A SCHOOL which caters for pupils with severe emotional and behavioural difficulties in rural Pendle has been given a clean bill of health by education watchdogs.

Only seven boys attend The Nook, an independent special school based in Knotts Lane, Colne, which is run by Blackpool-based Northern Care on a residential basis.

And the school fees for the youngsters, four of which have statements of special needs, is between £123,000 and £166,000 per year.

Ofsted inspectors were satisifed that The Nook provides a satisfactory and improving standard of education for its pupils.' Caroline Broomhead, the inspector who carried out the inspection, added: "The pupils are well cared for and enjoy their time at the school."

Since the school's last inspection in 2003 improvements have been made to the curriculum, although Ofsted still wants to see more evidence of written planning for lessons.

Mrs Broomhead says: "The curriculum places good emphasis on developing pupils' skills in speaking and listening, literacy, and numeracy.

"There are also many opportunities for pupils to develop their creativity and to use their imagination in different subjects."

But a lack of specialist facilities and staff expertise limits the pupils' ability to progress in science and technology subjects, she believes.

The inspector found that The Nook equips the students with the skills they will need in their later lives.

All of the seven educated at the school have had some degree of disruption to their education in the past and have some form of behavioural, social or emotional impairment.

"The pupils are well supported in developing the skills they will need in adult life such as shopping, cooking, using money wisely, and making good use of local community facilities," Mrs Broomhead adds.

The excursions taken by pupils are well-supervised and planned out in advance, she says.

Extra care should be taken in providing adequate careers advice for the pupils though, according to her inspection report.

She is happy with the individual progress they are making but remains concerned that proper targets, discussed with the youngsters themselves, have not been set.

The school has also been encouraged to introduce a more transparent complaints handling procedure and provide regular reports for parents about pupil progress and attainments.

The Nook is based around a large house with two and three-bedroom units to cater for pupils, and a school building set in extensive grounds.