Cambian Home Tree School

This emergency inspection at Cambian Home Tree School was commissioned by the Department for Education following concerns about safeguarding. The school is an independent special school for pupils aged 12 to 18 with complex social, emotional and mental health needs, most of whom have education, health and care plans and have previously missed significant time in school. Inspectors found that the school does not meet all of the independent school standards checked, with failures in both leadership and management and welfare, health and safety. The most serious concerns relate to safeguarding. Although suitable policies, a single central record and staff training are in place, safeguarding is not consistently applied. Records often lack detail about actions and outcomes, some serious concerns were not acted on appropriately or promptly, and the school did not always know or record what external agencies had done. Leaders also lack secure knowledge of statutory safeguarding guidance and the independent school standards, and the proprietor has not ensured they receive the training needed to meet those standards. There are clear positives. Leaders and staff are committed to a nurturing, caring environment, relationships with pupils are generally positive, and behaviour and bullying are well managed. Health and safety checks and staff supervision are also strengths. However, the therapeutic offer is inconsistent for some pupils with complex SEMH needs, attendance recording is systemically inaccurate, the most vulnerable pupils attend poorly, and risk assessments, especially for pupils who abscond, are not consistently individualised. The school is part of Cambian Childcare Ltd and uses one unregistered alternative provision.

Strengths

• Leaders and staff are committed to providing a nurturing and caring environment.
• Positive staff-pupil relationships support wellbeing for some pupils.
• The safeguarding policy is suitable and identifies safeguarding leads and intended responses.
• A suitable single central record is in place, and staff have received appropriate safeguarding training.
• The behaviour policy clearly sets out a therapeutic approach and consequences.
• Behaviour incidents are low, including low levels of physical intervention.
• Staff are well attuned to pupils’ needs and maintain a calm and positive learning environment.
• Staff-to-pupil ratios ensure pupils are well supervised.
• The anti-bullying policy is well considered, and bullying incidents are very rare.
• Health and safety policy is clear and generally followed well, with well-recorded checks.
• The admissions register includes all required information for pupils who attend.
• Appropriate checks are made on absent pupils, including home visits and daily visits to the linked residential home.
• The accessibility plan is appropriately written and aligns with the Equality Act 2010.

Areas for Improvement

• The proprietor does not have secure oversight of safeguarding systems and records.
• Safeguarding records lack required detail about actions taken and outcomes of concerns.
• The safeguarding culture does not effectively ensure pupils’ safety and wellbeing.
• The school has not taken appropriate or timely action after some concerns were raised.
• The school does not consistently follow its own safeguarding policy.
• The school failed to know or record external agencies’ actions and outcomes in some cases.
• Safeguarding reports lack professional curiosity, with numerous concerns wrongly recorded as below threshold.
• Leaders lack secure knowledge of statutory safeguarding guidance and the independent school standards.
• The proprietor has not provided leaders with the training needed to develop required understanding.
• The therapeutic offer is inconsistent, and some pupils’ complex SEMH needs are not met.
• Not all pupils’ long-term welfare and personal development are effectively supported.
• Attendance is not recorded accurately, with systemic incorrect codes inflating attendance figures.
• Some of the most vulnerable pupils do not attend well, and effective strategies have not been identified.
• The risk assessment policy is not consistently implemented, with some pupil risk assessments too generic.
• Abscond risk assessments are generic and do not address individual pupils’ risks.
• Behaviour records are not always consistent.
• The school does not meet the independent school standards checked in Parts 3 and 8.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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What is Cambian Home Tree School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Cambian Home Tree School is Good, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Cambian Home Tree School last inspected by Ofsted?

Cambian Home Tree School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Cambian Home Tree School have?

Cambian Home Tree School has 7 pupils on roll.

What age range does Cambian Home Tree School cover?

Cambian Home Tree School for pupils aged 12 to 18.

Where is Cambian Home Tree School?

Cambian Home Tree School is at 172 March Road, Friday Bridge, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, PE14 0LP.