John Grant School, Caister-on-Sea

John Grant School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 19 with complex special educational needs and disabilities, all of whom have an education, health and care plan. Inspectors found a warm, inclusive and highly supportive school where pupils’ well-being is central and behaviour is exemplary. Pupils, including those with profound and multiple learning disabilities, receive well-tailored education and care, attendance is extremely strong, and sixth-form students develop confidence, resilience and independence for adulthood. The curriculum is carefully designed around individual needs, communication and reading are taught well, and early years provision helps children settle and build strong relationships. Governors are supportive but appropriately challenging, staff feel well supported, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. Leaders have managed a significantly growing roll and many pupils joining through SEND tribunals. The main area for improvement is that some adults, particularly with younger pupils, do not yet have the depth of training to guide pupils to apply what they know in independent activities and different contexts. The report asks the school to fully implement planned training so all staff can deepen pupils’ learning. This inspection was graded under the post-September 2024 framework, so no overall effectiveness grade was awarded.

Strengths

• Warm, kind and inclusive culture where pupils and adults enjoy positive relationships.
• Exemplary pupil behaviour and consistently high respect for others.
• Highly effective, tailored support for pupils’ self-regulation and behavioural needs.
• Curriculum carefully designed to meet the differing needs of pupils with complex SEND.
• Strong communication and phonics teaching, skilfully adapted to pupils’ SEND.
• Effective early years provision that helps children settle and build strong relationships.
• High-quality education and care for pupils with profound and multiple learning disabilities.
• Extremely strong attendance, with quick and helpful follow-up when pupils miss school.
• Wide range of trips, activities and forest opportunities that build confidence and resilience.
• Outstanding sixth-form provision that develops resilience, independence and successful next steps.
• Governors provide strong support and ask probing questions about resources and finance.
• Staff feel well supported by leaders, with staff well-being kept high on the agenda.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• Some adults are not yet trained deeply enough to guide younger pupils to apply their knowledge independently, so some learning is less effective.

In 2024–25 pupils at John Grant School, Caister-on-Sea attended 90.1% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 29.5% 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 John Grant School, Caister-on-Sea 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 John Grant School, Caister-on-Sea had 9.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.4% 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 John Grant School, Caister-on-Sea had 198 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 John Grant School, Caister-on-Sea received £31,660 and spent £32,321 for each of its 198 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £573,000 (£2,892 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 John Grant School, Caister-on-Sea's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for John Grant School, Caister-on-Sea is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was John Grant School, Caister-on-Sea last inspected by Ofsted?

John Grant School, Caister-on-Sea was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does John Grant School, Caister-on-Sea have?

John Grant School, Caister-on-Sea has 198 pupils on roll.

What age range does John Grant School, Caister-on-Sea cover?

John Grant School, Caister-on-Sea for pupils aged 4 to 19.

What are John Grant School, Caister-on-Sea's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is John Grant School, Caister-on-Sea?

John Grant School, Caister-on-Sea is at St George's Drive, Caister-on-Sea, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR30 5QW.