Orion Academy, located in Blackbird Leys, Oxford, was inspected on June 4 and 5, 2024. The overall effectiveness of the school is rated as requiring improvement, along with the quality of education, behavior and attitudes, and leadership and management. The personal development aspect of the school is rated as good. This is the first inspection under section five of the Education Act 2005, as the school has not been previously inspected.
The school is led by associate headteacher Jessie Shakespeare and head of school Hannah Shuker, and it operates under The Gallery Trust, overseen by CEO Kay Willett MBE and a board of trustees chaired by Chris Scrivener. The school provides specialist education for pupils with social, emotional, and mental health needs, all of whom have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan.
Orion Academy is described as a welcoming and supportive environment where staff understand the social and emotional needs of pupils, fostering positive relationships. Pupils feel safe and trust the staff, with bullying not being reported as an issue. However, attendance is a significant concern, as many pupils do not attend school regularly, which adversely affects their education.
Since joining The Gallery Trust in February 2020, the leadership team has faced challenges, including the pandemic and staffing changes. While they have made progress in establishing a positive school culture with high expectations for behavior, the curriculum has not been implemented effectively. Pupils are not receiving adequate instruction across all subjects, and the school has not sufficiently planned for how learning will build over time, resulting in underachievement.
The leadership team is focused on redesigning the curriculum, and while some improvements have been made, there is still work to be done to ensure it meets the needs of all pupils, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities. The quality of teaching is inconsistent, with some teachers lacking the necessary subject knowledge to deliver the curriculum effectively. This inconsistency leads to disengagement among some pupils, hindering their progress.
The school has implemented a rigorous early reading curriculum, with accurate assessments used to gauge pupils' reading knowledge upon entry. Staff receive high-quality training to support pupils in learning to read, resulting in many becoming confident readers. However, the lack of regular attendance means that many pupils miss out on essential learning opportunities.
Behavior in school is generally good, with staff effectively managing low-level disruptions and providing support to pupils when needed. The personal development of pupils is a strength, with a variety of engaging activities and a well-established careers program that prepares them for their next steps. The personal, social, and health education curriculum helps pupils understand important issues, including online safety and consent.
Despite recent improvements, the school must address attendance issues and develop a coherent strategy to enhance it. The curriculum needs clearer mapping and implementation to ensure pupils learn effectively. Additionally, there are gaps in promoting pupils' spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development, which affects their preparedness for life in modern Britain. Governance also requires improvement, as those responsible do not always have an accurate view of the school's priorities, which limits their ability to support and challenge school leaders effectively. Overall, while Orion Academy is on a positive trajectory, significant work remains to ensure that all pupils receive the education and support they need to succeed.
