St Nicholas' School

St Nicholas’ School continues to maintain its status as a good school, excelling in creating a positive and nurturing environment for its pupils. Parents and families express high levels of appreciation for the school's support and the happiness it brings to the students. The curriculum is designed specifically for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, focusing heavily on communication and interaction, which leads to good progress in these areas. The school also places a strong emphasis on well-being and support for both students and staff, contributing to a positive atmosphere overall.

Strengths

• Positive and supportive school culture appreciated by families.
• Strong focus on communication and interaction skills.
• Effective teaching strategies that engage and motivate pupils.
• Commitment to staff well-being and involvement in decision-making.
• High-quality wider opportunities that promote pupil development.
• Good progress observed in communication and early reading skills.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistencies in curriculum clarity across different pathways.
• Lack of rigor in oversight of curriculum implementation and its impact.

In 2024–25 pupils at St Nicholas' School attended 88.9% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 38.6% 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 St Nicholas' 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 Nicholas' School had 6.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.1% 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 St Nicholas' School had 402 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 Nicholas' School received £25,453 and spent £25,451 for each of its 402 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £867,000 (£2,157 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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What is St Nicholas' School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Nicholas' School is Good, from an inspection in March 2024.

When was St Nicholas' School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Nicholas' School was last inspected in March 2024.

How many pupils does St Nicholas' School have?

St Nicholas' School has 402 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Nicholas' School cover?

St Nicholas' School for pupils aged 4 to 19.

What are St Nicholas' School's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is St Nicholas' School?

St Nicholas' School is at Holm Oak Close, Nunnery Fields, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 3JJ.