Harlow Fields School and College

Harlow Fields School and College is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 19 with a range of complex needs. Inspectors found a caring school where adults treat pupils kindly and where pupils generally feel happy and safe, and behaviour is usually calm. Safeguarding arrangements are effective, and leaders are actively seeking scrutiny and advice while tackling long-standing issues. However, the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision all require improvement. Early years was not graded because no children were enrolled at the time of inspection. The previous inspection grade was good, but this inspection found uneven progress. The main concerns centre on an incomplete curriculum and unclear assessment approach, which make it harder for teachers to plan effectively and check what pupils have learned. Some resources needed for teaching, including early reading materials, are missing, and behaviour management is not applied consistently across the school. Improvement planning lacks clear, measurable targets, and leaders are managing significant staffing and financial pressures that have made improvement more reactive. While some provision is strong, including carefully planned activities for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties and effective physical therapies, these weaknesses limit pupils’ opportunities to build knowledge and skills consistently. There are clear strengths to build on. Staff build respectful relationships with pupils, education, health and care plans are reviewed on time, and the school works well with families and professionals. Pupils on formal and semi-formal pathways are supported to become readers and writers, and by the sixth form some students can understand accessible versions of classical literature. Careers guidance is improving, attendance work is beginning to show positive results, and the school is taking steps to rebuild trust with families. The school now needs to sharpen curriculum and assessment guidance, ensure staff have the resources and expertise they need, strengthen behaviour management, and set clearer improvement targets with timescales.

Strengths

• Adults treat pupils with care and kindness, helping them feel happy and safe
• Pupils can signal likes and dislikes, and adults mostly respond well to their communication
• Behaviour is generally calm, making the school a pleasant place to be
• Pupils enjoy new breaktime equipment such as the nest swing
• Leaders and governors actively seek scrutiny and advice to drive improvement
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with a rigorous approach to training, recording and reporting
• Education, health and care plans are reviewed on time
• Staff collaborate well with professionals, parents and carers to identify needs and decide support
• Physical therapies, including hydrotherapy, are effective in meeting individual pupils’ needs
• Pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties benefit from carefully planned activities informed by external experts
• The school is committed to helping pupils on formal and semi-formal pathways become fluent readers and writers
• Some pupils read confidently, and sixth-form students can understand accessible versions of classical literature
• Careers guidance is improving through meaningful employer engagement
• Attendance measures such as prompt follow-up calls and meetings with families are starting to show positive results
• Personal development includes practical life skills such as cooking and travelling safely

Areas for Improvement

• Some parts of the curriculum are incomplete, making it harder for pupils to learn important ideas
• Curriculum plans lack detail in some areas
• The school’s approach to assessment lacks clarity and a new progress-checking system is still being embedded
• Staff lack resources such as the phonics programme’s required flashcards and decodable books
• Some reading activities, such as guessing words from pictures, do not help pupils practise reading skills
• In the sixth form, students sometimes move between different types of writing without mastering each convention
• Behaviour management training is applied inconsistently across the school
• Staff are sometimes unsure when to record behaviour incidents
• The process for supporting staff during behavioural crises is not fully established
• Transitions and activities do not always help pupils maintain calm behaviour
• Improvement planning does not consistently include objective, measurable targets
• Staffing and financial challenges make improvement planning more reactive
• Some areas of the personal development programme are still in development
• Some families remain frustrated, particularly those advocating for their children’s needs

In 2024–25 pupils at Harlow Fields School and College attended 85.3% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 45.3% 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, 5.1% of pupils at Harlow Fields School and College were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). One pupil was 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 Harlow Fields School and College had 10.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 31.3% 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 Harlow Fields School and College had 213 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: moderate learning difficulty; severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; 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 Harlow Fields School and College received £25,524 and spent £23,995 for each of its 213 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £300,000 (-£1,408 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 Harlow Fields School and College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Harlow Fields School and College is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Harlow Fields School and College last inspected by Ofsted?

Harlow Fields School and College was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Harlow Fields School and College have?

Harlow Fields School and College has 213 pupils on roll.

What age range does Harlow Fields School and College cover?

Harlow Fields School and College for pupils aged 3 to 19.

What are Harlow Fields School and College's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Harlow Fields School and College?

Harlow Fields School and College is at Tendring Road, Harlow, Essex, CM18 6RN.