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Gloucestershire schools collage

Special Schools in Gloucestershire

There are 25 special schools for children with special educational needs and disabilities in Gloucestershire. Together they support a range of needs, including Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Severe Learning Difficulty. Schools listed here span ages 2 to 99.

All special schools by area
Key Performance Metrics for Gloucestershire
Average FMS Inspection Score (out of 10)
Gloucestershire
7.5/10vsEngland
8.0/10

How special-school admissions work in Gloucestershire

Special-school places are allocated through the EHCP process and the local authority, not through academic selection or the standard admissions round. That is why this page presents provision and inspection quality rather than a league-table position.

  • It starts with an EHCP

    Most special-school places require an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). The plan sets out a child’s needs and the support and provision the local authority must arrange.

  • You express a preference

    During the EHCP process you can name the special school you would like your child to attend. The local authority must consider your preference and consult the schools involved.

  • The local authority names the school

    Unlike mainstream admissions, you do not apply directly to the school. The local authority names the agreed school in Section I of the EHCP, and that named school then has a duty to admit your child.

  • SENDIASS can help

    Your local SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) offers free, impartial guidance on EHCPs, expressing a preference, and what to do if you disagree with a decision.

Special Schools in Gloucestershire

Showing 1-25 of 25 schools

  1. Alderman Knight School

    Ashchurch

    FMS Inspection Score 10/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Other Difficulty/Disability, Speech, Language and Communication Needs · Ages 7 to 19 · Co-educational · Day

  2. Belmont School

    Warden Hill

    FMS Inspection Score 10/10 · Moderate Learning Difficulty · Ages 4 to 16 · Co-educational · Day

  3. St Rose's Special School

    Stratford Park

    FMS Inspection Score 8.1/10 · Physical Disability, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Visual Impairment · Ages 2 to 19 · Co-educational · Day & boarding

  4. Bettridge School

    Warden Hill

    FMS Inspection Score 8.1/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Hearing Impairment, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Multi-Sensory Impairment, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Severe Learning Difficulty, Visual Impairment · Ages 2 to 19 · Co-educational · Day

  5. Battledown School

    Battledown

    FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Physical Disability, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Severe Learning Difficulty, Visual Impairment · Ages 2 to 11 · Co-educational · Day

  6. Brook Academy

    Brockworth

    FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Speech, Language and Communication Needs · Ages 11 to 16 · Co-educational · Day

  7. Paternoster School

    Cirencester

    FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Physical Disability, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Severe Learning Difficulty, Visual Impairment · Ages 2 to 17 · Co-educational · Day

  8. The Milestone School

    Longford

    FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Hearing Impairment, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Multi-Sensory Impairment, Physical Disability, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Severe Learning Difficulty, Specific Learning Difficulty, Visual Impairment · Ages 2 to 16 · Co-educational · Day

  9. The Ridge Academy

    Whaddon

    FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Ages 5 to 11 · Co-educational · Day

  10. The Shrubberies School

    Oldends

    FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Severe Learning Difficulty · Ages 2 to 19 · Co-educational · Day

  11. Peak Academy

    Stonehouse

    FMS Inspection Score 5.9/10 · Social, Emotional and Mental Health · Ages 11 to 16 · Co-educational · Day

  12. Heart of the Forest Community Special School

    Speech House

    FMS Inspection Score 5.6/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Other Difficulty/Disability, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Severe Learning Difficulty, Visual Impairment · Ages 4 to 19 · Co-educational · Day

  13. Aurora Severnside School

    Berkeley

    Ages 11 to 19 · Co-educational · Day

  14. Belong School Gloucestershire

    Shepherds Patch

    Ages 11 to 17 · Co-educational · Day

  15. Brookthorpe Hall School

    Brookthorpe

    Ages 7 to 16 · Co-educational · Day

  16. Cotswold Chine School

    Box

    Moderate Learning Difficulty, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Specific Learning Difficulty · Ages 7 to 19 · Co-educational · Day & boarding

  17. Hartmore School

    Hartpury

    Social, Emotional and Mental Health · Ages 7 to 18 · Co-educational · Day

  18. National Star College

    Ullenwood

    Multi-Sensory Impairment, Physical Disability, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty, Speech, Language and Communication Needs · Ages 16 to 99 · Co-educational · Day & boarding

  19. Norton College Tewkesbury

    Tewkesbury

    Ages 11 to 19 · Co-educational · Day

  20. Ruskin Mill College

    Nailsworth

    Moderate Learning Difficulty, Social, Emotional and Mental Health · Ages 16 to 25 · Co-educational · Day & boarding

  21. Skylark Plus

    Wanswell

    Ages 16 to 25 · Co-educational · Day

  22. St Martins Centre (St Roses School)

    Stratford Park

    Ages 18 to 25 · Co-educational · Day & boarding

  23. Valley Bridge School

    Whaddon

    Ages 6 to 19 · Co-educational · Day

  24. William Morris School

    Eastington

    Ages 7 to 19 · Co-educational · Day & boarding

  25. Sladewood Academy

    Bisley

    Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Hearing Impairment, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Multi-Sensory Impairment, Speech, Language and Communication Needs · Ages 4 to 11 · Co-educational · Day

Frequently asked questions

What is a special school?

A special school educates children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who need more support than a mainstream school can usually provide. Most pupils have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), and schools are organised around specific types of need, such as autism, social and emotional needs, or severe and complex learning difficulties.

How many special schools are in Gloucestershire?

This page currently lists 25 special schools in Gloucestershire, ordered by inspection quality. Use the provision-type filter to narrow the list to the needs that matter most for your child.

How do I apply for a special school place in Gloucestershire?

Special school places are arranged through the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process, not through the normal school-admissions round. You name your preferred school in the EHCP, and the local authority decides which school to name in Section I after consulting the schools. Your local SENDIASS service offers free, impartial advice on expressing a preference and on the EHCP timeline.

What SEN types are supported in Gloucestershire?

Across Gloucestershire, provision covers needs such as Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Speech, Language and Communication Needs and Moderate Learning Difficulty.

Are special schools inspected by Ofsted?

Yes. State-funded special schools are inspected by Ofsted on the same framework as mainstream schools, and independent special schools are inspected by Ofsted or an approved inspectorate. We translate the latest inspection into an FMS Inspection Score so you can compare schools on a single consistent scale.

Do special schools follow the national curriculum and offer GCSEs?

Special schools follow a broad and balanced curriculum, adapted to each pupil. Many enter pupils for GCSEs, Functional Skills, and vocational qualifications where appropriate, while others focus on communication, independence, and life skills. The right mix depends on the school and the needs of its pupils.

How are special schools funded?

State special school places are funded by local authorities through the high-needs block, with additional top-up funding attached to each pupil with an EHCP. Independent and non-maintained special schools may be funded by the local authority where the EHCP names them, or privately by families.