expected to participate in the life of the school. Relationships between pupils and staff are strong. Bullying is very rare, but dealt with effectively if it happens.”

The report said the school prioritises pupils’ safety with ‘sound advice and high-quality education’ and said there is ‘an exceptionally rich choice of extra-curricular clubs’.

The report said: “The school offers a broad choice of appropriate academic qualifications. Staff help pupils choose the right path, encouraging them to aim high.”

It said that pupils who need extra help receive it but support is ‘not always as consistently effective as it needs to be’. The report said that after the Covid pandemic it was found that pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) were not achieving as well. It said strategies were implemented so teachers could offer help but these have not been embedded across all subject areas yet. The report said: “Despite recent improvements, disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND still achieve less well than their peers.”

However, the report said: “This is a happy school. Leaders champion staff’s and pupil’s well-being. Staff model the positive behaviours they want pupils to follow. Pupils respond well. They know that staff want them to do well and, consequently, there is very little disruption to lessons.”

Mr Rodriguez called the report ‘a testament to the whole community and their contribution to making Oathall a good school’. Visit files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50231007.