Serenity School Crawley

Serenity School Crawley

Address: Atlantic House, Hazelwick Avenue, Three Bridges, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 1QQ Unique reference number (URN): 149160

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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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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders’ determination to ensure that all pupils attend regularly is clear. They have worked extremely well with families and agencies to secure significant improvements in attendance since the last inspection. As a result, attendance is high in comparison with other special schools and persistent absence has reduced. Leaders are not complacent, however. They monitor attendance rigorously and review attendance for groups and individuals systematically. Pupils have often had extended periods outside of formal education before joining the school. Leaders work closely and effectively with parents and carers to understand and support pupils’ individual needs and circumstances.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Staff know pupils well and treat them with courtesy and respect. They are sensitive to pupils’ needs and respond calmly, kindly and patiently if pupils become anxious or unsettled. Pupils are supported with a range of strategies which help them to learn how to regulate their own behaviour. Consistent expectations and clear routines mean that pupils feel comfortable in school. They are confident that staff will take care of them. Lessons are settled and purposeful and pupils are well behaved during social times. Leaders do not tolerate bullying or discriminatory behaviour. They take prompt action if any concerns arise.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders’ unwavering commitment to providing high-quality education for pupils is clear. Thorough induction and assessment procedures are embedded in the school’s work. These ensure that the school has a full picture of pupils’ needs on entry to the school. All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities and have education, health and care plans. Leaders supplement these with individual education plans which identify carefully targeted short-term goals and strategies to support pupils’ progress.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff benefit from high-quality training so that they are knowledgeable about pupils’ needs. Leaders assess pupils’ progress continuously and meticulously, reviewing and refining the support in place to secure ongoing success for each pupil. An effective whole-school approach to supporting pupils’ development ensures that barriers to pupils’ learning and wellbeing are consistently reduced.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders work constructively with parents and carers. They provide them with ongoing updates about pupils’ individual support plans and the progress their children are making. Vulnerable pupils, including looked-after children and pupils known to social care, benefit from highly-quality support. Leaders make sure that pupil premium funding is used judiciously and monitored closely to ensure that it is making a positive difference to pupils’ learning and development.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The school has experienced a period of change, including an increase in the number of pupils on roll and changes in staffing. During this time, the proprietor and leadership team have taken strategic and effective action to ensure that pupils continue to flourish, both personally and academically, as the school has grown. Leaders are ambitious for pupils and always take decisions in pupils' best interests. They complement each other's knowledge and expertise well, working together to ensure the school's continuous development. The proprietor and leadership team maintain rigorous procedures to check and monitor the school's work. They use this information well to ensure that they have a clear understanding of the school's successes and aspects in need of further development. Where improvement is needed, such as in the teaching of phonics, leaders act quickly and decisively to make the necessary improvements.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff are proud to work in the school. They share leaders' high expectations for all pupils and are committed to their own professional development. An extensive and carefully planned schedule of training provides staff with a wealth of knowledge to help them to develop subject knowledge and practice. Leaders take careful account of workload demands on staff. They have established helpful systems and procedures to support staff wellbeing. Staff speak highly of the school's community atmosphere and of the teamwork that characterises school life.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The proprietor ensures that the independent school standards are met consistently. The school premises are maintained to a high standard to ensure a safe environment for pupils and staff. The school has a suitable accessibility plan and meets the requirements of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders ensure that all pupils benefit from the school’s personal, social and health education programme. The programme is carefully constructed to support pupils’ particular needs and contexts. Staff are closely attuned to pupils’ wellbeing and adapt the content of the programme as necessary.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The personal development programme underpins school life. The content is delivered through dedicated lessons and tutor times, as well as through opportunities that arise day- to-day. Pupils learn about topics such as the difference between right and wrong, consent and protected characteristics. Teaching life skills is a fundamental element of the curriculum. Pupils are taught valuable skills such as swimming and water safety. The school successfully encourages healthy lifestyles, including opportunities for the older pupils to learn how to prepare food. Activities such as these make a significant contribution to pupils’ preparation for future life. Pupils grow in confidence and develop increasing independence.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils are taught relationships, sex and health education in an age- and stage-appropriate way. Pupils learn important concepts about personal growth and development. They appreciate the importance of being respectful and learn about some key practices that will help to keep them safe, such as online safety habits. The school liaises well with agencies, such as the police, who visit the school from time-to-time to talk to pupils about topics such as the dangers of gang activity.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school fosters pupils’ interests very well. For instance, regular inter-school events such as ‘spelling bee’ competitions, football matches and ‘silent discos’ make a valuable contribution to the development of pupils’ social skills and to their enjoyment of school.

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Expected standard

The school provides objective careers advice and counselling which includes opportunities to visit ‘careers fairs’. The school has high aspirations for pupils, who are guided to make appropriate choices when considering vocational courses and future options.

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Achievement Expected standard

All pupils face multiple barriers to learning and wellbeing. The care and attention given to their individual needs, and the quality of provision, ensure that, typically, pupils learn and achieve well. Pupils make impressive progress in their social and emotional development. The carefully planned curriculum ensures that pupils develop increasingly secure knowledge in English, mathematics and a range of subjects. This ensures that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. However, some inconsistencies in teaching across classes, including in the teaching of reading, mean that pupils do not achieve as consistently highly as they could. The oldest students achieve particularly well. They typically achieve a wide range of nationally accredited qualifications, including in English, mathematics and vocational subjects. All pupils in Year 11 and Year 13 who left the school last year continued

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school’s curriculum is ambitious and carefully planned to enable pupils to learn a suitable breadth of subjects. Pupils follow one of three curriculum pathways with most pupils currently on roll following the ‘nurture’ pathway. The curriculum includes the flexibility to move pupils between pathways if required.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate picture of the quality of teaching and curriculum. They use a systematic monitoring programme well to review and evaluate teaching and the curriculum. As a result, they are clear about what’s working well and have identified appropriate priorities for development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum gives suitable attention to teaching pupils reading, writing and mathematics. A whole school focus on mathematics means that this subject is taught consistently well. However, there are some differences in how effectively the curriculum more widely is taught across classes. A comprehensive raft of training is in place to ensure that staff have the subject knowledge they need to deliver the curriculum consistently well.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have ensured that pupils benefit from a suitable phonics programme. They reviewed and updated this last term in response to pupils’ changing needs. The revised programme is still being embedded and there are currently some differences in how well the phonics is taught.

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

Serenity School has a friendly, welcoming and purposeful ethos and pupils develop a keen sense of belonging. Those who are new to the school benefit from carefully considered transition plans which are designed to ensure success. These plans provide a series of targets and support which successfully ease pupils into school.

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

The school successfully reduces barriers to pupils’ learning and wellbeing. All pupils play an active part in school. As a result, pupils learn to experience success, so that they grow in confidence and independence. Pupils benefit from a wide range of activities beyond the classroom, such as trips and visits. Activities such as these contribute well to pupils’ life experiences and broadening horizons.

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

Pupils have often had an unsettled time in formal education before joining the school. Staff know pupils and understand their needs very well. The support they provide is key to the school’s success in re-engaging pupils with formal education. All pupils make positive progress from their starting points. The oldest pupils achieve a range of nationally accredited qualifications to support them in the next stage of their education.

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

Well-established and effective policies and procedures provide a firm framework for pupils and staff. The school’s calm, quiet atmosphere characterises everyday life. Pupils feel secure and comfortable in school because they know that they are valued and trust their teachers. They have positive attitudes to learning, follow the school rules and are polite to staff and visitors. Pupils’ high levels of attendance reflect their enjoyment of school and their commitment to learning.

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

Pupils behave well in lessons and move around the school sensibly. Break times are happy, sociable times, when pupils energetically join in with games or enjoy some quiet time. Staff provide caring and watchful supervision so that pupils are secure. Leaders deal with any concerns about bullying quickly and effectively.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that the phonics programme is fully embedded and taught consistently well so that pupils develop reliable reading skills. Leaders should continue work to ensure that highly effective teaching is embedded across classes so that pupils achieve consistently well across the curriculum.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this 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 requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Independent school standards

Independent school standards are either met or not met for each category. 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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Independent school standards

The inspection too place from 15 September 2026 to 17 September 2026.

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Independent school standards

Inspectors spoke with the proprietor, executive headteacher, headteacher and other leaders.

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Independent school standards

The name of the proprietor is SED.Group Limited.

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Independent school standards

The name of the chair of the proprietor body is Ebere Emezie.

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Independent school standards

The fees currently charged are £60,180 to £77,520.

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Independent school standards

The email address of the school is office@serenityschool.org.uk

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Independent school standards

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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Independent school standards

The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Independent school standards

The school is registered as a special school. It caters for pupils with a range of special educational needs and/or disabilities, including autism and social, emotional and mental health needs. All pupils have an education, health and care plan. Most have missed significant periods of education before joining this school.

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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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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. All standards have been met.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

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

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Facts and figures used on inspection

5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Standards met

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Facts and figures used on inspection

6. Provision of information Standards met

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Facts and figures used on inspection

7. Manner in which complaints are handled Standards met

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Facts and figures used on inspection

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

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Facts and figures used on inspection

All standards have been met. This data is from 15 September 2026

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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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