Linwood School

Special school · All-through, ages 2 to 19 · Mixed · Nursery class · Sixth form

Alma Road, Winton, Bournemouth, BH9 1AJ

01202 525107 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedNo overall gradeInspected 28 January 2025
Pupils437Room for 472 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 323 in 2019, 369 in 2021, 387 in 2022, 395 in 2023, 386 in 2024, 411 in 2025, 437 in 2026. Across England, special state school pupil numbers were up 39% from 2019 to 2025.
Free school meals43%of pupils eligible now

Ofsted inspection

At the inspection that started on 28 January 2025, Ofsted graded each area separately. It stopped giving an overall grade in September 2024.

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
Early yearsOutstanding
Sixth formOutstanding
SafeguardingEffective

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

63 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025.

StatementThis schoolEngland
My child is happy at this school 90% 89%
My child feels safe at this school 89% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 81% 84%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 13 parents whose child had been bullied 54% 51%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 45 parents who had raised a concern 84% 76%
My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 63 parents of children with SEND 90% 68%
I would recommend this school to another parent 89%said yes 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 15%). 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.

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Results

Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25

29 pupils in this year group.

0% — 63 points below the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole average, and 62 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolBournemouth, Christchurch and PooleEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 63% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 11% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading 0% 77% 75%
Met the expected standard in writing 0% 75% 72%
Met the expected standard in maths 0% 75% 74%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. Not published 106 106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. Not published 105 105

"Not published": No figure published.

Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, over time
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% England 2022/23: 60%England 2023/24: 61%England 2024/25: 62% This school 2022/23: 0%This school 2023/24: 0%This school 2024/25: 0% This school England 62% 2022/23 0% 2023/24 0% 2024/25 0%

Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

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

26 pupils in this year group.

MeasureThis schoolBournemouth, Christchurch and PooleEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths Not published 57% 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. Not published 50.5 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. Not published 4.5 4.1

"Not published": No pupils were entered.

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 2022/23: 3%This school 2023/24: 0% This school England 45% 2022/23 3% 2023/24 0% 2024/25 –

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.

31 pupils in this year group.

97% — 4 points above the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole average, and 5 points above the England average.

MeasureThis schoolBournemouth, Christchurch and PooleEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 97% 93% 92%
School sixth form 0% 45% 34%
Sixth form college 0% – 13%
Further education college 13% 39% 37%
Apprenticeship 0% 4% 3%
Work 0% 3% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
93%97%

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

Admissions dates and schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

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: Speech, language and communication needs; Autism; Social, emotional and mental health needs; Moderate learning difficulties; Severe learning difficulties; Profound and multiple learning difficulties.

PupilsThis schoolBournemouth, Christchurch and PooleEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 42.8% 49.3%* 51.9%
With an education, health and care plan 100.0% 97.5%* 99.5%
Receiving special educational needs support 0.0% 2.5%* 0.5%
English as an additional language 14.8% 12.0%* 14.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed) 9.1% 12.1%* 12.8%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 28.7% 33.3%* 35.3%
Suspensions per 100 pupils 2.4 10.5 12.3
Pupils suspended at least once 1.7% 5.8% 5.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.23% 0.08%
Pupils per teacher 4.8 4.9 6.6
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 1.7 2.0 2.3
Teachers who left during the year 6.5% 11.5%* 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 Linwood School's Ofsted rating?

At its inspection in 28 January 2025, Ofsted graded each area separately; it stopped giving an overall grade in September 2024.

How did Linwood School do in its GCSEs?

DfE didn't publish this figure for 2024/25. No pupils were entered.

Would parents recommend Linwood School?

89% of the 63 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025 said they would recommend Linwood 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.