OLA Abingdon

[Beetlemamma]

Can any parents who have children at OLA Abingdon, shed any light on the current head leaving the school? I have been told he is moving on. My daughter is registered, to hopefully, attend in September 2025. I have also heard the school is financially unstable!! Please help, seriously worried mother!!!

It’s been in trouble for a couple of years. Poor leadership (governors), weak head, dwindling numbers. It’s not really clear what the schools USP is. It needs to turn itself around and quick.

Rats deserting a sinking ship springs to mind. The head clearly out his depth and creating a culture not suitable to such an establishment. Weak leadership driving out the good staff and caring solely of money not education standards. Sad to see.

Avoid! It’s just not worth the risk or the cost. We moved ours out last summer. Best decision we made.

Absolutely avoid. The head going is a good thing but it’s too little too late. In his four years he has seen off 90% of the staff. Seen falling exam results and pupil numbers. The staff are currently out on strike for their pay and pensions. If you look at the accounts on companies house website they are really struggling financially.The Chair of the governors lives in Sydney. Such a shame as under the previous head it was an excellent school.

Head is rubbish but now going. Too late, he was inexperienced and awful to teachers. Governors useless. Staff turnover is massive. It was a fantastic school under previous head. Ask the admissions team how many year from 11 are staying for sixth form. That should give you an indication of the confidence of current parents in the school.

Ask how many year 11s are staying for sixth form.

I should say the staff are committed and do their best despite being pared to the bone. But you can’t get good results teaching like this. There’s a reason the actual GCSE and A level result for the last two years have been obsfucated on the web site. They dare not publish them. Many of the website quotes of top ten for “value added” etc apply to the time under the previous head. My child thrived under the previous head but has now left. Take your time and look around carefully at all options.

Staff turnover, when your child is is doing GCSE and A levels, is a problem (that I have experienced first hand). It is unsettling for pupils and new teachers don’t know the class or your child. My experience was >50% change in subject teachers between LVI/UVI (4 out of 6 teachers changed) and also year 10/11 (6 new teachers). There are about 5 teachers left from the staff of 2021-22 (before new head joined). New staff haven’t stayed long and turnover continues. Senior management has changed several times since new head, including one deputy head who lasted a few weeks this academic year.

It’s not bitter. It’s lived experience. Open mornings are always lovely and tbh the experience of y7/8 is usually ok. But. The GCSE and A level organisation is awful. When a child has five different teachers in five terms for A level you can not expect much. It isn’t the teachers, it’s how the school is run. I wish you nothing but luck and hope it works for you but the opinion of others on here and my own is valid as we have been there’s. I wouldn’t wish OLA GCSEs and A level on anyone. You choose a private school so choose wisely.

I am not bitter, just sad. My criticism is not about the teachers - they are (or were) excellent. The pupils are well taught and my child is really happy at the school. However the staff turnover has been at an unacceptably high rate over the last 4-5 years, this speaks to a problem with the management and governance of the school. If you speak to the staff, morale is low, coupled with current industrial action, this can only mean more turnover. This must surely influence parents’ decisions about keeping their child at the school for sixth form, where consistency of teaching staff is important.

most of the parents are frankly just sad. Over the last 10 years (ish) the school has gone from a friendly, supportive, nurturing, kind environment to an ambitious, data driven "project" where the school was proud to be promoting the use of "Blockchain", where the Chair of Governors is a self described "revenue-focussed entrepreneur" living in a different continent, and where the leadership team actively discouraged the Parent Voice community from sharing common concerns. Almost all the staff who built that nurturing community have left, and while there's nothing especially concerning about that (because it happens with a new boss), nearly all the staff who came in to replace them have also already left. If your child is currently there and thriving, then this is brilliant news. If you are considering sending your child there, and you have the nerve, then be ready to ask difficult questions, because the school will attempt to brush the past under the carpet.

Well said sensible parent. We are very sad parents too. This was once a wonderful school, accurately described above. Our children started here over 10 years ago and the decline since then has been massive. I’m afraid that if the overseas Chair of Governors and current bursar are not removed from power soon, the school will completely flop. Bring back the ethics and values the school was built on, they are long gone.

My children previously attended this school, but unfortunately, our experience was deeply troubling. One of my children received inappropriate and unsolicited messages from a member of staff, and on a separate occasion, another student went missing before being found.
There was also a particularly alarming incident where a masked individual, reportedly fleeing from law enforcement, entered the premises and confronted several students. On another occasion, a suspect posing as a delivery driver was only removed thanks to the swift action of Mr. A.
Security breaches appear to be a recurring issue. There have been multiple robberies, and my daughter’s artwork was defaced by intruders who broke in after hours. The surrounding area is equally concerning — it is not uncommon to encounter individuals openly under the influence, loitering, or behaving erratically just outside the school.
If you are comfortable with such persistent and questionable activity in and around a learning environment, then by all means, consider this school. Sadly, we could not.
Escuela de mierda - you'd know if you speak some Spanish.

My understanding is the lowest ever progression to sixth form staying on at OLA. 8 was the number I was told. Shocking
Most pupils and parents voting with them r feet and getting out across many years groups including before GCSE.
Unbelievable for a once great establishment.
School is on the brink, and the massive discounts being offered around seem to be at best parting over some cracks.

I have heard on the grapevine the school in closing. The bursar has now resigned!!! Rats leaving a sinking ship. So glad I decided move my daughter to another school for September 2025.

That’s awful news for the staff and children there. The bursar or Chief Exec as he renamed himself was the root of the problem. Perhaps if he is going the school has a chance but the damage has been done.

Wow! How do you know? This would be such a shame.

https://www.ola.org.uk/ immediate closure notice here.

So very sorry to hear OLA's announcement this morning. As an old OLA girl myself, this has really hit hard. Staff at Chandlings Prep are on hand to help any parents, pupils or staff at this difficult time. 01865 730771, [email protected].uk (Admissions).

Been confirmed, the school has closed.Feel so sad for the children and parents.

Don’t go used to go there they focus on religion and aren’t good with the education also they are bankrupt and have shutdown

So sad for the school, parents, children, and staff. I went there myself and have fond memories. I made the decision not to send my children as school seems to be in trouble. They are both very happy where they are now.