Cedar House School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 February 2025

Pupils are valued and respected at this welcoming school. Their individual needs and barriers to learning are carefully considered. Staff get to know pupils very well. Positive relationships with staff help pupils to feel safe. Where pupils may have struggled to engage with their previous schools, Cedar House provides them with an opportunity to make a fresh start and succeed in education. There are high expectations for pupils. These are reflected in the broad and ambitious curriculum and the school's aim for pupils to reach their potential. The school's vision of 'changing lives, building futures' shines through the nurturing ethos and personalised approach to learning. Pupils gain a variety of qualifications to equip them well for their next steps in life. Most pupils behave well. They benefit from the skilled support of the school's clinical team of therapists. Pupils learn ways to recognise their feelings and to manage their emotions and behaviour effectively. Learning, resources and support are designed to meet pupils' specific needs. Pupils take part in various outdoor education and sporting activities. All enjoy the opportunities to go sailing and canoeing. The school provides them with helpful guidance to explore potential further education, training or employment opportunities. Pupils develop life skills, such as learning to travel independently. They learn leaderships skills through holding positions of responsibility.

What the school should improve

• Teachers do not use assessment information as well as they could to help pupils to address gaps or misconceptions in learning. As a result, some pupils do not connect their learning or deepen their knowledge and skills as well as they should. The school should ensure that teachers know how to check what pupils know and remember of the curriculum over time and use this information to ensure that pupils can build effectively on their previous learning.
• Some pupils in the early stages of learning to read are not supported to learn phonics effectively. This means that some pupils do not develop the skills they need to become fluent readers. Leaders should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills they need to teach phonics well.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)