Stansfield House

Stansfield House is a specialist independent school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, all of whom have EHC plans. This was its first standard inspection since being registered in July 2025, with 23 pupils on roll and capacity for 45. The overall picture is very serious: inspectors found urgent improvement needed across achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing. Safeguarding standards are met, and pupils feel safe with trusted adults, but the school is not providing an acceptable standard of education and many independent school standards are not met. Pupils are significantly underachieving because the curriculum is not implemented well, assessment does not identify starting points or gaps accurately, and teaching does not build knowledge securely. Many pupils have substantial gaps in English and mathematics, and poor attendance and disruptive behaviour further stall or reverse progress. Most pupils are persistently or severely absent, and a significant number do not attend at all. Behaviour expectations are too low and routines are inconsistent, creating a chaotic environment. Support for SEND is not precise enough, and pupils do not receive the full provision their EHC plans entitle them to. There are some recent signs of improvement: new leaders and governors have begun to identify priorities, the school has strengthened its response to bullying and violence, and pastoral support and external agency work help keep pupils safe. However, these actions are in their infancy and have not yet improved pupils' education or personal development. The proprietor and leaders must urgently address the serious weaknesses, including curriculum, assessment, attendance, behaviour, SEND identification and personal development, so that vulnerable pupils can re-engage and progress.

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture in which concerns are actively identified and managed.
• Pupils feel safe and have positive relationships with the adults who work with them.
• The school has recently strengthened its response to bullying, physical abuse and violent behaviour, and this is effective.
• Staff take time to listen to pupils and provide trusted pastoral support.
• Pupils who do not attend regularly appreciate daily and often weekly wellbeing and safety check-ins.
• Staff report that leaders think carefully about workload and wellbeing and provide appropriate support when needed.
• Teachers have some appropriate subject expertise.
• Leaders have begun to identify appropriate priorities for improvement with newly appointed leaders and governors.
• The school works with external agencies to maintain oversight of pupils' challenging circumstances and safeguard them in difficult situations.
• Some pupils access careers information, advice and guidance through college visits and independent advisers.

Areas for Improvement

• Pupils are significantly underachieving, with substantial gaps in foundational knowledge, especially English and mathematics.
• The curriculum lacks ambition and coherence, and the planned curriculum is not implemented in practice.
• Assessment does not accurately identify pupils' starting points or address gaps in knowledge swiftly.
• Attendance is poor: most pupils are persistently or severely absent, and a significant number do not attend at all.
• Behaviour is continually disorderly, with low-level disruption and disrespectful behaviour normalised and condoned.
• Staff expectations for pupils' behaviour and achievement are far too low, and pupils often lack clear boundaries and routines.
• Leaders do not have a consistent whole-school approach to behaviour and attendance, especially at transition points.
• The specialist provision does not enable most pupils to re-engage successfully with learning.
• Identification and support for pupils' complex SEND and EHC plan entitlements are inconsistent and ineffective.
• Individual targets are too broad and not rooted appropriately in EHC plans; pupils do not receive the full support their plans entitle them to.
• The personal development programme is limited, incoherent and not adapted to pupils' gaps in knowledge.
• Pupils do not develop a secure understanding of fundamental British values, protected characteristics, respect and tolerance.
• Leaders have made no attempt to ensure pupils who attend infrequently or not at all can benefit from the basic school offer.
• Careers guidance is in its early stages and is not comprehensive enough to meet the needs of all pupils.
• Leadership and governance have been unstable, and the proprietor has failed to secure consistent strategic leadership and hold leaders to account.
• Professional development does not link closely enough to staff needs and has not improved expertise quickly enough.
• Many independent school standards are not met, including those for quality of education, SMSC, welfare/health/safety, premises, information, complaints and leadership/management.
• Premises and accommodation standards are not met, including suitable toilets, changing or shower facilities, medical and therapy accommodation, outdoor space, and sound or lighting conditions.
• The school is not preparing pupils well for the next stage of education, employment or training.
• Pupils do not feel a sense of belonging or inclusion.

In 2025–26, 0.0% of pupils at Stansfield House were on SEN support (nationally 18.4%) and 100.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 7.9%).

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 independent school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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What is Stansfield House's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Stansfield House is Urgent improvement, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Stansfield House last inspected by Ofsted?

Stansfield House was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Stansfield House have?

Stansfield House has 24 pupils on roll.

What age range does Stansfield House cover?

Stansfield House for pupils aged 11 to 16.

Where is Stansfield House?

Stansfield House is at 103 Crescent Road, Dukinfield, SK16 4HG.