Oxclose Community Academy Review 2026: Inclusive 11–16 secondary in Washington

A large, mixed 11–16 academy serving Washington, Oxclose Community Academy positions itself as a school where routines and relationships do much of the heavy lifting. The current leadership phase is relatively new, with Amanda Parkes taking up the headteacher role in April 2024, alongside a move into the Laidlaw Schools Trust in July 2024.

The most recent inspection picture is stable rather than headline-grabbing. The November 2024 Ofsted inspection graded quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management as Good.

Families weighing this option should note two defining strands. First, a clear emphasis on inclusion, including an additionally resourced provision supporting pupils with physical disability (12 places). Second, a strong focus on personal development and careers education, designed to help pupils progress into appropriate education, employment, or training when they leave at 16.

Expect a school that works hard on the day-to-day fundamentals. Relationships between staff and pupils are described as strong, with pupils feeling safe and showing respect for one another. A stated ethos of Value Diversity, Strive for Excellence sits at the centre of how behaviour, belonging, and ambition are framed.

In practice, that translates into a culture where courtesy and calm routines matter. The inspection evidence highlights well-mannered conduct in lessons and at social times, and links this to consistent structures across the school. That combination tends to suit pupils who do best when expectations are clear and predictable, particularly through the transition into Year 7 and the early Key Stage 3 years.

There is also a tangible community-facing element. Pupils engage in volunteering, including organising and running a Christmas party for elderly residents in the local area, which gives personal development a practical, outward-looking flavour rather than a purely classroom-based programme.

The school’s latest GCSE performance metrics indicate a mixed picture. The Attainment 8 score is 40.9, while Progress 8 is -0.37, suggesting pupils’ progress from their starting points is below the England average on that measure. The average EBacc APS score is 3.39, and 10.9% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above across the EBacc subjects.

In FindMySchool’s ranking for GCSE outcomes (based on official data), the school is ranked 2,825th in England and 3rd locally in the Washington area. This places performance below England average in comparative terms, with outcomes sitting in the lower portion of the national distribution.

What matters for parents is the implication, not the label. A below-average Progress 8 score often points to inconsistency across subjects or cohorts, rather than a single weak department. The inspection evidence partly supports that reading, noting that while curriculum ambition is clear and staff training supports implementation, some teaching moves learning on too quickly, limiting how securely pupils embed and extend knowledge.

Parents comparing options locally can use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to view these measures side by side with nearby schools, particularly if you are weighing progress measures against broader wellbeing and inclusion priorities.

The curriculum is described as ambitious, including for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. The school has reviewed and adapted curriculum planning so that knowledge and skills are sequenced logically, helping pupils build expertise over time. This matters most in a full 11–16 setting, where small gaps in Year 7 can compound by Key Stage 4 if they are not addressed.

Two practical examples stand out. First, teachers use structured recall activities, including an approach referred to as the Oxclose Memory Generator, to check pupils’ understanding of prior learning before introducing new content. When that practice is paired with effective adaptation, it helps pupils connect concepts and avoid superficial coverage. The stated development need is consistency, with some lessons not adjusting tasks sufficiently after those checks.

Second, literacy support is not confined to English. The school has an established programme for pupils at an early stage of learning to read, intended to help them access the broader curriculum. The library is used as an academic resource, and older pupils act as reading mentors for younger pupils, which can be particularly helpful for confidence and fluency.

Language learning also has a clearer place than in some comparable schools, with an increased number of pupils choosing modern foreign languages in recent years and the subject becoming more central to Key Stage 4 planning.

As an 11–16 school, Oxclose Community Academy’s end point is post-16 transition. The careers and personal development offer is presented as comprehensive, including careers fairs, taught lessons, and one-to-one guidance, with a stated focus on helping pupils move into suitable education, employment, or training. The implication for families is that post-16 planning is not treated as an afterthought in Year 11; it is built into the wider programme so that pupils are less likely to drift into unsuitable courses or change pathway early.

The school is also required to provide information and engagement about approved technical qualifications and apprenticeships, which is especially relevant for pupils for whom a technical route or employer pathway is the best fit at 16.

Admissions for Year 7 entry are coordinated through Sunderland City Council. For September 2026 entry, the application window runs from 8 September 2025 to 31 October 2025, with offers released on 2 March 2026.

The local authority guidance indicates that secondary open evenings typically take place during September and early autumn, which is when most families do their comparison visits and shortlist-building.

For September 2026 entry, the published admission number is stated as 210 pupils into Year 7.

When places are oversubscribed, distance-based criteria and oversubscription rules become decisive. Sunderland’s admissions documentation describes distance measurement using the shortest safe walking route supported by mapping tools, rather than straight-line distance. Families planning around proximity should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check how a specific address is likely to measure under those rules.

Pastoral culture here is closely tied to consistency and clear routines. The school’s approach emphasises respectful behaviour supported through predictable expectations, alongside staff who know pupils well enough to build confidence and independence over time.

Inclusion is a practical strength. Pupils with SEND are identified accurately and supported to access the curriculum across subjects, while pupils in the additionally resourced provision are integrated into school life and study the full curriculum. For families with physical disability needs, this integration is often as important as the specialist support itself, since it shapes friendships, identity, and everyday participation.

The safeguarding picture is clear. The inspection confirmed safeguarding arrangements are effective.

This is not a school that treats enrichment as a vague add-on. The extra-curricular offer is presented as aligned with the school’s ethos, with pupils and families highlighting breadth and accessibility. The most distinctive point is that clubs are framed to encourage participation from different groups, rather than being solely competition-led.

A few examples give a better sense of the offer. Girls Enjoying Maths is a targeted club, which can matter in a national context where girls’ participation and confidence in mathematics can dip during early secondary years. Rockin’ Readers links to the school’s wider reading culture and mentoring approach, supporting pupils who need motivation as well as mechanics. The Great Oxclose Bake Off shows that enrichment includes practical, creative activities that can draw in pupils who are less likely to sign up for traditional academic clubs.

Volunteering also has a visible presence, with pupils organising community events such as a Christmas party for elderly residents. For some pupils, those responsibilities are a meaningful route to confidence, communication skills, and leadership, particularly if they do not see themselves as “academic” in a narrow sense.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still budget for the usual costs associated with secondary school life, including uniform, transport where relevant, trips, and optional enrichment activities.

Travel planning matters because Sunderland’s admissions process uses a shortest safe walking route approach for distance assessment when oversubscription criteria apply. Families considering a move, or those near a boundary between schools, should treat measured distance as the practical benchmark rather than a map estimate.

• Progress measure. A Progress 8 score of -0.37 indicates that, on average, pupils make below-average progress from their starting points on that measure. Families should explore how the school supports pupils who need rapid catch-up in specific subjects.

• Teaching consistency. There is evidence of strong curriculum planning and recall practice, but some teaching moves learning on too quickly, which can limit secure understanding. This may matter for pupils who need more time to practise and apply new concepts.

• Attendance focus. Attendance has reduced in recent years and is identified as a priority, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. Parents should ask how the revised attendance strategy is working for pupils with complex barriers.

• Parent communication. Some parents report communication processes are not consistently effective when concerns are raised. Families who value frequent two-way communication may want to explore routines for updates and escalation.

Oxclose Community Academy is a large local secondary where inclusion, routines, and personal development are central. The inspection evidence supports a calm, respectful culture and an ambitious curriculum, with clear strengths in reading support, careers education, and broader participation through clubs and volunteering. Outcomes are mixed on headline progress measures, so the best fit is a pupil who benefits from clear structure and strong pastoral consistency, with a family willing to stay engaged on attendance and learning habits through Key Stage 3 and into GCSE years.