Oak Haven School

Oak Haven School is a specialist SEMH school that opened in September 2025 after defederating from a pupil referral unit. All pupils have an education, health and care plan, and many have experienced long periods out of education. Safeguarding standards are met, and inspectors found a warm, calm and inclusive school where pupils are well supported, attendance is improving, and behaviour is typically positive. The school is performing at the expected standard in attendance and behaviour, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing. Pupils benefit from strong pastoral care, effective support for additional needs, a broad personal development programme, enrichment activities, and careers education that prepares them well for adulthood. Leaders and governors are committed, and relationships between staff and pupils are a clear strength. However, achievement and curriculum and teaching need attention. A significant minority of pupils do not achieve as well as they should, progress is not consistently built over time, and writing is a particular weakness. Teaching is inconsistent, feedback is not always useful, and some tasks do not help pupils practise or apply their knowledge. Some leaders with wider responsibilities also do not check their areas closely enough, which limits how quickly inconsistencies are identified and addressed.

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture where pupils feel safe and trust adults.
• Pupils receive a warm welcome in a calm, well-organised environment with clear routines.
• Behaviour is typically calm and purposeful, and pupils treat each other with kindness and respect.
• Attendance is improving and persistent absence is reducing through daily checks and personalised support.
• Leaders work closely with families and external services to remove barriers to attendance.
• Pupils with SEND and those involved with social care are identified quickly and supported effectively.
• Disadvantaged pupils are supported carefully, including through targeted reading support.
• Alternative provision is used effectively and is well matched to pupils' needs.
• Personal development is well organised, with pupils learning about safety, relationships and life in modern Britain.
• Enrichment opportunities such as Friday Wellbeing sessions, BSL lessons and community visits build confidence.
• Careers education prepares pupils well for adulthood through college visits, apprenticeship exhibitions and employer links.
• Leaders and governors have secure knowledge, provide effective support and challenge, and consider staff wellbeing.
• Warm, trusting relationships and a strong community ethos underpin the school's work.

Areas for Improvement

• Achievement needs attention because some pupils are not supported to achieve as well as they should.
• Progress is not consistently built on over time, and some pupils fall behind due to unaddressed knowledge gaps.
• Writing is a particular weakness, including grammar, spelling, handwriting and clarity of written communication.
• Teaching remains inconsistent across the curriculum.
• Teachers sometimes do not help pupils build knowledge and skills over time.
• Some tasks do not give pupils enough opportunity to practise important skills or show what they know.
• Feedback is inconsistent, and pupils do not always understand how to improve their work.
• Practice varies between subjects and classes, and some approaches are not used consistently by staff.
• Some leaders with wider responsibilities do not check their areas closely enough, limiting their ability to identify and address inconsistencies quickly.

In 2024–25 pupils at Oak Haven School attended 58.4% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 84.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 48.1% of pupils at Oak Haven School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Oak Haven School had 5.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 40.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26 Oak Haven School had 98 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: moderate learning difficulty; social, emotional and mental health; autistic spectrum disorder.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Oak Haven School received £21,692 and spent £22,151 for each of its 98 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £45,000 (-£459 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Heywood · Rochdale local authority: places and applications

What is Oak Haven School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Oak Haven School is Needs attention, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Oak Haven School last inspected by Ofsted?

Oak Haven School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Oak Haven School have?

Oak Haven School has 98 pupils on roll.

What age range does Oak Haven School cover?

Oak Haven School for pupils aged 7 to 16.

Where is Oak Haven School?

Oak Haven School is at Sutherland Road, Heywood, Lancashire, OL10 3PY.