Cedar Hall School, Benfleet
Cedar Hall School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 16 in Benfleet. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Cedar Hall School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Cedar Hall School are Glenwood School (1.9 miles, Outstanding); Omnia Foundation (2 miles, Good); The St Christopher School (3.2 miles, Good); and Kingsdown School (3.3 miles, Good).
Glenwood SchoolOmnia FoundationThe St Christopher SchoolKingsdown School
What parents say
26 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Cedar Hall School (as of September 2025): 92% would recommend the school, 92% say their child is happy there and 63% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (92%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (63%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 24 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 96% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 58% to a further education college.
Who goes there
30.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 3.2% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Cedar Hall School has an education, health and care plan (188 of 189 in 2026). The most common need among them is a moderate learning difficulty.
Cedar Hall School provides for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Rayleigh Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cedar Road (adjacent), 130 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Cedar Hall School issued 18 suspensions, 9.7 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from October 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Cedar Hall School excels at preparing pupils for independent adult life through practical activities like cooking, transport training, residential stays, and work experience. Staff build strong relationships with pupils, creating a calm, inclusive environment where behaviour is well-managed and pupils want to attend. The school offers excellent personal development opportunities including trips, visits and careers guidance to help pupils transition successfully to their next steps.
Key Strengths
- Strong behaviour management and positive school culture where pupils feel safe and regulated
- Effective phonics programme with good progress in reading, supported by investment in new reading materials
- Excellent preparation for adulthood including life skills, work experience, transport training and careers guidance
- Pupils enjoy school and attendance is prioritised
- Well-developed personal, social and health education curriculum focusing on active citizenship
Areas for Improvement
- Curriculum development is inconsistent - not all subjects are clearly sequenced, leaving gaps in pupils' knowledge
- Teaching does not consistently adapt to meet individual pupils' needs or close learning gaps
- Assessment checks are not always linked to curriculum, limiting teachers' understanding of pupil progress
- Leadership team has recently expanded but many leaders lack experience and have not evaluated the impact of changes
- Governors not sufficiently holding school to account, including ensuring required information is on the website
- Too many pupils approved for term-time holidays against government guidance
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong policies and procedures in place.
Extracurricular Activities
Trips and visits (including local castle visits), residential overnight stays, work experience, student-led assemblies, car servicing, animal feeding, cooking classes, transport training, emergency services learning
Cedar Hall School is a special school for pupils aged 4-16 with moderate learning difficulties. The school provides a welcoming and inclusive environment where pupils are settled and happy, but the quality of education requires improvement due to inconsistent curriculum delivery and teaching adaptations.
At a Glance
30.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
MLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
26 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Cedar Hall School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Cedar Hall School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Cedar Hall School is in Essex; for families living there:
- Essex's school travel policy: Education Transport Policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 19
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 9
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 10 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Essex is 9 (the median across 614 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
121%
Over capacity
189 pupils
156 places
33 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Benfleet
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Benfleet
Across Essex council
Places available
17,590
Applications
16,568
Got 1st preference
83.4%
Got preferred school
97.0%
All secondary applications across Essex council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
1
SEN Support
188
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Cedar Hall School provides for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
189
Total Pupils
119
Boys
70
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
22
Teachers
8.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£57,683
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.9%
Overall absence
30.9%
Persistent absence
188
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Cedar Hall School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Cedar Hall School
What are GCSE results like at Cedar Hall School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Cedar Hall School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 0.4. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Cedar Hall School's Ofsted rating?
Cedar Hall School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Cedar Hall School?
No fixed boundary. When Cedar Hall School is oversubscribed, Essex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Cedar Hall School?
Cedar Hall School has around 189 pupils on roll. 31% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Cedar Hall School have specialist SEN provision?
Cedar Hall School provides for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Cedar Hall School?
10.9% of sessions were missed at Cedar Hall School in 2024/25. 30.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Cedar Hall School?
Apply through Essex's coordinated admissions process, naming Cedar Hall School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Cedar Hall School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 10 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Essex is 9 (the median across 614 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Cedar Hall School?
Cedar Hall School is at Hart Road, Thundersley, Benfleet, Essex, SS7 3UQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)