An independent special needs school with annual fees of up to £76,000 has opened its doors for the first time in a 19th-century mansion.

Serenity School has taken over Springfield House in Sandling Road, Maidstone enrolling its first 35 students as of September 16.

With a focus on teaching students with special educational needs (SEND), it is the fourth Serenity School to be created, following Crawley, Coulsdon, and Eltham.

An inspection of the school’s facilities was carried out in July by Ofsted where they recorded it to be “likely to meet all the independent standards”, having developed a “suitably ambitious curriculum” with a “breadth of learning”.

The welfare of the children was also looked at by inspectors who said it has a “safeguarding policy compliant with the government’s current guidance”, that “leaders are alert to the possible risks to pupils”, and they “focus on developing positive and healthy relationships” while ensuring the confidence and safety of the pupils are maintained.

The quality of the staff was also assessed alongside the modifications made to the Grade II-listed building all are which are reported to make a “welcoming and inviting school environment.”

Enrolment for students reaches five figures with the range of pricing going from £41,000 to £76,000.

There are currently 35 staff members at the school as it has the capacity to take on up to 150 students between the ages of five and 18.

Headmistress Marianne Rodger-Weetman said: “We offer every pupil a school within which they feel they belong.

“Our school community has a culture which is welcoming, instills, positive relationships, kindness, and high expectations.

“We’re very ambitious for people with special needs.

“We want to make the most out of their lives and help them maximise their potential and we give a very proactive approach to our students.

“Our motto is excellence from enrolment to graduation.

“We like to give our students opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise get in mainstream education.”

The assessment was split into 10 different sections all outlining regulatory guidelines and explaining how the school is meeting up with expectations in each one.

The full report can be seen on Ofsted’s website here.

Plans for the school to take over the 19th-century building were first approved in January. It was previously used as offices.

Since then, it has made “significant investment to ensure a purposeful environment for children with special educational needs” said Ms Rodger-Weetman.

Serenity is a company that specialises in education needs which follows "a holistic approach to education and childhood development”.

Springfield House was originally built as a mansion for the Balston family in the 19th century, before being turned into offices.

It was previously owned by Kent County Council, which sold the building in 2005.