“Children with complex needs consistently make exceptional progress at this home because staff are highly skilled, child focused and dedicated to enabling every child to achieve their potential.”

This was how Ofsted Care inspectors started their report in to the standards of care at Prior’s Court’s Children Home* which has been awarded an ‘Outstanding’ overall rating. 

The 'Outstanding' judgement followed an inspection by Ofsted Care inspectors in November and marks the first time since 2016 that Prior’s Court Children’s Home has achieved this rating, having received ‘Good’ ratings in each inspection since.

Key highlights from the Ofsted inspection report

• Staff demonstrate an excellent understanding of complex health needs and implement clear, effective plans to ensure consistent care.
• The safeguarding culture within the service is strong. Staff have an excellent understanding of their responsibilities and act swiftly and effectively when concerns arise.
• Professionals report that high levels of supervision and strong relationships between staff and children ensure that the children feel safe and are protected from harm.
• Staff demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of children’s behaviours and respond not only effectively but also with real with warmth and sensitivity. Interactions are consistently positive.
• Staff are exceptionally well trained to meet children’s complex needs.

Read the full report

Lisa Pothecary, Prior’s Court Children’s Home Registered Manager, said:

It was truly inspiring to read this fantastic report and how it highlights the remarkable care, skill, and dedication our teams bring to every interaction with the autistic young people with complex needs we support. The findings in this report are a powerful testament to the tremendous knowledge and heartfelt commitment demonstrated by our staff each and every day.

Natalie Boothroyd, Director of Care, added:

I want to thank all of our staff members – not just for their roles in this Ofsted outcome but for what they are doing each and every day in their roles at Prior’s Court. We will be striving to go even further in making the quality of our provision the very best it can be – this is one fantastic step on our journey of continuous improvement.

 Celebrating staff success

A celebration event for Prior's Court staff was held on-site on Wednesday, 14th January to mark the 'Outstanding' Ofsted report where staff and young people could enjoy sweet treats and refreshments.

Ofsted and CQC ratings for Prior’s Court’s provision

• The Ofsted Education rating for Prior's Court School remains 'Outstanding'. This was acheived earlier in 2025 and is the third consecutive Ofsted 'Outstanding' rating for Prior's Court School.
• Our four Young Adult Provision homes for autistic young people aged 19 to 25, each registered separately with the CQC, are all rated as 'Good'.

*Our 12 separate residential homes for children are registered as one Children’s Home with Ofsted.