The Polygon School

The Polygon School is a small specialist secondary school for pupils with education, health and care plans, most of whom arrive with significant barriers to learning including very low attendance and gaps in their knowledge. Following a change in headteacher and senior leadership since the last inspection, the school has been judged to be performing strongly in attendance and behaviour, inclusion, and personal development and wellbeing, while achievement, curriculum and teaching, and leadership and governance are meeting the expected standard. Pupils behave very well, attendance has improved significantly, and the school's deeply personalised approach helps pupils re-engage with education and achieve a growing range of ambitious qualifications. Safeguarding standards are met. Notable strengths include the school's highly effective work to improve attendance, its sensitive and precise support for pupils' complex needs, and a rich personal development programme that prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Staff are well trained and pupils feel safe, valued and trusted, with parents describing the school's work as 'life-changing'. Leaders and governors know the school well and meet their statutory duties, and staff morale is high. Areas for development are limited but clear. Leaders and governors need to sharpen their strategic overview in key areas such as reading, so that improvement work is even more precisely targeted. In addition, the teaching of reading and oracy is not yet fully consistent across the school, meaning a small number of pupils do not become fluent and confident readers as quickly as they could. These are refinements to an otherwise strong provision rather than fundamental weaknesses.

Strengths

• Highly effective work to improve attendance, with attendance now consistently high and above national averages for similar schools
• Pupils behave very well and respond positively to teachers' high expectations
• A deeply embedded culture of belonging that helps pupils re-engage with learning
• Swift and precise identification of pupils' needs, with bespoke support that breaks down barriers to learning
• Very effective use of pupil premium funding to support pupils with multiple barriers
• A rich and ambitious personal development programme that prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain
• High-quality PSHE curriculum matched carefully to pupils' needs
• Highly effective careers education beginning in Year 7, with work experience and college visits
• Pupils achieve well in an increasing range of ambitious qualifications, including bespoke pathways
• The vast majority of pupils remain in education or employment after leaving school
• A well-designed and logically sequenced curriculum matched to individual needs
• Teachers have secure subject knowledge and deliver the curriculum effectively
• Leaders and governors know the school well and meet their statutory duties
• Staff feel very well supported through a well-designed training programme
• Parents are very positive about the school and describe its work as 'life-changing'
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open and positive culture of safeguarding

Areas for Improvement

• Leaders and governors need to refine and deepen their strategic overview in key areas such as reading
• The teaching of reading and oracy is not yet fully consistent, so gaps in pupils' knowledge are not always addressed as quickly as possible
• A small number of pupils require additional support to become consistently fluent and confident readers
• Not all leaders and governors are clear about the school's use of phonics
• Leaders' understanding lacks some strategic detail that would better inform their work

In 2024–25 pupils at The Polygon School attended 82.2% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 48.7% 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, 17.1% of pupils at The Polygon 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 The Polygon School had 5.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.8% 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 The Polygon School had 77 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: social, emotional and mental health.

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 The Polygon School received £35,914 and spent £31,217 for each of its 77 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £339,000 (£4,400 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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All schools in Southampton · Southampton local authority: places and applications

The Polygon School is part of Southampton Co-Operative Learning Trust, which runs 3 schools. The nearest others:

• Banister Primary School Southampton
• St John's Primary and Nursery School Southampton

What is The Polygon School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Polygon School is Expected standard, from an inspection in February 2026.

When was The Polygon School last inspected by Ofsted?

The Polygon School was last inspected in February 2026.

How many pupils does The Polygon School have?

The Polygon School has 77 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Polygon School cover?

The Polygon School for pupils aged 11 to 16.

Where is The Polygon School?

The Polygon School is at Handel Terrace, Southampton, Hampshire, SO15 2FH.