Agenda item

The Committee has requested an update on Woodeaton Manor School.

The Leader of the Council, Cllr Liz Leffman, will attend and be accompanied by Lisa Lyons, Director of Children’s Services, and Kate Reynolds, Deputy Director of Education and Inclusion.

The Committee is asked to consider the report and raise any questions, and to AGREE any recommendations it wishes to make to Cabinet arising therefrom.

The Leader of the Council, Cllr Liz Leffman, presented an update on Woodeaton Manor School. The Leader was accompanied by Lisa Lyons, Director of Children’s Services, Kate Reynolds, Deputy Director of Education and Inclusion, and Deborah Smit, Assistant Director of SEND and Inclusion.

The Deputy Director presented a comprehensive report on resolving the outstanding issues at Woodeaton Manor School, covering autumn 2023 to May 2025.  However, she warned that the departure of several officers during 2023 affected the report's robustness. Initial concerns about student safety and the school's leadership were identified in summer 2023 by school improvement partners and communicated to the administration. The Grade II* listed building posed safeguarding challenges due to insufficient investments. An Ofsted inspection rated the school as inadequate, leading to its mandated academisation by the year's end. In January 2025, the Council formed a service level agreement with Propeller Academy Trust for effective management. A monitoring visit in March 2025 showed significant operational improvements.

The Committee inquired about the current pupil outcomes at Woodeaton and what transitional support had been offered to the students. The Deputy Director responded that the leadership and management at the school, along with Propeller Academy Trust, have been providing significant support to the students. It was also mentioned that Ofsted noted substantial improvements in the school's operations.

The Committee inquired about accusations against Woodeaton's governing board, such as lack of investment and conflicts of interest. The Deputy Director stated that, following the foundation governing board's resignation in autumn 2023 and the school's forced academisation, an interim executive board was monitored monthly. In January 2025, a service level agreement with Propeller Academy Trust was established to enhance board capacity and support. Immediate actions were taken to address governance issues and ensure strong leadership. The Director confirmed ongoing Council efforts to monitor and support the school's leadership.

The Committee was concerned that the BBC had learned about Woodeaton’s plans to move site before parents. The Deputy Director explained that the BBC's article had picked up the information when the agenda was published for this Committee. After learning about the article, the Council informed Propeller Academy Trust and the Interim Transition Board, who then updated parents and the community. The Deputy Director confirmed that the Council always aimed to keep parents, and the community, informed about important developments, including delays in academisation due to site issues.

The Committee discussed the high staff turnover at Woodeaton, including the headteacher's departure, and asked about measures to prevent future staff losses impacting timetables. The Deputy Director stated that monthly meetings with the Interim Transition Board or headteacher and chair of governance ensured prompt issue resolution. She highlighted Woodeaton's unique complexity as the last foundation school in a listed building. The Assistant Director of SEND and Inclusion added that extra support such as speech therapy, educational psychology, and staff supervision aimed to stabilise the school and maintain pupils' education despite staff turnover.

The Deputy Director explained that the current site was not fit for purpose. The Council was working with property colleagues to identify suitable sites for relocation. However, she could not provide specific details or timelines due to the complexity of the process, which involved property, district councils, and planning permissions. The Director emphasised that the Council was committed to finding a suitable site that met the needs of the pupils and provided an appropriate 21st-century learning environment.

When asked about increased parental involvement at Woodeaton, the Deputy Director explained that the academisation process is managed by the Department for Education (DfE) and regional directors. The Council, due to current legislation, cannot involve parents in this process, which she regretted.

The Committee asked about the methods the Council used to identify issues in schools without solely relying on head teachers' self-reporting and how the Council ensured that no concerns were concealed within budgets. The Deputy Director explained that the Council now conducted more thorough examinations of school budgets, assessing whether sufficient funds were allocated to necessary areas such as building maintenance. This process involved finance colleagues and contributed to strategy group meetings. She noted that this approach was intended to be more effective than previous practices in preventing hidden issues.

The Committee discussed the relative merits of conducting an investigation and declined to do so at this stage. 

The Chair was keen to invite the Regional Schools Commissioner to a future meeting to discuss oversight of academies.

The Committee made no recommendations.