Ellesmere College

Ellesmere College is a special school for pupils with complex learning difficulties, including autism and speech, language and communication needs. At the time of the May 2026 full inspection, all 436 pupils had an EHC plan, nearly half were eligible for free school meals, and the school was using five alternative provisions, four of them unregistered. Safeguarding standards are met, and inspectors found an open, positive safeguarding culture. The school's strongest work is in attendance and behaviour, inclusion, and post-16 provision. Pupils are well known, staff treat behaviour as communication, and attendance is treated as a priority with persistent work with families and agencies. Inclusion is a clear strength, with EHC plans central to daily practice and careful transitions. Post-16 pathways, work experience, supported internships and careers guidance are high quality and prepare students well for adulthood. Personal development is broad, and pupils benefit from enrichment, pastoral support and positive relationships. However, some important aspects remain at expected standard rather than stronger. Curriculum sequencing beyond early reading and communication is not precise enough, checks on pupils' subject knowledge across the wider curriculum are still developing, and teaching does not always challenge pupils promptly or avoid waiting for support. Leaders have identified these issues, but improvements are not yet embedded across the school. Governance also needs stronger oversight of curriculum quality, assessment and outcomes, and leaders need to monitor take-up of personal development opportunities more systematically.

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open and positive culture in which concerns are actively identified and managed.
• Attendance is a well-led priority, with effective systems and persistent work with families and agencies to remove barriers.
• Behaviour is a clear strength: pupils behave very well, feel safe and respond well to calm, consistent staff support.
• Inclusion is a clear strength, with staff knowing pupils and families in depth and keeping EHC plans central to provision.
• Post-16 provision is high quality, offering personalised pathways, strong careers guidance and meaningful work experience.
• Pupils achieve well from their starting points in communication, personal development and independence.
• Early reading and phonics are taught consistently well, with books matched closely to pupils' reading stages.
• Personal development is broad and well considered, including enrichment, relationships education and careers education.
• Staff feel valued and supported, and leaders prioritise staff wellbeing and workload.

Areas for Improvement

• Assessment of pupils' achievement and subject knowledge across the wider curriculum is still in development.
• Curriculum sequencing beyond early reading and communication is imprecise, making it harder to plan consistently ambitious learning.
• In some subjects, the knowledge pupils should learn and revisit is not clearly defined.
• Teaching sometimes leaves pupils waiting too long for support or does not sufficiently challenge those ready to move on.
• Leaders' curriculum and assessment improvements are not yet well established across the school.
• Governance lacks sufficient oversight of curriculum quality, assessment and pupils' outcomes.
• Monitoring of personal development take-up across all pupil groups is inconsistent.
• Leaders need to clarify subject-specific starting points and progress measures, particularly in English and mathematics for the 'Thrive' pathway.
• Governors need to strengthen strategic challenge and hold leaders rigorously to account for the pace and impact of improvement.

In 2024–25 pupils at Ellesmere College attended 89.8% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 30.9% 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, 1.6% of pupils at Ellesmere College 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 Ellesmere College had 6.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.4% 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 Ellesmere College had 441 pupils, 99.8% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: moderate learning difficulty; severe learning difficulty; speech, language and communication needs; hearing impairment; vision impairment; autistic spectrum disorder.

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 Ellesmere College received £30,673 and spent £31,454 for each of its 441 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £770,000 (£1,746 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 Ellesmere College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ellesmere College is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Ellesmere College last inspected by Ofsted?

Ellesmere College was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Ellesmere College have?

Ellesmere College has 441 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ellesmere College cover?

Ellesmere College for pupils aged 4 to 19.

What are Ellesmere College's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Ellesmere College?

Ellesmere College is at 40 Braunstone Lane East, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE3 2FD.