Cicely Haughton School

Inspection of Cicely Haughton School Westwood Manor, Mill Lane, Wetley Rocks, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST9 0BX

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The headteacher of this school is Janey Hancock. This school is part of the Manor Hall Trust which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Philip Harrison and overseen by a board of trustees chaired by John Fitchett. 10 and 11 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

To be a pupil at Cicely Haughton is to step into a world where you are seen, heard and understood. It is a place where learning feels like a discovery, where books become adventures, and where mistakes are simply stepping stones to success.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a warm, nurturing environment where pupils who once struggled find their confidence, their voice, and their love for learning. The school’s high expectations and ambition for pupils’ achievements help pupils to overcome their often previously negative experiences of education. As a result, pupils rise to expectations, learning, growing and excelling across all subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

It is a place where pupils find their footing, their voice, and their confidence. When pupils find learning and life challenging, staff act quickly to support them. Parents and carers call it a place where their children heal, grow, and thrive. This is a calm and purposeful learning environment where behaviour is exemplary.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Mental health weeks and celebration assemblies are woven through the school calendar. These develop pupils’ resilience and self-esteem. Pupils flourish and discover new interests and hobbies through the school’s extensive extra-curricular provision. This includes mountain boarding, fun runs, and exploring the woodland ‘secret city’.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Since the last inspection, leaders, trustees, and the academy board have worked hard to improve the school. Changes in reading, mathematics, and curriculum leadership have strengthened pupils’ learning and progress. Support from the trust ensures ongoing improvements.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

From the moment the pupils start at the school, staff work hard to understand their individual special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Close relationships between staff and pupils’ families strengthen this process. The school provides targeted support and ensures that the right provision is in place for each pupil.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The curriculum is carefully designed to set out what pupils should learn and when. Across all subjects, there are exciting and ambitious sequences of learning. These build pupils’ knowledge in a step-by-step manner. The school’s expectations of pupils are high. Many pupils achieve success in line with national age-related expectations.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff work hard to adapt their teaching to unlock the best way for pupils to learn. They check in with pupils regularly to make sure they understand. Staff adjust teaching to fill gaps in pupils’ knowledge and focus on key skills. When needed, staff act to provide additional support.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school encourages pupils to develop a love of reading and books. Pupils have access to a wide range of high-quality texts, on and offline. They learn about focus authors and 10 and 11 June 2025

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listen to carefully chosen books in daily story time sessions, lessons in phonics, reading comprehension, and daily whole class story time, ensuring reading is both a skill and a source of enjoyment for every pupil. Opportunities to watch child-friendly webinars by famous children’s authors are followed by whole-class reading sessions of that author’s latest book.

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The ‘nurture’ curriculum transforms pupils’ confidence, relationships, and emotional resilience. Through structured sessions, such as group sharing time, crafts, and outdoor activities, pupils develop self-awareness and social skills in a safe and supportive environment. Pupils feel valued, build lasting friendships, and learn to manage their emotions effectively. This enables them to thrive both academically and personally.

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How staff support pupils in to develop positive behaviour attitudes to learning is exemplary. They model caring and supportive relationships in all interactions with pupils. The use of the ‘Den’ provides a high-quality provision when pupils are struggling or need additional time away from lessons to manage their own emotions and feelings. Attendance is closely monitored, with staff maintaining regular communication with carers and external professionals to ensure children remain engaged in their education.

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The curriculum for personal, social, health, and economic (PSHE) education, as well as activities such as gardening and school camps, provides valuable opportunities for pupils to build resilience, teamwork, and confidence. Music, sporting competitions and art enrich pupils’ experiences and provide them with opportunities to shine.

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Staff members feel valued and well-supported by the school. There is a strong culture of well-being. This motivates staff to take pride in their work and helps them to carry out their roles as effectively as possible.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 10 and 11 June 2025

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In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 10 and 11 June 2025

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School details

School category Academy special sponsor-led

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School details

Website www.cicelyhaughton.staffs.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 May 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Cicely Haughton School caters for pupils with a range of social, emotional and mental health needs. Many of the pupils have additional needs such as autistic spectrum conditions, speech, language and communication needs and learning and cognition needs.  Since the last inspection, the head of school was appointed as the substantive headteacher in September 2023. Two existing members of staff were appointed as assistant headteachers at the same time.  The school operates a satellite provision at Tillington Manor Primary School to support pupils who may be at risk of exclusion.  The school does not use any alternative provision. 10 and 11 June 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, nurture and PSHE. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also discussed the

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Information about this inspection

curriculum in some other subjects.  Inspectors observed informal times to evaluate safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour.  During the inspection, the inspectors had meetings with the headteacher, and members of the local academy board. An inspector spoke with the school’s external school improvement partner, a representative of the local authority and representatives from the trust.  An inspector spoke with the chief education officer and the lead member of staff at the enhanced provision the school runs at a local primary school.  The inspector took account of responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire and the free-text responses. Inspectors also spoke with a sample of parents in person and on the telephone.

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Inspection team

Chris Pollitt, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ellen Taylor Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 June 2025

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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