Glenwood School

Glenwood School was inspected through focused monitoring because Ofsted had concerns about leadership and governance, safeguarding, attendance and behaviour, and inclusion. The inspection did not award grades; it examined whether the school had addressed those concerns. The school has been through significant turbulence, including the governing body leaving and the headteacher leaving, with interim leadership now in post. Inspectors found that leaders have brought much-needed stability and have tackled the most pressing issues in a clear order. Safeguarding standards are met, and there is an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. The report highlights real strengths across inclusion, attendance and behaviour. Staff generally understand pupils' SEND needs and use individual plans well, training is aligned to care plans, and pupils are supported to communicate through a range of established approaches. Relationships between staff and pupils are positive. Leaders have strengthened oversight of behaviour and physical intervention, and incidents have reduced over the past year. Systems for following up absence are more robust, including for persistently absent pupils, and leaders understand the safeguarding risks absence can pose. There are still areas to improve. Leaders' checks on different aspects of their work are not yet consistently embedded, so they do not have a fully secure view of future improvement priorities. Staff turnover has affected the quality of support in places, and although induction and mentoring for new staff are in place, more work is needed to help new staff quickly support pupils' specific and changing needs. Ongoing training and guidance remain a priority.

Strengths

• Leaders have brought much-needed stability after a period of turbulence.
• Leaders have focused on pressing issues in a clear and logical order.
• Processes around safeguarding, behaviour and attendance are robust.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture where concerns are identified and managed.
• The interim executive board and local authority provide appropriate challenge and support.
• Staff understand how to use pupils' individual SEND plans and are typically knowledgeable about their needs.
• Training for staff is closely aligned to pupils' care plans.
• The school supports pupils to communicate their wants and needs well using established approaches.
• Leaders work with other professionals to assess pupils' needs regularly and adapt support.
• Staff build positive and effective relationships with pupils.
• Leaders have strengthened oversight of behavioural incidents, including physical intervention, and incidents have reduced.
• Leaders have established more robust processes for following up pupil absence and monitoring persistent absence.

Areas for Improvement

• Systems to check on different aspects of the school's work are not consistently embedded.
• Leaders do not yet have a fully secure picture of where to target future school improvement priorities.
• Staff turnover has impacted on the quality of support in places.
• New staff need to get up to speed more quickly with the best ways to support pupils' specific and changing needs.
• Ongoing training and guidance for staff on supporting pupils' specific and changing needs remains needed.

In 2024–25 pupils at Glenwood School attended 87.4% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 32.5% 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 Glenwood 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 Glenwood School had 9.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 36.1% 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 Glenwood School had 263 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; speech, language and communication needs; hearing impairment; vision impairment; multi-sensory impairment; physical disability; autistic spectrum disorder.

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 Glenwood School received £33,584 and spent £29,930 for each of its 263 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £222,000 (£844 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

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What is Glenwood School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Glenwood School is Outstanding, from an inspection in February 2026.

When was Glenwood School last inspected by Ofsted?

Glenwood School was last inspected in February 2026.

How many pupils does Glenwood School have?

Glenwood School has 263 pupils on roll.

What age range does Glenwood School cover?

Glenwood School for pupils aged 3 to 19.

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

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

Where is Glenwood School?

Glenwood School is at Rushbottom Lane, New Thundersley, Benfleet, Essex, SS7 4LW.