A special school where pupils "thrive" has been given its first outstanding Ofsted rating. 

Inspectors from the education watchdog said Mountfield Heath School, an independent school in Johns Cross, near Hastings, is “life-changing”.

It opened in 2019 on the site of a primary school which had been left vacant for five years.

In the report into the inspection, published on April 26, inspectors said: “This remarkable place provides an inspirational, safe and nurturing environment in which pupils thrive.”

The school, which provides specialist education for autistic children and those with additional needs, supports pupils who have struggled in their previous schools.

Staff were praised for their commitment.

The report said: “Staff strive relentlessly to enrich pupils’ lives, including through the delivery of the highly aspirational curriculum. They have a clear ambition and determination that every pupil will benefit from a rich, broad learning experience – and they do.”

The school was inspected from February 20 to 22 this year.

In their report, Ofsted inspectors Louise Walker and Liz McIntosh, said: “Pupils’ personal development is woven into every aspect of school life. They develop independence and important life skills so that they are extremely well prepared for all that the future brings.

“Pupils feel a strong sense of belonging here. When they first join the school, pupils and their families become part of the ‘Mountfield Heath family’. As one parent said, ‘For the first time, my child has a sense of achievement and self-worth.”

According to Ofsted, annual fees for the private school range from £49,150 to £84,865.

The report added: “Pupils achieve extremely well. Their lives are transformed because of the school’s unrelenting and uncompromising aspirations for every pupil. The curriculum is exceptional.

“Parents and carers hold the school’s high expectations in great regard. Staff go out of their way to help parents understand what their children are learning, through forming strong partnerships and sharing information about the support that the school provides for their child.”

The school was rated good in its first Ofsted but has now been rated outstanding in all categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management.