OFSTED
26 June 2024
Latest graded inspection
Latest published outcome
Outstanding
OEIF
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour & attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership & management
Outstanding
INSPECTION HISTORY
Previous Ofsted activity
5 May 2023
Ungraded inspection
School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next
Published
26 June 2023
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Community special school
Phase
Not applicable
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Does not apply
Local authority
Plymouth
Trust
Not applicable
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
149
149 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
45
30.2% of pupils
Male pupils
104
69.8% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
29.6 pts
above England
School
54.4%
Plymouth
25.3%
South West
20.1%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
10.2 pts
below England
School
10.1%
Plymouth
11.0%
South West
10.7%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
1.0 pts
below England
School
0.0%
Plymouth
2.7%
South West
1.5%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
79.2%
118
African
4.7%
7
Any other White background
4.7%
7
White and Black Caribbean
2.7%
4
Any other ethnic group
1.3%
2
Bangladeshi
1.3%
2
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
100.0%
149 of
149 pupils
79.2 pts
above England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
14.8 pts
below
England
6.0%
94.0 pts
above
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2024/25
Key stage 2 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
EXPECTED STANDARD
Reading, writing & maths
0.0%
60.4 pts
below England
EXPECTED STANDARD
0.0%
Reading
73.8 pts below England
School
0.0%
Plymouth
71.0%
South West
73.1%
England
73.8%
EXPECTED STANDARD
0.0%
Writing
70.3 pts below England
School
0.0%
Plymouth
70.2%
South West
69.4%
England
70.3%
EXPECTED STANDARD
0.0%
Maths
72.0 pts below England
School
0.0%
Plymouth
70.1%
South West
70.5%
England
72.0%
School results show the percentage of
pupils meeting the expected standard.
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages and are not
pupil-weighted official attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
9.68%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
3.47 pts
higher than
England
School
9.68%
Plymouth
6.71%
South West
6.20%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
29.41%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
13.60 pts
higher than
England
School
29.41%
Plymouth
17.83%
South West
15.08%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
0.84%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
0.96 pts
lower than
England
School
0.84%
Plymouth
2.13%
South West
1.90%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open not applicable schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
138.0%
58.2 pts
above England
Mill Ford School
138.0%
Plymouth
93.4%
South West
82.1%
England
79.8%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.