Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre

Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre

Address: Draycott Cross, Cheadle, The Sycamores, Stoke-on-Trent, ST10 2NT Unique reference number (URN): 151449

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met. Insufficient evidence: Inspectors were unable to gather sufficient evidence to judge whether safeguarding standards are met.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils join the school with significant gaps in their learning following periods of disrupted education. Leaders ensure that these starting points are understood precisely. Staff use detailed tracking information to set appropriately ambitious targets that reflect pupils’ prior learning and individual needs. As a result, pupils make strong progress from their starting points. This is particularly evident in the development of foundational knowledge in English and mathematics, which supports pupils to access learning more confidently across the curriculum. Pupils’ progress is sustained over time because gaps in understanding are identified and addressed systematically.

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Achievement Strong standard

Leaders prioritise both academic and social development. Consequently, pupils develop the knowledge and skills they need to increase their independence and engage more confidently in learning. Pupils are increasingly well prepared for their next steps. This includes readiness for further education and greater participation in the wider community.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Positive and respectful relationships are central to the work of the school. Staff understand the needs of the pupils. Leaders ensure that the sharing of information is managed through highly effective ‘huddles’ and ‘bookends’ to the day. In huddles, staff come together at the beginning and the end of the day to share information and also pre-empt issues that may arise. During 'bookends' pupils meet with their key worker at the start and the end of the day to ensure that their voices are heard and any issues dealt with. As a result, pupils’ behaviours improve markedly and this prepares pupils incredibly well for their next steps. Pupils feel safe in school. No bullying occurs at this provision, but if it did leaders have clear systems in place to deal with it quickly. Pupils are taught to keep safe online. They are respectful and care for one another.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders have established highly effective systems to promote and monitor attendance. Leaders work closely with pupils and their families to address concerns sensitively and ensure that support is matched precisely to the pupils' needs. As a result, pupils attend regularly and there is notable improvement in attendance from their starting points.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have carefully constructed a curriculum that is broad and balanced. Both ambitious academic targets and pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities are taken into account when planning learning. The curriculum is carefully adapted to meet the needs of pupils with autism.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have identified curriculum priorities, including English, mathematics, personal, social and health education, life skills and preparation for adulthood. Staff meticulously track what pupils can and cannot do and ensure learning is sequenced to help the pupils build secure knowledge and understanding. Teachers are highly skilled. They maximise learning opportunities through high-quality interactions with pupils. They carefully explain complex concepts to pupils. Staff break learning down into appropriate steps. Staff prioritise addressing gaps in pupils' foundational knowledge. During learning activities, staff address pupils' misconceptions and ask well- thought-through questions to take learning further.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Learning is informed by detailed and comprehensive assessments. Staff use pupils’ interests effectively to engage them in learning. All staff are ambitious for pupils. The curriculum promotes both academic development and increasing independence, helping pupils prepare for life beyond school.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

All staff are trained in the proprietors' approach to teaching and learning. Leaders have a secure understanding of the quality of the curriculum across the school.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Inclusion is at the heart of the school. Leaders have established a strong inclusive culture which permeates across all aspects of the school. All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders are meticulous in their approach to ensure that pupils' needs are quickly understood. They do this through carrying out a systematic 'dissection' of pupils' education, health and care plans. They work with parents and carers, pupils and the local authority to ensure that support is carefully matched to pupils' individual needs. Leaders have a well embedded and clear, graduated approach to support. This ensures that pupils’ needs are constantly evaluated and assessed precisely.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Well-trained staff take decisive and effective action to understand and remove barriers to learning and participation. Leaders rigorously monitor the progress of pupils. For example, leaders use a school-developed autism progress tracking for each individual pupil. This tracks pupils’ specific needs so that the pupils' curriculum and provision are adapted and refined. This ensures that support makes a sustained and positive difference to pupils’ learning, well-being and wider development.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders work closely with parents and external agencies to provide a well-coordinated and joined up approach to support. Communication between school, families and professionals is strong and contributes to positive outcomes for pupils.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have established a highly inclusive and ambitious culture where the needs of pupils with autism are at the heart of all decision-making. Leaders know pupils exceptionally well and use this understanding to design a highly personalised provision that removes barriers to learning. As a result, leaders’ work has a transformative impact on pupils’ achievement, attendance and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and priorities. They promote a culture of continuous improvement through a well-planned professional development programme that is closely aligned to the needs of the school. Staff receive extensive professional development that is closely aligned to the needs and priorities of the school. Training is carefully tailored to develop staff expertise in autism-specific approaches alongside subject knowledge. Leaders routinely evaluate staff understanding and encourage professional curiosity. Consequently, staff are highly skilled and implement the school’s approaches consistently.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff workload and wellbeing are paramount. The proprietor is an advocate for staff and ensures decisions are made with the best interests of the pupils and staff. This ensures that systems and processes are streamlined and impactful.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have designed a coherent and carefully planned personal development programme that reflects the needs of pupils in this specialist setting. Pupils learn about friendships, online safety, diversity and life in modern Britain. As a result, pupils develop a secure understanding of how to keep themselves safe and how to interact positively and safely with others.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have established a highly effective pastoral offer. This is carefully tailored to the needs, interests and future aspirations of pupils in this specialist setting for pupils with autism. The offer is ambitious and purposeful, ensuring that pupils are exceptionally well prepared for adulthood. This is through a broad range of experiences linked to careers, independent living and community participation. Staff successfully integrate personal development themes across the curriculum, ensuring that learning is meaningful and relevant to pupils’ lives.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils benefit from a rich programme of enrichment activities that extends beyond the classroom and broadens their understanding of the world. Visits, community engagement projects and themed learning experiences help pupils develop cultural awareness, understand diversity and appreciate different viewpoints. For example, pupils visit local fire and police stations and banks. This allows them to understand how these organisations support communities and how they may interact with them in adult life.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Opportunities to engage with local services, charities and community organisations help pupils understand their role as active citizens. For example, pupils identified shortages at a local food bank and used funds accumulated from their behaviour points to purchase essential items. Pupils contribute positively to their community through charitable activities and volunteering, demonstrating empathy and social responsibility.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The leaders challenge any form of prejudice with haste. Teaching and pastoral support is put in place to help pupils understand and learn about differences. These high-quality curriculum adaptations ensure that pupils celebrate each other, differences in pupils and diversity. This is a fully inclusive school where pupils thrive.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are welcomed each day into a calm, supportive school where staff understand their needs. From the moment pupils start at the school, they build strong relationships with staff, including their keyworkers, to help them feel safe and valued. Staff get to know the pupils' strengths and any barriers to education they may have. Clear routines, and daily check-ins, including at the beginning and end of every day, ensure that pupils feel listened to and supported. As a result, pupils develop confidence and positive attitudes to learning.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Learning is purposeful and engaging. Teachers use pupils’ interests to make learning meaningful, helping pupils to build the knowledge and skills they need. Pupils enjoy their learning and take pride in their achievements, for example their high-quality artwork, writing and outdoor learning projects.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils behave well and show respect for one another. They develop strong friendships and show genuine care to their peers. They learn to appreciate differences, and are kind and inclusive with each other. Pupils say that bullying is rare, but if it were to occur staff would deal with it quickly and effectively.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils benefit from a wide range of experiences that help them to develop independence, responsibility and confidence. For example, pupils love taking care of the school fish and take this responsibility very seriously. Visits, community activities and real-life learning opportunities broaden pupils’ understanding of the world and prepare them well for their next steps.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

At this school pupils learn to be happy, confident individuals, with the skills and courage to be successful in the wider world.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this standard inspection under section 109(1) and (2)of the Education and Skills Act 2008, and checked the school’s compliance with 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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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the executive headteacher, headteacher, director of education, director of behaviour and the proprietor. They also spoke with staff, pupils and some parents during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school is a specialist provision for pupils who have autism. All the pupils at the school have education, health and care plans.

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About this inspection

The school operates from the following address: Draycott Cross, Cheadle, The Sycamores, Stoke-on-Trent, ST10 2NT

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Independent school standards

Independent school standards are either met or not met for each category. This was the first standard inspection of this newly registered school. The school was registered by the Department for Education in January 2025.

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Independent school standards

The school is part of the Woodside Group.

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Independent school standards

The school does not use alternative provision.

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Independent school standards

1. Quality of education provided Standards met

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Independent school standards

2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils Standards met

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Independent school standards

3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Standards met

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Independent school standards

4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Standards met

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Independent school standards

5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Standards met

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan

6. Provision of information Standards met

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Pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan

7. Manner in which complaints are handled Standards met

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Pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan

8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Standards met

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Insufficient evidence

Inspectors were unable to gather reliable enough evidence to grade an evaluation area. This is rare and normally only happens if there are no pupils on roll at the school.

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Insufficient evidence

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Insufficient evidence

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Insufficient evidence

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Insufficient evidence

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Insufficient evidence

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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