Alfriston School

Special academy · Secondary, ages 11 to 18 · Girls only · Sixth form · Boarding

Part of ALFRISTON SCHOOL

Penn Road, Knotty Green, Beaconsfield, HP9 2TS

01494 673740 · School website · Map and directions

Ofsted report card3 expected, 4 needs attentionSafeguarding met · 13 January 2026
Pupils164Room for 150 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 149 in 2019, 155 in 2021, 154 in 2022, 155 in 2023, 159 in 2024, 164 in 2025, 164 in 2026. Across England, special state school pupil numbers were up 39% from 2019 to 2025.
Free school meals32%of pupils eligible now

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted report card from the inspection that started on 13 January 2026 , published 28 May 2026.

In short: 3 expected, 4 needs attention, and safeguarding met.

Since November 2025 Ofsted grades each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. How report cards work.

AreaGrade
SafeguardingWhether pupils are kept safe. Met or not met. Met
InclusionHow well the school supports disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.
Curriculum and teachingWhat pupils are taught and how well they are taught it. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.
AchievementHow well pupils learn and the results they get. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.
Attendance and behaviourWhether pupils come to school and how they behave. Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects.
Personal development and wellbeingPupils' wider development, character and wellbeing. Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects.
Post-16 provisionSixth form or other study after 16. Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects.
Leadership and governanceHow well leaders and governors run the school. Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

38 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 10 November 2025 and 6 April 2026.

StatementThis schoolEngland
My child is happy at this school 68% 83%
My child feels safe at this school 76% 85%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 63% 78%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 12 parents whose child had been bullied 42% 43%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 36 parents who had raised a concern 67% 74%
My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 38 parents of children with SEND 66% 63%
I would recommend this school to another parent 74%said yes 83%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 23%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

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Results

After Year 11

Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.

25 pupils in this year group.

92% — 3 points below the Buckinghamshire average, and about the same as the England average.

MeasureThis schoolBuckinghamshireEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 92% 95% 92%
School sixth form 0% 61% 34%
Sixth form college 0% 5% 13%
Further education college 12% 22% 37%
Apprenticeship 0% 2% 3%
Work 0% 2% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
91%92%

Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Buckinghamshire. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

Admissions dates and schools in Buckinghamshire

Pupils, staff and SEND

This is a special school for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Places are arranged through the council's SEND team, not the normal admissions round. It caters for: Moderate learning difficulties.

PupilsThis schoolBuckinghamshireEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 33.6% 38.6%* 51.9%
With an education, health and care plan 100.0% 100.0%* 99.5%
Receiving special educational needs support 0.0% 0.0%* 0.5%
English as an additional language 12.2% 14.9%* 14.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed) 11.9% 13.6%* 12.8%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 32.8% 37.0%* 35.3%
Suspensions per 100 pupils 16.5 19.0 12.3
Pupils suspended at least once 6.1% 6.9% 5.1%
Pupils permanently excluded1 pupil 0.61% 0.22% 0.08%
Pupils per teacher 8.6 6.1 6.6
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 3.6 2.2 2.3
Teachers who left during the year 47.6% 18.6%* 14.3%*

Comparisons are with special schools. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).

Questions parents ask

What is Alfriston School's Ofsted rating?

Alfriston School was inspected under Ofsted's report card format in 13 January 2026. Report cards grade each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. Its grades were 3 expected, 4 needs attention, and safeguarding was met.

Would parents recommend Alfriston School?

74% of the 38 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 10 November 2025 and 6 April 2026 said they would recommend Alfriston School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Sources

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Page updated 26 September 2026.