The Ridgeway School
The Ridgeway School is an academy special converter in Farnham for pupils aged 2 to 19. It has 113 pupils on roll.
| Type | Special School / Academy special converter |
| Age Range | 2-19 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | 14 Frensham Road Farnham Surrey GU9 8HB |
| Phone | 01252724562 |
| Reference Number | 141843 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 113 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 62.83%
Girls: 37.17% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 42.7% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 8% |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 2 | 8 |
| 2 | 9 | 6 | 15 |
| 3 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 4 | 6 | Unknown | 6 |
| 5 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 7 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 8 | 9 | 2 | 11 |
| 9 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 10 | 9 | 3 | 12 |
| 11 | 8 | 1 | 9 |
| 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 13 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 76.1% |
| White, Other | 5.3% |
| Indian | 2.7% |
| African | 2.7% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 1.8% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.8% |
| Mixed, Other | 1.8% |
| Pakistani | 1.8% |
| Asian, Other | 1.8% |
| White & Asian | 0.9% |
| Unclassified | 0.9% |
| Caribbean | 0.9% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | |
| Last Report Date | 03 Jun 2025 – no overall grade published for this inspection |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 03 Jun 2025 | School inspection |
| 04 Feb 2020 | School inspection |
| 06 Apr 2017 | Academy conversion letter |
| 05 Jun 2013 | Full inspection: |
| Previously as The Ridgeway Community School | |
| 16 Sep 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 04 Dec 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 28 Jan 2002 | Full inspection |
Ofsted Parent View
The latest published parent view scores are from 2018. Ofsted only publish scores if there have been more than 10 responses to the survey.
| Strongly Agree | Agree | Disagree | Strongly Disagree | Don't Know | Total Responses | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. My child is happy at this school | 37 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 62 |
| 2. My child feels safe at this school | 31 | 28 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 62 |
| 3. My child makes good progress at this school | 28 | 24 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 62 |
| 4. My child is well looked after at this school | 32 | 20 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 62 |
| 5. My child is taught well at this school | 20 | 31 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 62 |
| 6. My child receives appropriate homework for their age | 16 | 36 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 62 |
| 7. This school makes sure its pupils are well behaved | 25 | 26 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 62 |
| 8. This school deals effectively with bullying | 19 | 19 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 62 |
| 9. This school is well led and managed | 28 | 23 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 62 |
| 10. This school responds well to any concerns I raise | 25 | 16 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 62 |
| 11. I receive valuable information from the school about my child’s progress | 32 | 20 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 62 |
| 12. Would you recommend this school to another parent? | 52 | 10 |
In 2024–25 pupils at The Ridgeway School attended 89.0% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 33.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 8.1% | 7.8% | 20.2% | 10.3% | 9.8% | 9.8% | 10.4% |
| Unauthorised absence | 1.7% | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Severely absent pupils | 3.5% | 2.1% | 5.6% | 2.3% | 5.1% | 6.0% | 4.4% |
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, 0.9% of pupils at The Ridgeway School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.9 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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 The Ridgeway School had 6.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 1.6 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 13.8% | 10.0% | 0.0% | 5.7% | 0.0% | 22.6% | 5.6% | 10.7% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 73.3% | 57.9% | – | 63.2% | 89.5% | 63.6% | 75.0% | 61.9% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 6.0 | 1.7 | – | 4.7 | 5.3 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 2.4 | – |
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 The Ridgeway School had 113 pupils, 98.2% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).
It says it provides for: severe learning difficulty.
Pupils by main type of need
| EHC plan | |
|---|---|
| Severe learning difficulty | 62 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 29 |
| Profound and multiple learning difficulty | 8 |
| Speech, language and communication needs | 6 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 4 |
| Down's syndrome | 2 |
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 2024–25 The Ridgeway School received £34,616 and spent £32,347 for each of its 114 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £444,000 (£3,894 per pupil).
Across all 16 schools of Weydon Multi Academy Trust, income was £8,210 and spending £8,089 per pupil.
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £421,000 | £208,000 | £321,000 | £347,000 | £483,000 | £502,000 | £444,000 |
| per pupil | £3,991 | £1,937 | £2,903 | £3,187 | £4,473 | £4,559 | £3,894 |
| In-year balance | £95,000 | £39,000 | £264,000 | £221,000 | £961,000 | £73,000 | £259,000 |
| per pupil | £901 | £367 | £2,392 | £2,028 | £8,896 | £668 | £2,269 |
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.
| Name | Distance |
|
Highfield South Farnham School
Weydon Lane, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 8QH |
0.53 miles |
|
South Farnham School
Menin Way, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 8DY |
0.67 miles |
|
St Polycarp's Catholic Primary School
Waverley Lane, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 8BQ |
0.71 miles |
|
St Peter's CofE Primary School
Little Green Lane, Wrecclesham, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 8TF |
0.85 miles |
|
St Andrew's Church of England Infant School
Upper Church Lane, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7PW |
0.88 miles |
|
Potters Gate CofE Primary School
Potters Gate, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7BB |
1 miles |
|
Edgeborough School
84 Frensham Road, Farnham, GU10 3AH |
1.3 miles |
|
Barfield Prep School
|
1.91 miles |
|
Rowledge Church of England Controlled Primary School
School Road, Rowledge, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 4BW |
1.96 miles |
|
Folly Hill Infant Academy
Coniston Drive, Folly Hill, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 0DB |
2.08 miles |
|
Waverley Abbey CofE Junior School
The Street, Tilford, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 2AE |
2.1 miles |
|
William Cobbett Primary School
Weybourne Road, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 9ER |
2.19 miles |
|
All Saints CofE Aided Infant School
Tilford Road, Tilford, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 2DA |
2.22 miles |
|
Hale Nursery & Primary Academy
Upper Hale, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 0LR |
2.35 miles |
|
Badshot Lea Village Infant School
Badshot Lea Road, Badshot Lea, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 9LE |
2.4 miles |
|
St Mary's CofE Aided Infant School, Frensham
Frensham Road, Frensham, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 3DS |
2.48 miles |
|
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
Bridge Road, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 3DD |
2.94 miles |
|
Park Primary School
Gloucester Road, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 3SL |
2.97 miles |
|
St Michael's Church of England Controlled Infant School
48 Park Road, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 3PU |
3.02 miles |
|
St Michael's Church of England Controlled Junior School
Church Lane East, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 3SS |
3.14 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
The Abbey School
Menin Way, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 8DY |
0.64 miles |
|
Weydon School
Weydon Lane, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 8UG |
0.9 miles |
|
More House School
Moons Hill, Frensham, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 3AP |
1.6 miles |
|
Frensham Heights School
Rowledge, Farnham, GU10 4EA |
1.87 miles |
|
Farnham Heath End
Hale Reeds, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 9BN |
2.1 miles |
|
All Hallows Catholic School
Weybourne Road, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 9HF |
2.41 miles |
|
Inclusion School Aldershot
Beaumont House, Auchinleck Way, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 1WT |
3.3 miles |
|
Alderwood School
Belle Vue Road, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU12 4RZ |
3.88 miles |
|
Ash Manor School
Manor Road, Ash, Surrey, GU12 6QH |
3.89 miles |
|
Pathways Education
Sundial Stables, Sundial House, Jumps Road, Churt, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 2LB |
4.11 miles |
|
St Nicholas' School
Redfields House, Fleet, GU52 0RF |
4.21 miles |
All schools in Farnham · Surrey local authority: places and applications
The Ridgeway School is part of Weydon Multi Academy Trust, which runs 18 schools. The nearest others:
- The Abbey School Farnham
- Weydon School Farnham
- Farnham Heath End Farnham
- William Cobbett Primary School Farnham
- Crondall Primary School Farnham
- St Mark's Church of England Primary School Farnborough
- Beacon Hill Primary School Hindhead
- Rodborough Godalming
- The Sixth Form College Farnborough Farnborough
- Eggar's School Alton
How many pupils does The Ridgeway School have?
The Ridgeway School has 113 pupils on roll.
What age range does The Ridgeway School cover?
The Ridgeway School for pupils aged 2 to 19.
Where is The Ridgeway School?
The Ridgeway School is at 14 Frensham Road, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 8HB.
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