Woodeaton Manor School: closure of residential provision

Background

Woodeaton Manor School was inspected by Ofsted 7 to 8 November 2023, and was assessed as “inadequate”, which resulted in the governing body being replaced by an Interim Executive Board (IEB), and the school being required to convert to an academy. You can read this report here.

The residential provision at Woodeaton Manor School was inspected by Ofsted 30 October to 1 November 2023. At that time, the school was recorded as having 10 residential places, available for four days a week during term time, but it was noted that the residential provision had not been used since July 2023. There has continued to be no use of the residential provision since then.

The Ofsted inspection assessed the residential provision as “inadequate”, noting “serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected and their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor.” You can read this report here.

While the IEB now responsible for the school has made progress in addressing management and safeguarding arrangements, concerns raised in the inspection included the unsuitability of the residential accommodation available, which does not meet the relevant national minimum standards.

Of the pupils now at Woodeaton Manor School, none has a requirement for residential provision included in their Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP). Oxfordshire County Council’s SEND team does not expect to require residential provision at Woodeaton Manor School in the foreseeable future. The incoming academy trust does not intend to restart residential provision for pupils post-conversion. Given the provision was suspended prior to the academisation order being issued, the Trust has requested that, based on safeguarding concerns, this provision be formally closed pre-transfer.

What is the proposal?

Woodeaton Manor School is currently a Foundation School. Governing bodies of Foundation Schools have the statutory power to propose the removal of boarding provision; the decision-maker is the Local Authority – in this case, Oxfordshire County Council

The IEB, as the governing body, is formally proposing that the residential provision be permanently closed, prior to academy conversion.

The proposed alteration would formalise and make permanent the “pause” in residential provision since 2023. It would address some of the concerns raised in the 2023 Ofsted inspection, which highlighted the unsuitability of the previous arrangements.

Formal closure of the residential provision would ensure the IEB, and incoming academy trust, are able to fully focus on raising educational standards at the school. Formal closure would also simplify some aspects of the academy conversion process.

You can find full details of the proposal by following this link.

Respond to this proposal

The IEB of Woodeaton Manor School and Oxfordshire County Council are seeking feedback on this proposal.

A statutory representation period is now open and will run to 27 February 2025, and comments are invited.

You can complete the online consultation survey here.

You can also send feedback and questions via email to school.planning@oxfordshire.gov.uk