Fiveways Special School
Fiveways Special School is a community special school in Yeovil for pupils aged 4 to 19. It has 100 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Fiveways Special School is Outstanding, from an inspection in July 2024.
Ofsted inspection: July 2024.
| Type | Special School / Community special school |
| Age Range | 4-19 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Victoria Road Yeovil Somerset BA21 5AZ |
| Phone | 01935476227 |
| Reference Number | 123944 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 100 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 69%
Girls: 31% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 51.7% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 12% |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 3 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 4 | 10 | Unknown | 10 |
| 5 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| 6 | 5 | 4 | 9 |
| 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 8 | 7 | 4 | 11 |
| 9 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| 10 | 6 | 4 | 10 |
| 11 | 5 | 3 | 8 |
| 12 | 5 | Unknown | 5 |
| 13 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 78% |
| Unclassified | 7% |
| White, Other | 5% |
| Asian, Other | 3% |
| White & Asian | 2% |
| Indian | 2% |
| Mixed, Other | 2% |
| White & Black (African) | 1% |
Fiveways Special School demonstrates outstanding performance across all aspects of education and development. The school's curriculum is expertly tailored to meet the individual needs of pupils, promoting exceptional communication skills and overall engagement in learning. Both early years and sixth form students thrive in their educational environment, supported by knowledgeable staff who understand each pupil's unique learning requirements. Pupils benefit from a variety of enriching experiences, preparing them well for meaningful lives beyond school. Parents and pupils alike appreciate the quality of education and support provided.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Outstanding |
| > Quality of education | Outstanding |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Outstanding |
| > Personal Development | Outstanding |
| > Leadership & Management | Outstanding |
| > Early Years Provision | Outstanding |
| > Sixth Form Provision | Outstanding |
| Last Report Date | 18 Jun 2024 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 18 Jun 2024 | School inspection: |
| 18 Apr 2023 | School inspection |
| 23 Nov 2017 | Short inspection |
| 08 Jul 2014 | Full inspection: |
| 08 Oct 2008 | Full inspection: |
| 28 Nov 2007 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 06 Oct 2005 | Full inspection: |
| 17 Jan 2000 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Exceptional curriculum tailored to meet individual pupil needs
- Outstanding communication support for all pupils
- Highly effective early reading and physical development programs
- Strong relationships between staff and pupils
- Well-prepared sixth form students for life beyond school
- Positive pupil attitudes and engagement in learning
- Effective governance and knowledgeable leadership
In 2024–25 pupils at Fiveways Special School attended 86.9% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 36.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 16.3% | 16.5% | 18.4% | 12.8% | 12.9% | 12.9% | 16.0% | 12.4% | 11.0% | 12.4% | 11.6% |
| Unauthorised absence | 1.3% | 1.6% | 0.4% | 1.5% | 2.0% | 2.2% | 1.6% | 2.6% | 1.8% | 1.9% | 1.6% |
| Severely absent pupils | 6.0% | 9.4% | 8.9% | 6.8% | 6.8% | 9.1% | 10.8% | 5.6% | 3.9% | 7.5% | 8.5% |
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 Fiveways Special School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.0 | 4.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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 Fiveways Special School had 6.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.2% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.6 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 9.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2.5% | 11.5% | 15.9% | 16.4% | 13.1% | 11.5% | 0.0% | 16.1% | 14.7% | 6.7% | 6.5% | 12.2% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 69.2% | 61.5% | 86.7% | 64.7% | 68.8% | 73.3% | 73.3% | 72.2% | 64.7% | – | 46.7% | 72.2% | 83.3% | 75.0% | 78.9% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 10.0 | 7.4 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 6.1 | 9.8 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 7.3 | – | 1.8 | 5.9 | 5.6 | 3.7 | 11.4 | – |
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 Fiveways Special School had 100 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
| EHC plan | |
|---|---|
| Severe learning difficulty | 47 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 27 |
| Profound and multiple learning difficulty | 22 |
| Down's syndrome | 2 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 1 |
| Other difficulty or disability | 1 |
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 Fiveways Special School received £38,290 and spent £39,102 for each of its 100 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £27,000 (-£265 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £543,000 | £578,000 | £724,000 | £765,000 | £414,000 | £207,000 | £55,000 | -£27,000 |
| per pupil | £7,057 | £7,320 | £8,833 | £8,312 | £4,402 | £2,114 | £558 | -£265 |
| In-year balance | £65,000 | £35,000 | £146,000 | £40,000 | -£351,000 | -£207,000 | -£152,000 | -£81,000 |
| per pupil | £849 | £441 | £1,781 | £439 | -£3,733 | -£2,108 | -£1,556 | -£813 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).
| Name | Distance |
|
Pen Mill Infant and Nursery Academy
St. Michaels Avenue, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 4LD |
0.27 miles |
|
St. Michael's Academy
Grass Royal, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 4JW |
0.34 miles |
|
Birchfield Community Primary School
Birchfield Road, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 5RL |
0.45 miles |
|
Reckleford Infant School and Nursery
Eastland Road, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 4ET |
0.57 miles |
|
St Gildas Catholic Primary School
Mary Street, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 4EG |
0.74 miles |
|
Primrose Lane Primary School
Cunningham Road, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 5FH |
0.8 miles |
|
Milford Junior School
Glenthorne Avenue, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 4PG |
0.84 miles |
|
Milford Infants' School
Glenthorne Avenue, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 4PG |
0.87 miles |
|
Huish Primary School
Carisbrooke Gardens, Yeovil, Somerset, BA20 1AY |
1.16 miles |
|
Oaklands Primary School
Preston Grove, Yeovil, Somerset, BA20 2DU |
1.48 miles |
|
Trent Young's CofE Primary School
Trent, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 4SW |
1.78 miles |
|
St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bradford Abbas
Mill Lane, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 6RH |
1.88 miles |
|
Barwick and Stoford Community Primary School
South View, Barwick, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 9TH |
1.98 miles |
|
Holy Trinity Church School
Lime Tree Avenue, Yeovil, Somerset, BA20 2PW |
2.04 miles |
|
Preston CofE Primary School
The Toose, Abbey Manor Park, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 3SN |
2.26 miles |
|
Kingfisher Primary School
Kingfisher Drive, Houndstone, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 8FJ |
2.99 miles |
|
East Coker Community Primary School
East Coker, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 9HY |
3.02 miles |
|
Thornford CofE Primary School
Boot Lane, Thornford, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 6QY |
3.04 miles |
|
Chilthorne Domer Church School
Main Street, Chilthorne Domer, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 8RD |
3.14 miles |
|
Sherborne Abbey Church of England Primary School
Lenthay Road, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 6AQ |
3.7 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Buckler's Mead School
1 St. Johns Road, Yeovil, BA21 4NH |
0.72 miles |
|
Fairmead School
Mudford Road, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 4NZ |
0.81 miles |
|
Yeovil College
Mudford Road, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 4DR |
1.02 miles |
|
Westfield Academy
Westfield Road, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 3DB |
1.53 miles |
|
Preston School Academy
Monks Dale, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 3JD |
1.87 miles |
|
Sherborne School for Girls
Bradford Road, Sherborne, DT9 3QN |
3.77 miles |
|
Sherborne Preparatory School
39 Acreman Street, Sherborne, DT9 3NY |
4.12 miles |
|
Sherborne School
Abbey Road, Sherborne, DT9 3AP |
4.21 miles |
|
The Gryphon School
Bristol Road, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 4EQ |
4.37 miles |
|
Leweston School
|
4.89 miles |
|
Chilton Bridge School
Chilton Bridge School, Chilton Cantelo, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 8BE |
4.92 miles |
|
Stanchester Academy
East Stoke, Stoke-sub-Hamdon, Somerset, TA14 6UG |
4.96 miles |
All schools in Yeovil · Somerset local authority: places and applications
What is Fiveways Special School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for Fiveways Special School is Outstanding, from an inspection in July 2024.
When was Fiveways Special School last inspected by Ofsted?
Fiveways Special School was last inspected in July 2024.
How many pupils does Fiveways Special School have?
Fiveways Special School has 100 pupils on roll.
What age range does Fiveways Special School cover?
Fiveways Special School for pupils aged 4 to 19.
Where is Fiveways Special School?
Fiveways Special School is at Victoria Road, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 5AZ.