Holly House Special School

Holly House Special School is a small community special school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, and all pupils have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. It has made notable progress since its previous inspection, but quality of education and leadership and management still require improvement, while behaviour and attitudes and personal development are good. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. Staff know pupils well and provide strong care, and pupils feel safe. Behaviour is supported through carefully considered strategies, attendance systems are rigorous, and personal development is a strength, including wider-world experiences and careers information. Early reading is supported effectively by well-trained staff. However, the curriculum is not well defined or organised in some subjects, and some staff do not have the expertise to deliver it with sufficient depth. The school does not use the information in pupils' EHC plans effectively enough, adaptations are not always well matched to pupils' needs, and provision is not reviewed rigorously enough, so some pupils do not make the progress they should.

Strengths

• Staff know pupils well and provide strong care
• Pupils feel safe and value after-school activities and trips
• Behaviour and attitudes are good, with effective strategies for emotional regulation
• Personal development is a strength, including wider-world experiences and careers information
• Well-trained staff support early readers effectively
• Attendance systems are rigorous and welfare checks are effective
• Governors provide positive oversight and challenge and manage change well
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum lacks specific detail and sequencing in some subjects
• Some staff lack expertise to deliver the curriculum with sufficient depth
• Information in pupils' EHC plans is not used effectively enough to adapt tasks
• Provision in EHC plans is not reviewed rigorously enough or adapted promptly
• Adaptations to help pupils access the curriculum are less well thought out
• Some pupils do not make as much progress as they should in weaker subjects

In 2024–25 pupils at Holly House Special School attended 75.9% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 52.3% 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, 30.2% of pupils at Holly House Special 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 Holly House Special School had 2.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.0% 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 Holly House Special School had 43 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: social, emotional and mental health.

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 Holly House Special School received £66,716 and spent £61,894 for each of its 43 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £282,000 (£6,567 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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• Secondary Schools

All schools in Chesterfield · Derbyshire local authority: places and applications

What is Holly House Special School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Holly House Special School is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was Holly House Special School last inspected by Ofsted?

Holly House Special School was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does Holly House Special School have?

Holly House Special School has 43 pupils on roll.

What age range does Holly House Special School cover?

Holly House Special School for pupils aged 7 to 14.

What are Holly House Special School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 17% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Holly House Special School?

Holly House Special School is at Church Street North, Old Whittington, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S41 9QR.