Cambian Home Tree School, Wisbech
Cambian Home Tree School is a special school for pupils aged 12 to 18 in Wisbech. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2024. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2026 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Cambian Home Tree School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Cambian Home Tree School are The Old School House (0.8 miles, Good); Shelldene House School (1 mile, Good); Begdale House School (1.4 miles); and On Track Education Wisbech (3.1 miles, Good).
The Old School HouseShelldene House SchoolBegdale House SchoolOn Track Education Wisbech
Who goes there
In 2026, 2 pupils (28.6%) received SEN support and 5 (71.4%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Cambian Home Tree School.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Farm Camp (outside), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Cambian Home Tree School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 4th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 10 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Cambridgeshire (57).
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 7 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Staff at the school build strong, positive relationships with pupils and create a calm, respectful environment where bullying is rare. The school maintains good supervision ratios and handles behaviour incidents with a therapeutic approach. However, these strengths are undermined by serious failings in how safeguarding concerns are handled and a lack of consistent support for pupils' complex emotional and mental health needs.
Key Strengths
- Staff maintain positive relationships with pupils and create a calm learning environment
- Anti-bullying measures are effective with very rare incidents reported
- Health and safety checks are well recorded and generally followed
- Appropriate staffing ratios ensure pupils are well supervised
- Behaviour records are detailed and physical intervention levels are low
Areas for Improvement
- Safeguarding policy is not consistently followed and serious concerns have not always resulted in appropriate action
- School leaders lack secure knowledge of safeguarding guidance and independent school standards
- Attendance is not recorded accurately with systemic use of incorrect codes
- Risk assessments are too generic and do not capture individual pupil risks, particularly for those who abscond
- Support for pupils' complex therapeutic and mental health needs is inconsistent
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is not effective - the school has not consistently followed its policy, serious allegations have not been appropriately actioned, and the school has not applied sufficient professional curiosity to safeguarding concerns.
Cambian Home Tree School is an independent special school for pupils aged 12-18 with complex social, emotional and mental health needs. The school does not meet all independent school standards, with significant concerns identified around safeguarding practices and leadership oversight.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Cambian Home Tree School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Cambridgeshire is 5 (the median across 312 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
28%
Available places
7 pupils
25 places
18 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Wisbech
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Wisbech
Across Cambridgeshire council
Places available
7,228
Applications
6,755
Got 1st preference
88.3%
Got preferred school
96.6%
All secondary applications across Cambridgeshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
2
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Cambian Home Tree School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
7
Total Pupils
3
Boys
4
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Cambian Home Tree School
Questions parents ask about Cambian Home Tree School
What are GCSE results like at Cambian Home Tree School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Cambian Home Tree School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is Cambian Home Tree School's Ofsted rating?
Cambian Home Tree School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2026, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2024, it was rated Good.
Does Cambian Home Tree School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in January 2024, Cambian Home Tree School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Cambian Home Tree School?
Cambian Home Tree School has around 7 pupils on roll.
Does Cambian Home Tree School have specialist SEN provision?
Cambian Home Tree School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Cambian Home Tree School?
Cambian Home Tree School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Cambian Home Tree School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Cambridgeshire is 5 (the median across 312 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Cambian Home Tree School?
Cambian Home Tree School is at 172 March Road, Friday Bridge, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, PE14 0LP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)