Old Sams Farm Independent School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 16 September 2025

Most pupils who attend this school have had adverse prior experiences of education. They join the school with poor attendance records, negative views towards learning and a history of risky behaviour. Pupils' attitudes are transformed while they are at Old Sams Farm. They thrive in the school's safe, nurturing environment. A combination of high expectations, clear routines and positive staff role models help pupils to re-engage successfully with education. Pupils are prepared well for their next steps. Although they only attend the school for a relatively short period, pupils make good progress through the school's curriculum, closing many gaps in their learning. Pupils also achieve considerable personal growth at Old Sams Farm. Staff challenge any anti-social attitudes consistently. They promote respect and help pupils to consider the likely consequences of poor choices. Pupils' behaviour improves while they are at Old Sams Farm. They benefit from the small class size and close relationships with staff. Pupils are motivated by the merits and tokens on offer for working hard and behaving well. They engage well in learning most of the time. Pupils feel supported and valued. They appreciate the care and guidance they receive.

What the school should improve

• At times, staff do not identify or address pupils' mistakes well enough. As a result, some pupils repeat the same errors. For instance, pupils' written work often contains the same recurring errors in basic sentence formation. The school must ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills that they need to check pupils' learning closely and resolve any misconceptions swiftly.
• Some of the targeted support for pupils with SEND is not precise enough. As a result, the school does not close some of the gaps in pupils' learning as quickly as it could. The school should review its support for pupils with SEND, so that all pupils benefit from close support.

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