The Rowan Building

The purpose of The Rowan Building for Key Stage 4:

The Rowan Building provides a dedicated learning environment for our Key Stage 4 pupils, designed to support their development into confident, responsible and independent young adults. As pupils progress through their educational journey, The Rowan Building offers a more mature setting that reflects the increasing expectations and opportunities associated with preparing for adulthood.

Separated from the main school building, the provision enables Key Stage 4 pupils to focus on their learning within a calm and purposeful environment, reducing exposure to the challenges and distractions that can sometimes arise in a mixed-age setting. The building provides pupils with their own identity and space, helping to foster increased independence, personal responsibility and positive relationships.

The Rowan Building is intentionally designed to bridge the gap between school and post-16 destinations, creating an atmosphere similar to that experienced in Sixth Form, college or the workplace. Through this approach, pupils are supported to develop the confidence, resilience and life skills needed for successful transitions into further education, training or employment.

The current Key Stage 4 provision:

The Rowan Building is home to our Key Stage 4 cohort, providing pupils with a dedicated learning environment that reflects the increased independence and responsibility expected as they prepare for life beyond school. The majority of lessons take place within the building, allowing pupils to develop a strong sense of ownership, belonging and pride in their learning community.

Whilst based primarily in The Rowan Building, pupils continue to access specialist facilities within the main school for subjects such as Design & Technology, Physical Education, Science and Art, ensuring they benefit from a broad and balanced curriculum alongside their core studies.

The provision is designed to support pupils in developing the skills, attitudes and confidence required for successful post-16 transitions. Pupils work towards recognised qualifications and receive personalised guidance to help them explore further education, training and employment opportunities. Staff work closely with pupils and their families to identify appropriate next steps and support applications to post-16 providers.

For pupils interested in vocational pathways, we work in partnership with our Vocational Skills Centre to provide opportunities that develop practical skills, workplace readiness and industry-specific experience.

The Rowan Building represents an important milestone in a pupil’s journey through Oakfield. By providing a dedicated Key Stage 4 environment, we aim to create a culture where younger students are inspired to progress into provision and where our oldest pupils can thrive as positive role models, preparing confidently for their future aspirations.