Forest Way School

Forest Way School demonstrates a strong overall performance, providing a supportive environment where pupils with special educational needs thrive. The leadership team has effectively established a high standard of education, ensuring that pupils are well-prepared for their next steps in life. The school has a comprehensive curriculum that promotes both academic and personal growth, encouraging pupils to achieve substantial progress from their individual starting points. Notably, the school fosters a positive attitude toward attendance and behaviour, creating a calm and respectful atmosphere for learning.

Strengths

• Strong curricular support for academic and personal achievement
• High levels of attendance and positive behaviour among pupils
• Effective inclusion practices that meet diverse needs
• Robust leadership with clear strategies for ongoing improvement
• Highly effective teaching with secure subject knowledge
• Extensive personal development programs tailored to students' needs
• Well-designed post-16 provision preparing students for future success

In 2024–25 pupils at Forest Way School attended 92.4% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 22.4% 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 Forest Way 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 Forest Way School had 8.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.6% 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 Forest Way School had 293 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

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 2023–24 Forest Way School received £23,337 and spent £20,743 for each of its 276 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,499,000 (£5,431 per pupil).

Across all 3 schools of Open Thinking Partnership, income was £25,055 and spending £23,180 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Coalville · Leicestershire local authority: places and applications

Forest Way School is part of Open Thinking Partnership, which runs 3 schools. The nearest others:

• The Fusion Academy Leicester
• Dorothy Goodman School Hinckley Hinckley

What is Forest Way School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Forest Way School is Strong standard, from an inspection in May 2026.

When was Forest Way School last inspected by Ofsted?

Forest Way School was last inspected in May 2026.

How many pupils does Forest Way School have?

Forest Way School has 293 pupils on roll.

What age range does Forest Way School cover?

Forest Way School for pupils aged 3 to 19.

What are Forest Way School's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Forest Way School?

Forest Way School is at Warren Hills Road, Coalville, Leicestershire, LE67 4UU.