OFSTED
25 February 2025
Latest graded inspection
Latest published outcome
Not judged
OEIF
Quality of education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership & management
Good
INSPECTION HISTORY
Previous Ofsted activity
24 May 2023
Ungraded inspection
School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next
Published
12 July 2023
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Community special school
Phase
Not applicable
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Does not apply
Local authority
Gloucestershire
Trust
Not applicable
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
160
160 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
53
33.1% of pupils
Male pupils
107
66.9% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
27.1 pts
above England
School
51.9%
Forest of Dean
22.1%
South West
20.1%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
12.8 pts
below England
School
7.5%
Forest of Dean
5.1%
South West
10.7%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
1.0 pts
below England
School
0.0%
Forest of Dean
1.0%
South West
1.5%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
80.0%
128
Any other Asian background
5.0%
8
Any other White background
3.8%
6
Any other Black background
2.5%
4
White and Black Caribbean
2.5%
4
Unclassified
1.9%
3
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%
160 of
160 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%
Forest of Dean
74.4%
South West
73.1%
England
73.8%
EXPECTED STANDARD
0.0%
Writing
70.3 pts below England
School
0.0%
Forest of Dean
70.7%
South West
69.4%
England
70.3%
EXPECTED STANDARD
0.0%
Maths
72.0 pts below England
School
0.0%
Forest of Dean
71.1%
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
14.51%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
8.29 pts
higher than
England
School
14.51%
Forest of Dean
6.05%
South West
6.20%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
41.22%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
25.41 pts
higher than
England
School
41.22%
Forest of Dean
15.81%
South West
15.08%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
7.63%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
5.83 pts
higher than
England
School
7.63%
Forest of Dean
1.14%
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
110.3%
30.6 pts
above England
Heart of the Forest Community Special School
110.3%
Forest of Dean
79.7%
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.