St Francis Special School

St Francis Special School serves pupils with severe learning difficulties and has maintained its status as a good school. The inspection revealed a positive atmosphere where leaders and staff provide a nurturing environment, fostering strong relationships between pupils and staff. The school boasts a well-constructed curriculum tailored to individual needs, featuring effective personal, social, and health education that empowers pupils to understand their world and make informed choices. Parents express satisfaction with the care their children receive, contributing to a community-focused ethos.

Strengths

• Strong relationships between staff and pupils.
• Well-structured and personalized curriculum pathways.
• Effective support for pupils' personal development and emotional regulation.
• Enjoyable and engaging reading programs.
• Proactive communication support for most pupils.

Areas for Improvement

• Missed opportunities to enhance pupils' independent communication.
• Some lessons do not effectively help all pupils achieve intended learning outcomes.

In 2024–25 pupils at St Francis Special School attended 89.2% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 30.4% 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, 3.6% of pupils at St Francis Special 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 St Francis Special School had 8.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.7% 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 St Francis Special School had 115 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

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 St Francis Special School received £28,827 and spent £28,240 for each of its 115 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £535,000 (£4,650 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 Fareham · Hampshire local authority: places and applications

What is St Francis Special School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Francis Special School is Good, from an inspection in September 2023.

When was St Francis Special School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Francis Special School was last inspected in September 2023.

How many pupils does St Francis Special School have?

St Francis Special School has 115 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Francis Special School cover?

St Francis Special School for pupils aged 2 to 19.

Where is St Francis Special School?

St Francis Special School is at Patchway Drive, Oldbury Way, Fareham, Hampshire, PO14 3BN.