Stone Lodge Therapeutic School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 4 June 2024

Stone Lodge Therapeutic School has a safe and caring culture. Pupils are known exceptionally well. As pupils join the school, staff take time to identify their individual needs. They piece together why pupils have struggled to attend school in the past. The school works with determination to break down the barriers that have stopped pupils from enjoying, and engaging in, their education previously. Now, many pupils attend school well. Pupils appreciate the positive and nurturing relationships they have with staff. They know that they are expected to behave well. They are confident that staff support them in moments of stress or frustration. Increasingly, pupils recognise their emotions, find the right words to explain how they feel and have a range of strategies to use when they face personal challenges. Pupils are respected and listened to by staff. Parents and carers also value the high levels of care and support their children receive. A parent, typical of many, described how their child's 'confidence has soared' since joining the school. The school's personal development offer is exceptional. It makes a significant contribution to the school's ambition that every pupil will experience success and believe in themselves as they face their future.

What the school should improve

• While the school completes thorough assessments of pupils' needs, there is some variability in how this assessment information is used to inform the content of individual pupils' plans. As a result, the plans are not comprehensive in providing guidance about which strategies are best suited to meet pupils' needs. The school should ensure that all relevant information is available and used effectively, thus enabling pupils to be fully supported in their learning and to learn as well as they can.

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