Showing 1-9 of 28 schools
- Carlton Digby School
- Dawn House School
- Easthorpe School
- Portland College
- Yeoman Park Academy
- Redgate Primary Academy
- Venture Learning
- Newark Orchard School
- APTCOO - A Place to Call Our Own
- Bestwood Village School
- Blue Mountain Education
- Bracken Hill School
- Dukes Wood School
- Fountaindale School
- Foxwood Academy
- Hope House School
- Pollyteach School
- R.E.A.L Independent Schools Blidworth
- St Giles School
- The Beech Academy
Special Schools in Nottinghamshire
There are 28 special schools for children with special educational needs and disabilities in Nottinghamshire. 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 99.
All special schools by areaHow special-school admissions work in Nottinghamshire
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 Nottinghamshire
Showing 1-28 of 28 schools
- Carlton Digby School
Mapperley
FMS Inspection Score 10/10 · 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 18 · Co-educational · Day
- Dawn House School
Rainworth
FMS Inspection Score 10/10 · Speech, Language and Communication Needs · Ages 5 to 19 · Co-educational · Day & boarding
- Easthorpe School
Ruddington
FMS Inspection Score 10/10 · Ages 7 to 18 · Co-educational · Day
- Portland College
Sherwood
FMS Inspection Score 10/10 · Moderate Learning Difficulty, Physical Disability · Ages 16 to 99 · Co-educational · Day
- Yeoman Park Academy
Mansfield Woodhouse
FMS Inspection Score 10/10 · 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 3 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Redgate Primary Academy
Newgate Lane
FMS Inspection Score 9/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Severe Learning Difficulty, Specific Learning Difficulty, Visual Impairment · Ages 3 to 11 · Co-educational · Day
- Venture Learning
Netherfield
FMS Inspection Score 8.4/10 · Ages 11 to 16 · Co-educational · Day
- Newark Orchard School
Balderton
FMS Inspection Score 8.1/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Severe Learning Difficulty · Ages 3 to 18 · Co-educational · Day
- APTCOO - A Place to Call Our Own
Wellow
FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Ages 5 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Bestwood Village School
Bestwood Village
FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Ages 7 to 16 · Co-educational · Day
- Blue Mountain Education
Eastwood
FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Social, Emotional and Mental Health · Ages 8 to 18 · Co-educational · Day
- Bracken Hill School
Kirkby-in-Ashfield
FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Hearing Impairment, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Multi-Sensory Impairment, Other Difficulty/Disability, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Severe Learning Difficulty, Specific Learning Difficulty, Visual Impairment · Ages 4 to 18 · Co-educational · Day
- Dukes Wood School
Kirklington
FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Social, Emotional and Mental Health · Ages 9 to 17 · Co-educational · Day & boarding
- Fountaindale School
Forest Town
FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Ages 3 to 18 · Co-educational · Day
- Foxwood Academy
Bramcote
FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Specific Learning Difficulty · Ages 3 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Hope House School
Balderton
FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder · Ages 5 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Pollyteach School
Sutton-in-Ashfield
FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Ages 8 to 16 · Co-educational · Day
- R.E.A.L Independent Schools Blidworth
Woodhouse
FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Specific Learning Difficulty · Ages 7 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- St Giles School
Babworth
FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Hearing Impairment, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Multi-Sensory Impairment, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Severe Learning Difficulty, Visual Impairment · Ages 3 to 18 · Co-educational · Day
- The Beech Academy
Forest Town
FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Moderate Learning Difficulty · Ages 11 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Bright Fields School
Retford
FMS Inspection Score 5.9/10 · Ages 5 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Progression 2 Work
Beauvale
FMS Inspection Score 5.9/10 · Ages 11 to 16 · Co-educational · Day
- Westbourne School
Huthwaite
Ages 8 to 18 · Co-educational · Day
- Endeavour Academy
Arnold
Ages 3 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Hemlock Stone School
Stapleford
Ages 5 to 16 · Co-educational · Day
- Horizons Academy
Mansfield
Specific Learning Difficulty, Visual Impairment, Hearing Impairment, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Multi-Sensory Impairment, Moderate Learning Difficulty · Ages 7 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Longdale Lodge Outdoor Learning Centre
Ravenshead
Ages 8 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Whitegates College
Town Centre
Autistic Spectrum Disorder · Ages 16 to 25 · 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 Nottinghamshire?
This page currently lists 28 special schools in Nottinghamshire, 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 Nottinghamshire?
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 Nottinghamshire?
Across Nottinghamshire, 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.