The Oaks school is a larger than average secondary special school. All the students have a statement of special educational needs. The large majority of students has moderate learning difficulties. There are small minorities of students with severe learning difficulties and autism and a very small minority with profound multiple learning difficulties. A well-above average proportion of students is known to be eligible for the pupil premium funding. The pupil premium is additional funding for those who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children that are looked after by the local authority. A below-average proportion of students is from minority ethnic backgrounds and a similar proportion speaks English as an additional language. Most students are of White British heritage. The school holds the Healthy Schools Award, Investing in Children Award and Rights Respecting School Award.