Oakbank School

About Oakbank School

Oakbank School in Wokingham was rated Inadequate in its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2024, a downgrade from its previous Requires Improvement rating. The inspection judged every category — quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management — as Inadequate. The school’s Progress 8 score of -0.38 is the most telling academic metric: it means that, on average, pupils achieved nearly half a grade less per subject than their peers nationally. That score places Oakbank bottom of the nine state secondary schools in Wokingham local authority, and in the bottom quarter of schools nationally. The local authority average Progress 8 score is a positive 0.21, so Oakbank sits well below the typical performance for the area. For context, the highest-ranked school in the borough, The Piggott School, posts a Progress 8 of 0.74.

On attainment, Oakbank’s Attainment 8 score sits at 41.8, and 42.9% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths — the basics measure that matters most for future options. The EBacc entry rate is low at 20%, and only 11.4% of pupils achieved the EBacc at grade 5 or above. The school’s Progress 8 breakdown shows that maths is the strongest subject area, with a score of 0.04 — essentially in line with national expectations — while English is weaker at -0.28, and open subjects are the weakest at -0.6. The Ofsted report noted that behaviour and attitudes were Inadequate, and the Parent View survey reflects this: only 43% of parents who responded agreed or strongly agreed that the school makes sure pupils are well behaved, while 54% disagreed or strongly disagreed. Just 30% of parents would recommend the school to another parent.

Oakbank is a mixed, non-religious secondary for ages 11 to 16 with no sixth form. It was not oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 54 total applications for 58 places, with 24 first-preference offers made. The school offers a wide range of facilities including a theatre, swimming pool, sports hall, and science labs, plus clubs like coding, chess, and Model UN. It also lists SEND provisions covering nine areas including dyslexia, autism, and speech and language needs, though the Parent View survey suggests only 32% of parents felt the school gives SEND children the support they need. For families weighing options in Wokingham, the nearest Outstanding-rated school is Maiden Erlegh School, 4.8 km away. Oakbank may suit families who prioritise a full facility set and are comfortable with a school in a turnaround phase under headteacher Robert Gerrard.

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