Melksham Oak Community School has been rated as Good in all areas as a result of a recent visit by Ofsted inspectors. Following a previous inspection in 2017, when Melksham Oak was designated as requiring improvement, the new report demonstrates significant improvements at the school under the leadership of Principal Alan Henderson, and the guidance of The White Horse Federation multi-academy trust.
Quotes from the report include:
- ‘There is a growing culture of ambition and raised aspirations at the school. Leaders have established expectations and routines that help pupils to behave.’
- ‘Pupils attend a large range of extra-curricular clubs, from knitting to eco-club. Pupils feed back through a forum and leaders listen.
- ‘Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported’
- ‘Leaders and staff are aspirational for pupils. A growing number of pupils go on to further education, apprenticeships or employment.’
Highly Skilled Governors
Inspectors also praised the support from the governor team, saying, ‘Governors are highly skilled. They hold leaders to account rigorously, ask challenging questions and provide support[…] They know what the priorities are and what needs to happen next.’
Speaking about what this success means, Principal Alan Henderson said, “As the main secondary school serving families in Melksham, this is an extremely good result for not only the school, but the whole local community.”
“This report gives us confidence and strengthens our resolve to keep getting better, and to keep providing the best we can for every student.”