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Ofsted publishes the outcome letter for the first focused inspection of a multi-academy trust.

Ofsted yesterday (25 June 2015) published the outcome letter of the first focused inspection of a multi-academy trust under the new arrangements, agreed with the Department for Education earlier this year.

The inspections are part of a concerted programme of action by Ofsted to establish the effectiveness of a Multi-Academy Trust in supporting and challenging academy schools within individual chains.

Ten academies were inspected as part of the focused inspection between 2 and 5 March 2015. Eight of these were full inspections and 2 were monitoring inspections. The academies were all due for an inspection by the end of this academic year.

Along with the inspections, telephone discussions were held with the principals of 20 other academies and inspectors undertook a follow-up visit to Oasis’ national office. As part of this visit, discussions were held with senior and operational staff from the trust, principals, governors, strategic partners and other stakeholders. Inspectors also scrutinised a range of relevant documentation.

The letter sent to Oasis Multi-Academy Trust has been published.

Notes to editors

1. The focused inspection of Oasis Multi-Academy Trust outcome letter is published online.
2. The Secretary of State for Education wrote to Ofsted on 22 January 2015 clarifying the arrangements for the focused inspection of academies. In the first week, Ofsted inspects a number of the trust’s academies. Inspectors also hold telephone conversations with other academy principals. In the following week inspectors now visit multi-academy trust central offices and hold discussions with staff from the trust. They consider a range of other evidence alongside the results from the focused inspections.
3. Oasis Community Learning Trust (OCL) was established in 2004. There are now 44 academies in the trust. These include 16 secondary academies, 2 all-through academies and 26 primary academies. The academy trust has grown rapidly, taking on 30 new academies in the last three years; 17 of these have joined in the last 2 years. There is one teaching school in the trust. Academies are now organised into regions, each led by a Regional Academy Director.
4. The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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