Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College
Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College is a community special school in Chester for pupils aged 4 to 19. It has 170 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College is Good, from an inspection in September 2024. In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
Ofsted inspection: September 2024. KS2 results: 2025.
| Type | Special School / Community special school |
| Age Range | 4-19 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Wealstone Lane Upton Chester Cheshire CH2 1HD |
| Phone | 01244470134 |
| Reference Number | 111511 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 170 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 62.94%
Girls: 37.06% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 41.2% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 4.1% |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 1 | 11 |
| 2 | 6 | 2 | 8 |
| 3 | 10 | 9 | 19 |
| 4 | 9 | 4 | 13 |
| 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 6 | 7 | 4 | 11 |
| 7 | 10 | 6 | 16 |
| 8 | 12 | 5 | 17 |
| 9 | 14 | 8 | 22 |
| 10 | 10 | 4 | 14 |
| 11 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| 12 | 2 | 9 | 11 |
| 13 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 85.3% |
| White, Other | 4.7% |
| White & Asian | 3.5% |
| African | 2.4% |
| Asian, Other | 1.8% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.2% |
Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College continues to perform well, maintaining its status as a good school. The school’s ethos of ‘Learning together, growing together’ is reflected in how pupils feel welcomed and supported by staff, fostering an environment where they feel safe and happy. Skilled staff provide effective support tailored to the individual needs of each pupil, and positive progress is evident across the curriculum. Noteworthy is the school’s commitment to developing pupils’ independence and skills for adulthood through various programs and activities, such as travel training and work experience. The school prioritizes communication and reading, although there are concerns regarding the consistency of phonics instruction which impacts the speed of reading development for some pupils. Overall, governors provide strong support and challenge, and the school continues to adapt and improve its educational offerings. This is the second ungraded inspection since the school was last judged to be good in 2014, following significant changes in leadership.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Last Report Date | 02 Jul 2024 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 02 Jul 2024 | School inspection |
| 25 Sep 2018 | Short inspection |
| 03 Jul 2014 | Full inspection: |
| 11 Apr 2011 | Full inspection: |
| 23 Apr 2008 | Full inspection: |
| 16 May 2005 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Pupils feel safe and happy at school.
- Staff build positive relationships with pupils and support their emotional needs.
- The school has a strong focus on developing communication skills.
- Pupils make positive progress from their individual starting points.
- High aspirations are set for all pupils, including vocational courses for older students.
- Pupils are well prepared for adulthood through various programs and activities.
- Staff collaborate well as a team and reduce workload effectively.
- The school has a strong focus on fostering pupils' wider development.
Areas for Improvement
- Some staff do not implement the phonics programme consistently well.
How many students meet the standards
| Reading, Writing & Maths | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 0% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 0% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Progress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | -6.5 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Writing | -6.4 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Maths | -6 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
How many students meet the standards
Sample
UnlockProgress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
Sample
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In 2024–25 pupils at Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College attended 91.0% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 26.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 7.8% | 8.0% | 7.4% | 5.7% | 6.5% | 5.9% | 11.6% | 7.3% | 8.1% | 7.4% | 6.9% |
| Unauthorised absence | 1.0% | 2.1% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 0.7% | 1.3% | 0.5% | 1.2% | 1.5% | 1.8% | 2.1% |
| Severely absent pupils | 1.7% | 4.1% | 2.5% | 0.0% | 1.9% | 1.8% | 3.2% | 2.5% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
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 Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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 Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College had 8.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 26.5% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 2.1 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.6 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 7.8% | 14.3% | 4.3% | 8.6% | 15.2% | 6.7% | 11.1% | 7.6% | 9.4% | 4.8% | 11.1% | 0.0% | 4.5% | 0.0% | 22.1% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 56.3% | 52.9% | 61.1% | 57.9% | 70.0% | 72.2% | 66.7% | 65.0% | 70.8% | – | 50.0% | 95.7% | 70.8% | 72.7% | 78.3% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 13.0 | 2.2 | 3.3 | 4.6 | 12.1 | 5.3 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 4.5 | – | 9.5 | 8.5 | 10.5 | 9.2 | 8.1 | – |
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 Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College had 170 pupils, 100.0% 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
| EHC plan | |
|---|---|
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 49 |
| Severe learning difficulty | 37 |
| Speech, language and communication needs | 30 |
| Physical disability | 23 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 8 |
| Other difficulty or disability | 6 |
| Profound and multiple learning difficulty | 5 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 5 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 4 |
| Down's syndrome | 2 |
| Multi-sensory impairment | 1 |
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 Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College received £27,020 and spent £24,786 for each of its 170 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £716,000 (£4,210 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £153,000 | £159,000 | £178,000 | £178,000 | £157,000 | £219,000 | £336,000 | £716,000 |
| per pupil | £1,175 | £1,175 | £1,293 | £1,272 | £1,108 | £1,487 | £2,140 | £4,210 |
| In-year balance | £37,000 | £6,000 | £20,000 | -£0 | -£21,000 | £61,000 | £117,000 | £380,000 |
| per pupil | £286 | £44 | £144 | -£2 | -£147 | £417 | £748 | £2,234 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).
| Name | Distance |
|
Mill View Primary School
Wealstone Lane, Upton, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 1HB |
0.27 miles |
|
Upton Heath CofE Primary School
Upton Lane, Upton Heath, Upton-by-Chester, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 1ED |
0.35 miles |
|
Upton Westlea Primary School
Upton Westlea Primary School, Weston Grove, Upton-by-Chester, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 1QJ |
0.36 miles |
|
The Firs School
|
0.49 miles |
|
Newton Primary School
Kingsway West, Newton, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 2LA |
0.7 miles |
|
Acresfield Academy
Acres Lane, Upton By Chester, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 1LJ |
0.93 miles |
|
St Martin's Academy Chester
91 Hoole Road, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 3NG |
1.05 miles |
|
Chester Blue Coat Church of England Primary School
Walpole Street, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 4HG |
1.15 miles |
|
St Werburgh's and St Columba's Catholic Primary School
Lightfoot Street, Hoole, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 3AD |
1.34 miles |
|
St Theresa's Catholic Primary School
Kipling Road, Blacon, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 5UU |
1.38 miles |
|
Hoole Church of England Primary School
Hoole Lane, Hoole, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 3HB |
1.39 miles |
|
The Grosvenor Park Church of England Academy
Union Street, Chester, Union Street, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 1QP |
1.57 miles |
|
The Arches Community Primary School
Saughall Road, Blacon, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 5EZ |
1.61 miles |
|
Highfield Community Primary School
Blacon Point Road, Blacon, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 5LD |
1.62 miles |
|
Oldfield Primary School
Green Lane, Vicars Cross, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 5LB |
1.75 miles |
|
Cherry Grove Primary School
Cherry Grove Road, Chester, CH3 5EG |
1.77 miles |
|
St Oswald's CofE Primary School
Grove Road, Mollington, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 6LG |
1.84 miles |
|
J H Godwin Primary School
Melbourne Road, Blacon, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 5JG |
2.08 miles |
|
Dee Point Primary School
Blacon Point Road, Blacon, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 5NF |
2.11 miles |
|
Boughton Heath Academy
Becketts Lane, Great Boughton, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 5RW |
2.12 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Upton-by-Chester High School
St James Avenue, Upton-by-Chester, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 1NN |
0.69 miles |
|
The Hammond
Mannings Lane, Chester, CH2 4ES |
1.29 miles |
|
Maple Grove School
Clare Avenue, Chester, CH2 3HR |
1.32 miles |
|
Abbey School for Exceptional Children
10-12 Abbey Square, Chester, CH1 2HU |
1.46 miles |
|
The Queen's School
City Walls Road, Chester, CH1 2NN |
1.62 miles |
|
Chester International School
Queens Park Campus, Queens Park Road, Handbridge, Chester, Cheshire, CH4 7AE |
1.91 miles |
|
Queen's Park High School
Queens Park Road, Handbridge, Chester, Cheshire, CH4 7AE |
2.01 miles |
|
Blacon High School, A Specialist Sports College
Melbourne Road, Blacon, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 5JH |
2.11 miles |
|
The Bishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School
Vaughans Lane, Great Boughton, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 5XF |
2.19 miles |
|
Dee Banks School
Dee Banks, Sandy Lane, Deebanks School, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 5UX |
2.3 miles |
|
The Catholic High School, Chester
Old Wrexham Road, Handbridge, Chester, Cheshire, CH4 7HS |
2.49 miles |
|
Christleton High School
Village Road, Christleton, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 7AD |
3.05 miles |
|
The King's School
Wrexham Road, Chester, CH4 7QL |
3.2 miles |
|
The Whitby High School
Sycamore Drive, Whitby, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH66 2NU |
3.6 miles |
|
iMap Centre
Unit 4a Barrowmore Estates, Barnhouse Lane, Great Barrow, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 7JA |
4.05 miles |
|
Archers Brook SEMH School
Chester Road, Great Sutton, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH66 2NA |
4.07 miles |
|
Ellesmere Port Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy
Capenhurst Lane, Whitby, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH65 7AQ |
4.13 miles |
|
Ellesmere Port Church of England College
164 Whitby Road, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH65 6EA |
4.48 miles |
|
Abbey Gate College
Saighton Grange, Chester, CH3 6EN |
4.87 miles |
All schools in Chester · Cheshire West and Chester local authority: places and applications
What is Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College is Good, from an inspection in September 2024.
When was Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College last inspected by Ofsted?
Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College was last inspected in September 2024.
How many pupils does Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College have?
Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College has 170 pupils on roll.
What age range does Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College cover?
Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College for pupils aged 4 to 19.
What are Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College's SATs (KS2) results?
In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
Where is Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College?
Dorin Park School & Specialist SEN College is at Wealstone Lane, Upton, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 1HD.