Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre, Stoke-on-Trent
Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre is a special school for pupils aged 8 to 19 in Stoke-on-Trent. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, ended in a report card: 6 strong standard.
- Ofsted report card
- 6 of 6 areas strong or better
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 23 June 2026 inspection grades Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre on 6 areas: 6 strong standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils join the school with significant gaps in their learning following periods of disrupted education."
Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Positive and respectful relationships are central to the work of the school."
Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders have carefully constructed a curriculum that is broad and balanced."
Inclusion - Strong standard. "Inclusion is at the heart of the school."
Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders have established a highly inclusive and ambitious culture where the needs of pupils with autism are at the heart of all decision-making."
Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders have designed a coherent and carefully planned personal development programme that reflects the needs of pupils in this specialist setting."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre are Draycott Moor College (1.1 miles, Good); Elm House School (1.7 miles, Good); Portland School (2.3 miles); and Rowan House School (3.4 miles, Good).
Draycott Moor CollegeElm House SchoolPortland SchoolRowan House School
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre has an education, health and care plan (4 of 4 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Blythe Bridge Rail Station, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 2 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour and violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Staffordshire (86).
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 · 4 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards met
- AchievementStrong standard
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
- InclusionStrong standard
- Leadership and governanceStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre
Pupils are welcomed each day into a calm, supportive school where staff understand their needs. From the moment pupils start at the school, they build strong relationships with staff, including their keyworkers, to help them feel safe and valued. Staff get to know the pupils' strengths and any barriers to education they may have. Clear routines, and daily check-ins, including at the beginning and end of every day, ensure that pupils feel listened to and supported. As a result, pupils develop confidence and positive attitudes to learning. Learning is purposeful and engaging. Teachers use pupils' interests to make learning meaningful, helping pupils to build the knowledge and skills they need. Pupils enjoy their learning and take pride in their achievements, for example their high-quality artwork, writing and outdoor learning projects. Pupils behave well and show respect for one another. They develop strong friendships and show genuine care to their peers. They learn to appreciate differences, and are kind and inclusive with each other. Pupils say that bullying is rare, but if it were to occur staff would deal with it quickly and effectively. Pupils benefit from a wide range of experiences that help them to develop independence, responsibility and confidence. For example, pupils love taking care of the school fish and take this responsibility very seriously. Visits, community activities and real-life learning opportunities broaden pupils' understanding of the world and prepare them well for their next steps. At this school pupils learn to be happy, confident individuals, with the skills and courage to be successful in the wider world.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 23 June 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school excels at understanding each pupil as an individual and creating a calm, supportive environment where they build confidence and strong relationships with staff. Teachers use high-quality interactions and pupils' interests to make learning meaningful, helping them progress significantly from their starting points. The school goes beyond academics by providing rich enrichment activities, community engagement and life skills training that prepare pupils exceptionally well for independence and participation in the wider world.
Key Strengths
- Pupils make strong progress in foundational knowledge in English and mathematics, with systematic identification and addressing of learning gaps
- Highly effective systems for promoting attendance and positive behaviour through daily check-ins and strong staff relationships
- Carefully constructed, broad and balanced curriculum tailored to meet individual needs, particularly for pupils with autism
- Exceptional pastoral offer and enrichment programme including community visits, volunteering and real-life learning experiences
- Well-trained staff who are skilled at breaking down complex concepts and removing barriers to learning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met, with leaders fulfilling their responsibilities and establishing an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Visits to local fire and police stations and banks, community engagement projects, themed learning experiences, charitable activities and volunteering, outdoor learning projects, caring for school fish
Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre is a specialist school for pupils with autism that has been rated as meeting the strong standard across all areas. Leaders have created an inclusive, ambitious culture where pupils make strong progress from their starting points and are exceptionally well prepared for adulthood.
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 Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre
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 Staffordshire is 5 (the median across 457 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
40%
Available places
4 pupils
10 places
6 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Stoke-on-Trent
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Stoke-on-Trent
Across Staffordshire council
Places available
8,807
Applications
7,681
Got 1st preference
91.9%
Got preferred school
98.5%
All secondary applications across Staffordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre 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
4
Total Pupils
3
Boys
1
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre
How many pupils go to Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre?
Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre has around 4 pupils on roll.
Does Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre have specialist SEN provision?
Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre?
Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre 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 Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre?
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 Staffordshire is 5 (the median across 457 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre?
Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre is at Draycott Cross, Cheadle, Stoke-on-Trent, ST10 2NT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)