Chasetown Community School

Chasetown Community School is a special school for pupils aged 7 to 13 who all have education, health and care plans, many for social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Inspectors found the school performing well across the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management, with safeguarding effective. Since the previous inspection, leaders have acted quickly to introduce an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum, raise expectations and improve outcomes for many pupils. Pupils benefit from highly personalised care and strong relationships with staff, which help them feel safe, happy and better able to manage their feelings and behaviour. The school's strengths include a broad and balanced curriculum, clear subject leadership, effective early reading support, improving attendance, useful key stage 3 careers guidance and a wide range of educational visits. Pupils learn to value their education again and understand the importance of inclusion. However, because the curriculum is relatively new, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge that are not always identified and addressed promptly, sometimes leaving them with a superficial understanding. Communication and language support is also inconsistent: instructions are sometimes too complex or unclear, which limits some pupils' ability to learn independently. Leaders recognise that time is now needed to embed the changes fully.

Strengths

• Ambitious, broad and well-sequenced curriculum across subjects
• Rapid improvement since the previous inspection
• Subject leaders have clearly identified the key knowledge pupils should acquire
• Highly personalised care and strong staff-pupil relationships
• Pupils feel safe and happy and are well supported to manage their feelings and behaviour
• Effective early reading support that helps many pupils read fluently
• Regular attendance and fewer pupils persistently absent
• Effective key stage 3 careers guidance linked to the world of work
• Wide range of educational visits that bring learning to life
• Pupils understand inclusion and celebrate differences
• Effective safeguarding arrangements
• Strong partnership working with parents, carers and external agencies

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils' knowledge gaps are not identified and addressed in a timely way
• Some staff do not address gaps, leading to superficial understanding
• Instructions and information are sometimes too complex or unclear
• Communication and language support is not consistent across classes
• Some pupils cannot access learning independently because expectations are not clearly communicated
• The recently introduced curriculum is not yet fully embedded

In 2024–25 pupils at Chasetown Community School attended 84.7% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 38.2% 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 Chasetown Community 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 Chasetown Community School had 8.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 48.4% 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 Chasetown Community School had 81 pupils, 97.5% 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 Chasetown Community School received £29,506 and spent £29,403 for each of its 81 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £103,000 (£1,267 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

All schools in Burntwood · Staffordshire local authority: places and applications

What is Chasetown Community School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Chasetown Community School is Good, from an inspection in July 2025.

When was Chasetown Community School last inspected by Ofsted?

Chasetown Community School was last inspected in July 2025.

How many pupils does Chasetown Community School have?

Chasetown Community School has 81 pupils on roll.

What age range does Chasetown Community School cover?

Chasetown Community School for pupils aged 7 to 13.

What are Chasetown Community School's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Chasetown Community School?

Chasetown Community School is at Church Street, Chasetown, Burntwood, Staffordshire, WS7 3QL.