The Old School House

The following is CQC's published account of its assessment, published 8 September 2026. References to “we” mean CQC. It describes findings at that time.

Date of Assessment: 08 June 2026 to 18 June 2026

The service is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care for older people, including people living with dementia. At the time of our assessment, 24 people were living at the service and receiving a regulated activity.

The service provided exceptionally high-quality, person-centred care and support that consistently achieved outstanding outcomes for people. Leaders had created a culture where compassion, innovation, learning and continuous improvement were embedded throughout the service. People, relatives, staff and professionals consistently described care that exceeded expectations and focused on helping people live meaningful and fulfilling lives.

People experienced highly personalised care from staff who knew them exceptionally well. Staff understood people's histories, preferences, strengths and aspirations and used this knowledge to provide support that promoted wellbeing. This helped people to maintain identity and enabled them to continue doing things that mattered most to them. People were treated with kindness, compassion and dignity and were actively supported to maintain independence, choice and control over their lives.

The service demonstrated exceptional practice in supporting people with complex needs, including several people whose previous care placements had not been successful. The service completed detailed assessments, personalised care planning, encouraged positive risk-taking and worked in close partnership with families and professionals. People experienced improved wellbeing, greater stability, reduced distress and an enhanced quality of life. Families consistently told us the service had achieved outcomes they had not previously experienced elsewhere.

People benefitted from proactive healthcare support and strong multidisciplinary working. Staff worked in partnership with healthcare professionals to ensure care reflected current evidence, best practice guidance and individual clinical recommendations. Changes in people's health were identified quickly and acted upon without delay. This resulted in improved health outcomes, timely access to specialist services and highly coordinated care.

A significant strength of the service was its commitment to reducing restrictive practices and promoting people's rights. Leaders and staff continuously reviewed support arrangements to ensure people received the least restrictive support possible. Through careful monitoring, creative problem solving and collaboration with families and healthcare professionals, several people experienced reductions in enhanced supervision and increased independence whilst maintaining their safety and wellbeing.

People and families were actively involved in decisions about their care and the development of the service. Leaders had embedded a strong culture of co-production and sought feedback through Family and Carer Listening Events, reviews and ongoing engagement. Feedback was welcomed, acted upon and used to drive meaningful improvements.

The service demonstrated innovation and a strong commitment to learning. Staff were encouraged to contribute ideas, reflect on practice and participate in quality improvement projects. Examples included the introduction of structured handover improvements using formal quality improvement methodology and innovative end of life initiatives such as Comfort Boxes, Purple Hearts and enhanced bereavement support. These initiatives improved people's experiences and were recognised positively by families and professionals.

Leadership across the service was visible, compassionate and highly effective. Governance systems were robust and consistently used to monitor performance, identify trends and drive improvements. Staff described feeling valued, supported and empowered to contribute to service development. Strong partnerships with healthcare professionals, commissioners, community organisations and families further strengthened outcomes for people.

The service consistently placed people at the centre of decision making and care delivery, achieving outcomes that enhanced people's health, wellbeing, independence and quality of life. The provider demonstrated a distinctive culture of excellence, innovation and partnership working that resulted in experiences and outcomes that exceeded expected standards.