Fairfield School

Fairfield School is performing very strongly across all areas inspected. Inspectors judged achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, early years, inclusion, leadership and governance, personal development and wellbeing, and post-16 provision to be of a strong standard, and safeguarding standards are met. Pupils thrive academically, socially and emotionally, with particular strengths in language and communication, early reading, mathematics and writing. Attendance is high given the complexity of pupils' needs, behaviour is managed calmly and skilfully, and the curriculum is highly ambitious and tailored to individual needs. Leadership is passionate and strategic, staff feel valued, and governors provide effective support and challenge. Fairfield is a special school for 136 pupils with education, health and care plans, catering for speech, language and communication difficulties, autism, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties. The school is highly inclusive, identifies emerging needs quickly, and uses funding effectively to remove barriers for disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils. Early years children get a very positive start, and post-16 students follow bespoke programmes that prepare them well for adulthood, with all recent leavers staying in education or employment. The only identified next step is for leaders and governors to ensure continued refinement of curriculum implementation so that it secures a transformational impact on all pupils. No other significant concerns were flagged; the report is overwhelmingly positive.

Strengths

• Pupils secure essential language and communication knowledge and achieve very well from their starting points.
• Pupils build fluency in early reading, mathematics and writing.
• Pupils make great strides in social and emotional learning and development.
• Attendance is high given the complexity of pupils' health needs, with effective support to overcome barriers.
• Staff understand behaviour as communication and respond calmly and skilfully.
• The curriculum is highly ambitious, high quality and tailored to pupils' changing needs.
• Teaching combines strong subject knowledge with skilful understanding of SEND.
• Early years provision gives children a very positive start and rapidly builds foundations for future success.
• Early years staff focus strongly on communication and track progress rigorously.
• The school is highly inclusive, identifying emerging needs quickly and providing the right support at the right time.
• Leaders remove barriers to learning and wider experiences for disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils.
• Leadership is passionate, strategic and has an accurate understanding of the school's unique context.
• Governors offer consistent support and challenge to leaders.
• Staff feel valued and supported and are proud to work at the school.
• Personal development is highly organised and prepares pupils for happy and healthy lives.
• Pupils benefit from an extensive range of activities, trips and wider experiences.
• Post-16 students follow bespoke, ambitious programmes and are very well prepared for later life.
• Pupils have a true sense of belonging and excellent relationships with staff.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open and positive culture.

Areas for Improvement

• Continued refinement to curriculum implementation is needed to secure a transformational impact on all pupils.

In 2024–25 pupils at Fairfield School attended 85.2% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 46.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Fairfield School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Fairfield School had 6.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26 Fairfield School had 139 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: profound and multiple learning difficulty.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Fairfield School received £37,735 and spent £37,159 for each of its 139 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £101,000 (£730 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Batley · Kirklees local authority: places and applications

What is Fairfield School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Fairfield School is Strong standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Fairfield School last inspected by Ofsted?

Fairfield School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Fairfield School have?

Fairfield School has 139 pupils on roll.

What age range does Fairfield School cover?

Fairfield School for pupils aged 3 to 19.

What are Fairfield School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Fairfield School?

Fairfield School is at White Lee Road, Batley, West Yorkshire, WF17 8AS.