Meadow Wood School

Meadow Wood School continues to perform well as a good school, providing a supportive and inclusive environment for its pupils. The school effectively meets the diverse needs of its students, who all have educational, health and care (EHC) plans. With a curriculum tailored to individual students' experiences and well-trained staff, pupils are able to grow in confidence and independence. The school successfully fosters strong relationships between staff, students, and families, which contributes to pupils' enjoyment of school and their well-being. While the school has many strengths, including effective pastoral care and a focus on communication and life skills, there are some areas that require improvement. Specifically, some staff occasionally do not use the most effective teaching approaches, which can hinder pupils' learning in certain instances. Leaders are addressing this through targeted training to ensure that all staff are well-equipped to support their students effectively. Overall, the school remains committed to continuous improvement.

Strengths

• Pupils are warmly welcomed and eager to attend school.
• Strong pastoral care prioritizes student well-being.
• Staff are well trained in communication strategies and aids.
• The curriculum is tailored to individual student needs.
• Pupils demonstrate exceptional behavior and enjoyment in school.
• The school fosters strong relationships with families.

Areas for Improvement

• Some staff occasionally do not choose the most effective approaches for teaching, especially in phonics.

In 2024–25 pupils at Meadow Wood School attended 81.7% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 61.8% 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 Meadow Wood 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 Meadow Wood School had 6.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 20.0% 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 Meadow Wood School had 36 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: physical 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 Meadow Wood School received £40,016 and spent £38,232 for each of its 36 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £162,000 (£4,570 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 Bushey · Hertfordshire local authority: places and applications

What is Meadow Wood School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Meadow Wood School is Good, from an inspection in May 2023.

When was Meadow Wood School last inspected by Ofsted?

Meadow Wood School was last inspected in May 2023.

How many pupils does Meadow Wood School have?

Meadow Wood School has 36 pupils on roll.

What age range does Meadow Wood School cover?

Meadow Wood School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Meadow Wood School's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Meadow Wood School?

Meadow Wood School is at Coldharbour Lane, Bushey, Hertfordshire, WD23 4NN.