The Cedars, Leicestershire
The Cedars is a special school for pupils aged 7 to 18 in Leicestershire. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2024.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Cedars in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Cedars are Meadow View Farm School (1 mile, Outstanding); The Fusion Academy (1.3 miles, Good); Dorothy Goodman School Hinckley (2.6 miles, Good); and Dovetree School (2.7 miles, Good).
Meadow View Farm SchoolThe Fusion AcademyDorothy Goodman School HinckleyDovetree School
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at The Cedars has an education, health and care plan (2 of 2 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Shenton Rail Station (Battlefield Line), about 2.6 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Nags Head (opposite), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 10 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Leicestershire (58).
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 · 2 years 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 November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Cedars excels at giving pupils a fresh start, rebuilding their confidence and self-esteem after previous difficult experiences. Staff are relentless in their ambition to help every pupil feel safe, understood and well-prepared for their future. The school goes far beyond academics - pupils develop real-world skills like first aid, learn to manage emotions and friendships, and receive excellent careers guidance to help them make informed decisions about their next steps.
Key Strengths
- Strong, caring relationships built by staff who listen to and value every pupil - behaviour improves dramatically over time
- Highly personalised curriculum tailored to each pupil's individual needs, with clear connections between subjects and preparation for life after school
- Excellent teaching of reading with emphasis on inference skills, speaking and listening; pupils confidently use sophisticated vocabulary
- Broad range of enrichment experiences focused on developing resilience, practical life skills and character
- All staff feel valued and supported with access to training that helps them meet pupils' needs
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
First-aid qualifications, community events, music composition and performances, fundraising for local special schools, character development programmes, careers guidance, workplace behaviour training, travel and safety skills development
The Cedars is an outstanding independent special school for pupils with autism aged 7-18. It provides a carefully nurturing environment where pupils develop renewed confidence and make remarkable progress in both social and academic outcomes.
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 The Cedars
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 Leicestershire is 3 (the median across 329 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
50%
Available places
2 pupils
4 places
2 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Leicestershire
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Leicestershire
Across Leicestershire council
Places available
8,516
Applications
7,490
Got 1st preference
90.2%
Got preferred school
98.1%
All secondary applications across Leicestershire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Cedars 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
2
Total Pupils
2
Boys
0
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about The Cedars
What is The Cedars's Ofsted rating?
The Cedars was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2024.
Does The Cedars meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in November 2024, The Cedars met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to The Cedars?
The Cedars has around 2 pupils on roll.
Does The Cedars have specialist SEN provision?
The Cedars is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to The Cedars?
The Cedars 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 The Cedars?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Leicestershire is 3 (the median across 329 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Cedars?
The Cedars is at 33 Ashby Road, Stapleton, Leicestershire, Leicestershire, LE9 8JF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)