Emerald Place Clinic School (EPCS)

Inspection of Emerald Place Clinic School (EPCS) Emerald Place, Farmfield Drive, Charlwood, Surrey RH6 0BN

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where pupils are seen, valued and empowered. Pupils’ lives are transformed by attending this nurturing and specialist school. Many have complex medical needs and the duration of their placement varies. Many pupils’ placements last just a few weeks. Consequently, from the outset, staff make sure that they quickly get to know and understand each pupil’s unique needs. Every element of their medical, educational and personal care is carefully catered for and expertly delivered.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils arrive having had negative educational experiences. They are often disengaged and uncertain about their future. This changes rapidly due to the school’s high expectations for what they can achieve. In a remarkably short time, pupils begin to re-engage with learning and develop a renewed sense of purpose and optimism about the future.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and well cared for. Staff are patient, empathetic and attuned to the emotional needs of every pupil. Relationships between pupils and staff are built on deep mutual respect and kindness. As a result, behavioural incidents are rare. When pupils do become dysregulated, staff respond with skill and compassion. Their high level of training ensures that pupils are supported appropriately and respectfully.

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better?

Each pupil at the school follows a personalised and ambitious curriculum that is carefully designed to meet their individual needs. As soon as a pupil joins, the school acts rapidly to gather detailed information about them. School staff speak with home schools and colleges, pupils’ families and other professionals to build a full picture. Using this, the school expertly maps out the individualised support and sequence of knowledge that each pupil will access. As a result, when pupils leave the school, they are well prepared to return to their school or college.

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better?

Staff are highly skilled educators of pupils with complex social, emotional and mental health needs. They create engaging and meaningful activities that help pupils to learn and build knowledge. Strong, trusting working relationships between staff and pupils are central to the school’s success. Staff know their pupils well and use their expertise to meet pupils’ emotional and learning needs consistently well. Staff provide a calm and therapeutic environment, where pupils feel understood and ready to learn. Small steps of pupils’ academic and personal progress are recognised and celebrated by the school. This helps pupils to build confidence and self-esteem.

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better?

The school places great importance on reading. Staff check how well pupils can read as soon as they arrive. If pupils need help, staff put in place expertly designed additional activities straight away. Staff encourage and promote reading every day. They make sure pupils have access to a wide range of books that reflect different interests, backgrounds and cultures. This approach builds reading confidence and helps pupils to enjoy books, often for the first time. 15 to 17 July 2025 Pupils show excellent behaviour and positive attitudes to learning. Staff use clear routines and consistent approaches to help pupils stay calm, focused and engaged. They build respectful relationships and set high expectations for every pupil. Classrooms are quiet, purposeful and supportive, designed with pupils’ emotional and sensory needs in mind. Pupils feel safe and settled, which allows them to take part in learning and progress well through the curriculum.

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better?

The school offers an exemplary personal development programme, which responds flexibly to pupils’ immediate emotional and developmental needs. Robust systems are in place to track pupils’ progress in both mental health and well-being. These tools are well used by staff to find out what pupils need to thrive. Staff respond quickly and effectively, ensuring every pupil receives the right support at the right time. From an early stage, pupils also begin to think about their futures in careers lessons. Skilful careers guidance is given to pupils, which helps them to explore their future learning options and pathways. Pupils leave with greater independence, self- belief and motivation to succeed.

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better?

Pupils benefit from themed ‘drop weeks’, focusing on inclusion, identity, teamwork and emotional literacy. Through this, pupils learn to make sense of the world around them and are exceptionally well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils feel valued, heard and safe. They leave with vital life skills and, most importantly, with hope and optimism for the future.

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better?

The school’s knowledgeable management committee, supported by the chair of the proprietor body, provides effective challenge and support to the school. The proprietor ensures that the school fully meets all independent school standards, including those set out in Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. School leaders set high expectations and regularly review how the school is doing. They work closely with staff to improve practice and ensure that every pupil has the best possible chance to succeed.

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better?

Staff feel proud to work at the school. They speak positively about the support and training they receive and feel valued in their roles. Leaders invest in their development and well-being, and staff work together with a shared sense of purpose. The school has built a caring, ambitious community, where pupils can thrive, personally, academically and emotionally.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 15 to 17 July 2025

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 15 to 17 July 2025

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School details

Unique reference number 150864 DfE registration number 936/6074

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School details

Inspection number 10375015 Type of school Other Independent Special School

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School details

Website www.elysiumhealthcare.co.uk/education/ emerald-place-clinic-school Email address kball@elysiumeducation.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected 15 to 17 July 2025

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Information about this school

 Emerald Place Clinic School provides education for pupils who have been admitted to Emerald Place Clinic. The school is based within the same building as the clinic.  Admission to the provision is by NHS referral only. This is a Tier 4 hospital for pupils who are experiencing a variety of severe and complex mental health illnesses.  The number of pupils on the school’s roll fluctuates. While most placements are for 90 days, some attend for longer or shorter periods of time, depending on their needs.  Most pupils are dual registered. This means that they remain on the roll of their home school or college while being educated at Emerald Place Clinic School.  The school provides full-time education to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Currently, no pupils have an educational, health and care plan.  The proprietor for this school is also the proprietor for five other specialist

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Information about this school

schools: Bere Clinic School, Rhodes Wood Hospital School, Brighton and Hove Clinic School, Potters Bar Clinic School and Cotswold Spa Hospital School. There is a head of education, who undertakes quality assurance work across all six schools.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  This is the school’s first standard inspection. Ofsted conducted a pre-registration inspection of the school in June 2024.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about this inspection

The school meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher and other members of the leadership team.  The lead inspector met with the chair of the proprietor body and two other members of the management committee. 15 to 17 July 2025  The inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: English, mathematics, art and personal, social, health and economics education. Inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around the school and in lessons. They also spoke to pupils in lessons and around the school.  The lead inspector considered a range of documents, including leaders’

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Information about this inspection

evaluations of the school, their school improvement plan and minutes from education committee meetings.  Inspectors considered parents’ and carers’ responses to Ofsted Parent View.  Inspectors took account of the views of staff through conversations and the responses to the online staff survey.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.

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Inspection team

Nina Marabese, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Linda Culling His Majesty’s Inspector 15 to 17 July 2025 to 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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