Aurora Chaldon School welcomes first Ofsted inspection

Inspectors confirmed that safeguarding standards are being met and found that pupils are part of a “warm, welcoming community”.

The report noted that many pupils arrived having experienced challenges in education previously, but that the school helps “pupils to get back on track”. Inspectors found that staff make sure that pupils’ well-being is a high priority and that pupils’ pastoral needs are carefully checked so that they are well understood.

Ofsted highlighted personal development as an area meeting the expected standard, stating that “pastoral support is a real strength of the school”. Inspectors also found that pupils benefit from “highly purposeful therapeutic support” and that the school's programme prepares pupils for their next steps post-16.

The report recognised the positive atmosphere across the school, noting that “behaviour across the school is generally positive” and that “the school is typically calm”. Inspectors also stated that “pupils experience a caring, stable and aspirational environment that helps them feel increasingly successful”.

The inspection also identified areas for development. Whilst recognising that the curriculum is suitably broad, ambitious and logically ordered, Ofsted found pupils’ academic progress was being hampered by inconsistencies in how well teachers delivered different subjects and understood the needs of individual pupils.

The inspectors also said the school should ensure that pupils - at the earliest stages of reading, writing and mathematics - had “every opportunity to learn these fundamental skills and knowledge as quickly as possible”.

Chaldon Principal David Thomas welcomed the report and said he was pleased Ofsted had recognised the caring and supportive environment staff have established for pupils as well as the broad and ambitious curriculum.

He said: “We’re particularly encouraged by the positive feedback relating to safeguarding, pastoral support and our curriculum. We also fully accept the areas identified for improvement and are committed to ensuring every pupil achieves their academic potential. We have already begun implementing further improvements and look forward to building on the strong foundations identified in the report.”

This was Aurora Chaldon's first standard inspection since being registered in August 2025. 

Read the full report. 

Aurora Chaldon School in Redhill is a specialist secondary education provision offering a calm, nurturing environment for autistic students with associated social communication, sensory processing, emotional regulation, and speech, language and communication needs.