Great Oaks School

Special academy · Secondary, ages 11 to 19 · Mixed · Sixth form

Part of SPECIALIST SCHOOLS TRUST LTD

Vermont Close, Off Winchester Road, Southampton, SO16 7LT

023 8076 7660 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedOutstandingInspected 28 November 2023
Grade 5 or above in English and maths0%England 45% · 2024/25
Pupils369Room for 280 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 210 in 2019, 242 in 2021, 279 in 2022, 322 in 2023, 339 in 2024, 352 in 2025, 369 in 2026. Across England, special state school pupil numbers were up 39% from 2019 to 2025.
Free school meals71%of pupils eligible now

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at the inspection that started on 28 November 2023.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationOutstanding
Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
Personal developmentOutstanding
Leadership and managementOutstanding
Sixth formOutstanding
SafeguardingEffective

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

31 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 4 September 2023 and 2 September 2024.

StatementThis schoolEngland
My child is happy at this school 100% 88%
My child feels safe at this school 100% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 97% 84%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 12 parents whose child had been bullied 75% 49%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 22 parents who had raised a concern 95% 75%
I would recommend this school to another parent 100%said yes 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families. 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. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

We'll ask you to confirm. One email per change, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Privacy.

Results

GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25

48 pupils in this year group.

0% — 39 points below the Southampton average, and 45 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolSouthamptonEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 0% 39% 45%
Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. 1 41.9 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. 0.0 3.7 4.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
0% 20% 40% 60% England 2022/23: 45%England 2023/24: 46%England 2024/25: 45% This school 2023/24: 0%This school 2024/25: 0% This school England 45% 2022/23 – 2023/24 0% 2024/25 0%

Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.

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

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.

34 pupils in this year group.

94% — 4 points above the Southampton average, and 2 points above the England average.

MeasureThis schoolSouthamptonEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 94% 90% 92%
School sixth form 0% 5% 34%
Sixth form college 6% 53% 13%
Further education college 65% 24% 37%
Apprenticeship 0% 3% 3%
Work 0% 3% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
95%94%

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 Southampton. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

Admissions dates and schools in Southampton

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: Specific learning difficulties (such as dyslexia); Other difficulties or disabilities; Speech, language and communication needs; Autism; Social, emotional and mental health needs; Multi-sensory impairment; Physical disability; Severe learning difficulties; Profound and multiple learning difficulties.

PupilsThis schoolSouthamptonEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 71.2% 65.1%* 51.9%
With an education, health and care plan 100.0% 98.2%* 99.5%
Receiving special educational needs support 0.0% 1.8%* 0.5%
English as an additional language 20.5% 20.5%* 14.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed) 10.5% 11.8%* 12.8%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 29.2% 35.0%* 35.3%
Suspensions per 100 pupils 9.4 19.5 12.3
Pupils suspended at least once 6.0% 7.1% 5.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.00% 0.08%
Pupils per teacher 6.5 5.7 6.6
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 2.3 2.1 2.3
Teachers who left during the year 10.3% 11.2%* 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).

Nearby special schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is Great Oaks School's Ofsted rating?

Great Oaks School was rated Outstanding by Ofsted at its inspection in 28 November 2023.

How did Great Oaks School do in its GCSEs?

In 2024/25, 0% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 45 points below the England average of 45%.

Would parents recommend Great Oaks School?

100% of the 31 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 4 September 2023 and 2 September 2024 said they would recommend Great Oaks School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.