A specialist school in Royton has been heavily criticised by Ofsted inspectors, who found pupils were not safe and were often left distressed, leading to its voluntary closure in February. The school, on Roman Road, provides education for children aged five to 11 with complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

With fees ranging from £60,000 to £95,000 per pupil, the school was responsible for just 15 children at the time of the inspection. All of these children have education, health and care (EHC) plans, highlighting the intensive support they require. For families in Oldham and beyond, this school represents a vital resource for children with the most complex needs.

Ofsted inspector Phillip Walmsley conducted the inspection and concluded that staff were 'not equipped' to handle the complex needs of their charges. In his report, he wrote: "Pupils are not safe at this school. Incidents of challenging behaviour frequently escalate. Staff frequently fail to de-escalate or manage these situations, including aggressive or violent incidents, because they lack the necessary expertise. This leads to an over-reliance and overuse of restrictive physical interventions, which places pupils under further duress."

Walmsley added that pupils found the school a 'stressful and confusing place' and were frequently 'overstimulated or distressed by congested classrooms'. He said: "This creates an environment for pupils that is both unstable and unpredictable. It means some families feel their children are better off not going to school, which then negatively impacts pupils' attendance and wellbeing."

The report also found that the school had low expectations of its pupils, both in terms of academic attainment and attendance. It said headteachers have overseen 'large-scale historic shortcomings', including a lack of accountability among teaching staff and governance. These findings paint a picture of systemic issues within the school.

In response, headteacher Rachael Martin told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that she 'fully accepts the findings and has used them as a catalyst for significant and sustained improvement'. She said: "We are committed to ensuring that when we reopen, our school provides a safer, stronger, and more supportive environment for all children. We are currently awaiting approval from the Department for Education to reopen, and we continue to carry out safe and well checks with families during this period."

"We care deeply about our pupils and our community, and we are determined to deliver the highest standards moving forward. The improvements already made represent a significant step forward, and we are confident that children will return to a much‑enhanced environment."

In a letter to parents, Martin also apologised for the inconvenience of the closure. The school voluntarily closed in February to carry out 'significant and sustained improvements' following the inspection.

This report will be of deep concern to local families in Oldham, particularly those with children at the school or considering it for their child's education. The school is now awaiting approval from the Department for Education to reopen, and it remains to be seen how the promised improvements will be implemented. For Oldham's community, the focus is on ensuring that vulnerable children receive the safe and supportive education they deserve. The situation highlights the challenges facing specialist education providers and the importance of robust oversight.