Mill Ford School

Special school · All-through, ages 3 to 19 · Mixed · Nursery class · Sixth form

Rochford Crescent, Ernesettle, Plymouth, PL5 2PY

01752 300270 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedOutstandingInspected 26 June 2024
Pupils149Room for 108 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 102 in 2019, 111 in 2021, 121 in 2022, 125 in 2023, 121 in 2024, 132 in 2025, 149 in 2026. Across England, special state school pupil numbers were up 39% from 2019 to 2025.
Free school meals55%of pupils eligible now

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at the inspection that started on 26 June 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
Sixth formOutstanding
SafeguardingEffective

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

12 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 2 April 2024 and 7 April 2025.

StatementThis schoolEngland
My child is happy at this school 92% 89%
My child feels safe at this school 83% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 83% 84%
I would recommend this school to another parent 92%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.

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Results

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

8 pupils in this year group.

Only 8 pupils took these tests, so results can change a lot from year to year. Compare with care.

0% — 65 points below the Plymouth average, and 62 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolPlymouthEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 65% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 8% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading 0% 75% 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 105 106
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.

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.

3 pupils in this year group.

Only 3 pupils took these tests, so results can change a lot from year to year. Compare with care.

MeasureThis schoolPlymouthEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. Not published 91% 92%
School sixth form Not published 40% 34%
Sixth form college Not published 1% 13%
Further education college Not published 37% 37%
Apprenticeship Not published 9% 3%
Work Not published 3% 3%

"Not published": Not published: too few pupils, so individual pupils could be identified.

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
100%Not published

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

Admissions dates and schools in Plymouth

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: Severe learning difficulties.

PupilsThis schoolPlymouthEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 55.5% 48.6%* 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 12.9% 7.3%* 14.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed) 9.7% 9.8%* 12.8%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 29.4% 26.7%* 35.3%
Suspensions per 100 pupils 0.8 40.9 12.3
Pupils suspended at least once 0.8% 11.6% 5.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.00% 0.08%
Pupils per teacher 7.7 5.9 6.6
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 1.5 1.7 2.3
Teachers who left during the year 6.1% 10.5%* 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 Mill Ford School's Ofsted rating?

Mill Ford School was rated Outstanding by Ofsted at its inspection in 26 June 2024.

Would parents recommend Mill Ford School?

92% of the 12 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 2 April 2024 and 7 April 2025 said they would recommend Mill Ford 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.