Showing 1-9 of 34 schools
- Ashmount School
- Maplewell Hall School
- Forest Way School
- Foxfields Academy
- Dorothy Goodman School Hinckley
- Birch Wood (Melton Area Special School)
- Hardwick House School
- The Fusion Academy
- Wigston Birkett House Community Special School
- ALP Leicester
- ASPIRE: Lifeskills
- Castleview School
- Clovelly House School
- Compass Community School Mountfields Park
- Dovetree School
- Henry David Learning Woodfield School
- Hinckley House
- Homefield College
- Lodge Farm Education
- Meadow View Farm School
Special Schools in Leicestershire
There are 34 special schools for children with special educational needs and disabilities in Leicestershire. 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 3 to 25.
All special schools by areaHow special-school admissions work in Leicestershire
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 Leicestershire
Showing 1-34 of 34 schools
- Ashmount School
Thorpe Hill
FMS Inspection Score 10/10 · Severe Learning Difficulty · Ages 4 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Maplewell Hall School
Woodhouse Eaves
FMS Inspection Score 10/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Hearing Impairment, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Multi-Sensory Impairment, Physical Disability, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Specific Learning Difficulty, Visual Impairment · Ages 11 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Forest Way School
Coalville
FMS Inspection Score 9/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Hearing Impairment, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Multi-Sensory Impairment, Physical Disability, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Severe Learning Difficulty, Visual Impairment · Ages 3 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Foxfields Academy
Blaby
FMS Inspection Score 7.7/10 · Ages 4 to 16 · Co-educational · Day
- Dorothy Goodman School Hinckley
Stoke Golding
FMS Inspection Score 7.5/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Multi-Sensory Impairment, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Severe Learning Difficulty · Ages 3 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Birch Wood (Melton Area Special School)
Melton Mowbray
FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Hearing Impairment, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Multi-Sensory Impairment, Other Difficulty/Disability, 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 4 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Hardwick House School
Loughborough
FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder · Ages 7 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- The Fusion Academy
Barwell
FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Ages 7 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Wigston Birkett House Community Special School
Wigston
FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Hearing Impairment, Multi-Sensory Impairment, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty, Severe Learning Difficulty, Visual Impairment · Ages 4 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- ALP Leicester
Birstall
Ages 6 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- ASPIRE: Lifeskills
Town Centre
Ages 11 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Castleview School
Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Social, Emotional and Mental Health · Ages 5 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Clovelly House School
Coalville
Ages 10 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Compass Community School Mountfields Park
Mountfields Park
Ages 7 to 17 · Co-educational · Day
- Dovetree School
Hinckley
Ages 8 to 18 · Co-educational · Day
- Henry David Learning Woodfield School
Lutterworth
Ages 7 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Hinckley House
Market Bosworth
Ages 5 to 11 · Co-educational · Day
- Homefield College
Ashby Road
Moderate Learning Difficulty, Social, Emotional and Mental Health · Ages 16 to 25 · Co-educational · Day
- Lodge Farm Education
Sutton in the Elms
Ages 11 to 17 · Co-educational · Day
- Meadow View Farm School
Barwell
Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Speech, Language and Communication Needs · Ages 5 to 11 · Co-educational · Day
- Nanpantan Hall Nurture Centre
Nanpantan
Ages 5 to 14 · Co-educational · Day
- Oakwood Community School
Barlestone
Social, Emotional and Mental Health · Ages 5 to 18 · Co-educational · Day
- Quorn Hall School
Quorn
Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Social, Emotional and Mental Health · Ages 6 to 17 · Co-educational · Day
- R.E.A.L Independent Schools Hinckley
Hinckley
Ages 7 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Sense College Loughborough
Radmoor
Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Multi-Sensory Impairment, Physical Disability, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Severe Learning Difficulty, Specific Learning Difficulty, Visual Impairment · Ages 16 to 25 · Co-educational · Day
- Sketchley School
Sketchley
Autistic Spectrum Disorder · Ages 7 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- The Cedars
Stapleton
Ages 7 to 18 · Co-educational · Day
- The Divergent School Harborough
Market Harborough
Ages 11 to 16 · Co-educational · Day
- The Grange Therapeutic School
Knossington
Social, Emotional and Mental Health · Ages 8 to 18 · Co-educational · Day & boarding
- The Lady Byron School
Fleckney
Ages 5 to 17 · Co-educational · Day
- The Place Independent School
Bottesford
Ages 5 to 18 · Co-educational · Day
- Wolfdale School
Anstey
Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Specific Learning Difficulty · Ages 7 to 16 · Co-educational · Day
- Woodside Lodge Outdoor Learning Centre
Woodhouse
Autistic Spectrum Disorder · Ages 5 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Bowman Academy
Shelthorpe
Ages 4 to 16 · 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 Leicestershire?
This page currently lists 34 special schools in Leicestershire, 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 Leicestershire?
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 Leicestershire?
Across Leicestershire, 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.