Langham Oaks

Langham Oaks is a special school for boys aged 10 to 16 with social, emotional and mental health needs, and many pupils join after significant disruption to their education. Following its previous requires improvement judgement, the school has improved its curriculum and now provides three bespoke pathways, with subject content broken into helpful building blocks and adapted well to pupils’ accurately identified needs. Pupils settle into a stable school life, benefit from clear behaviour routines and high-quality pastoral and therapeutic support, and are well prepared for life after Langham through PSHE, careers, outdoor learning and activities such as sailing and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Strengths

• The curriculum has been improved and is organised into three bespoke pathways that support pupils’ understanding.
• Curriculum content is adapted well around pupils’ accurately identified SEND needs.
• High-quality checks identify gaps in pupils’ prior learning and help staff choose effective teaching methods.
• Reading support is effective, with staff quickly spotting difficulties and providing targeted help.
• High-quality pastoral support and therapy match pupils’ complex SEND needs well.
• Behaviour routines are clear and consistent, and suspensions and serious incidents continue to reduce.
• Most staff use de-escalation scripts and techniques effectively.
• Attendance has improved for many pupils through determined work with families and agencies.
• The PSHE curriculum helps pupils learn to keep safe online and in the community.
• A well-planned careers programme helps pupils learn about options after leaving school.
• The outdoor curriculum and wider opportunities build life skills and prepare pupils well for adulthood.

Areas for Improvement

• A small number of staff do not consistently implement the school’s behaviour strategies, which can delay pupils in regulating their behaviour.
• A small number of pupils are still absent from school too often and miss out on the education and experiences on offer.

In 2024–25 pupils at Langham Oaks attended 73.4% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 66.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 29.3% of pupils at Langham Oaks were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Langham Oaks had 6.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 25.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26 Langham Oaks had 82 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: social, emotional and mental health.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Langham Oaks received £33,544 and spent £39,576 for each of its 75 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £476,000 (£6,344 per pupil).

Across all 5 schools of Seax Trust, income was £24,843 and spending £24,605 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Colchester · Essex local authority: places and applications

Langham Oaks is part of Seax Trust, which runs 5 schools. The nearest others:

• Kingswode Hoe School Colchester
• The Hawthorns School Chelmsford
• Thriftwood School Chelmsford
• Grove House School Brentwood

What is Langham Oaks's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Langham Oaks is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Langham Oaks last inspected by Ofsted?

Langham Oaks was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Langham Oaks have?

Langham Oaks has 82 pupils on roll.

What age range does Langham Oaks cover?

Langham Oaks for pupils aged 10 to 16.

What are Langham Oaks's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 11.3, and 0% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

What are Langham Oaks's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Langham Oaks?

Langham Oaks is at School Road, Langham, Colchester, Essex, CO4 5PA.