An independent special school has kept its "good" rating following an Ofsted inspection.

Seadown School in Farncombe Road, Worthing caters for children aged eight to 16 with social, emotional and mental health needs.

It had an inspection in early July which found pupils felt "safe, secure and well supported" and that "strong relationships and high levels of mutual respect permeate throughout the school".

Inspectors found staff encourage pupils to achieve their very best, and that there is a strong curriculum that places youngsters' social and emotional needs at the core of their work.

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The school, run by new headteacher Sam Norton, was found to have a wide variety of opportunities such as overnight camping, therapy dog sessions and dance workshops.

The inspectors found pupils are supported to "build high levels of independence" in preparation for their future.

Mrs Norton said: "As the new headteacher at Seadown I am delighted to be experiencing first hand the many strengths that are recognised in the Ofsted report last term.  We are extremely proud that school has moved from good to outstanding in behaviour and attitudes and personal development with a judgement of good overall.

"It is a privilege to lead our team of dedicated staff who work so hard to ensure every child feels secure and valued.” 

The report read: "A strong curriculum to develop pupils’ social and emotional needs is at the heart of this school’s work.

“In most aspects of the curriculum, pupils generally learn well and are ready for their next steps.

“The school’s provision for pupils’ broader development is exceptional. Pupils benefit hugely from a comprehensive, deliberately planned curriculum which has character development embedded at its centre.”

Ofsted said the school prioritises teaching pupils to read and staff have been able to effectively teach phonics using well-matched books.

Although the school, its leadership and safety standards were praised highly, Ofsted did note some ways it could improve.

Inspectors found that while there is a strong curriculum, teachers sometimes do not use the most effective strategies to "ensure that pupils learn as well as they could".

Ms Norton added:” We are excited about further developing teachers’ use of effective strategies, investing in their continuing professional development through training, support and reflective coaching to ensure a consistent and high standard of education across the school.

“Recent staff appointments following rigorous recruitment are also adding great strength to the team and are well placed to ensure pupils flourish and achieve their very best.”