John Jamieson School

John Jamieson School is a special school for pupils with severe learning difficulties, complex medical needs, physical difficulties, language and communication needs, and autism. All pupils have an education, health and care plan, and the school operates across three main sites, two partnerships and one unregistered alternative provision. A full section 5 inspection in June 2026 found the school performing strongly across all evaluated areas, with safeguarding standards met. Leaders have high expectations, relationships between staff and pupils are warm and caring, and pupils behave very well in a calm and supportive environment. The school is particularly strong in communication and the early stages of reading, writing and mathematics, and it has increased pupils' access to GCSE English and mathematics qualifications. Attendance processes are effective, routines are well established, and staff address poor behaviour and bullying promptly. The curriculum is consistent and well adapted to pupils' needs, early years provision is carefully designed, and inclusion work is highly effective, including through therapeutic support and close work with families and professionals. Personal development, independence, careers education and post-16 provision are also strengths, with most students moving on to sustained education, employment or training. Leadership and governance are knowledgeable and focused on maintaining high standards, and staff feel well supported with high morale. The only notable area for refinement is that some strategies for sharing information across leadership are not as efficient as they could be. Overall, the school provides an ambitious, high-quality education that prepares pupils well for the next stage of their lives.

Strengths

• Ensures pupils gain essential communication, early reading, writing and mathematics skills
• Increases opportunities for pupils to achieve GCSE English and mathematics qualifications
• Uses clear processes to improve attendance and remove barriers to regular attendance
• Maintains calm routines, high behavioural expectations and a safe school environment
• Addresses poor behaviour and bullying promptly and effectively
• Provides a consistent curriculum adapted to pupils' wide range of needs
• Uses high-quality staff training to support learning across four curriculum pathways
• Delivers a carefully sequenced early years curriculum focused on communication and language
• Builds highly effective inclusion processes using EHCPs, therapy and professional partnerships
• Ensures disadvantaged pupils benefit from pupil premium support and the wider curriculum
• Has knowledgeable leaders and governors who know the school well and review impact
• Supports staff well and maintains high morale
• Provides strong personal development, including online safety, consent and independence
• Offers purposeful careers education and post-16 accreditation with strong destinations
• Creates warm, caring relationships and a culture where pupils are listened to

Areas for Improvement

• Some strategies used by leaders to share information are not as efficient as they could be and would benefit from further refinement

In 2024–25 pupils at John Jamieson School attended 86.5% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 39.6% 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, 2.3% of pupils at John Jamieson 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 John Jamieson School had 5.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 6.4% 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 John Jamieson School had 460 pupils, 99.6% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: specific learning difficulty; moderate learning difficulty; severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; social, emotional and mental health; speech, language and communication needs; hearing impairment; vision impairment; multi-sensory impairment; physical disability; autistic spectrum disorder; other difficulty or disability.

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 John Jamieson School received £33,848 and spent £35,200 for each of its 460 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £295,000 (-£642 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).

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What is John Jamieson School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for John Jamieson School is Strong standard, from an inspection in July 2026.

When was John Jamieson School last inspected by Ofsted?

John Jamieson School was last inspected in July 2026.

How many pupils does John Jamieson School have?

John Jamieson School has 460 pupils on roll.

What age range does John Jamieson School cover?

John Jamieson School for pupils aged 2 to 19.

What are John Jamieson School's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is John Jamieson School?

John Jamieson School is at Hollin Hill Drive, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS8 2PW.