Loxley Hall School

Loxley Hall School is a special academy for boys aged 11 to 16 who have social, emotional and mental health needs; all pupils have an education, health and care plan and many have been permanently excluded from previous schools. This was its first section 5 inspection, although it had a section 8 inspection in 2023. Inspectors found a strong school where quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management are good, personal development is outstanding, and safeguarding is effective. Leaders, governors and the Manor Hall Trust have driven rapid and positive improvement. Pupils are warmly welcomed and genuinely known, and the school creates a calm, purposeful environment built on understanding and respect. The curriculum is well sequenced and includes practical, vocational and careers-related learning, while safe spaces such as The Loft and the Emotional Support Unit help pupils regulate and reset. Personal development is a particular strength, with pupils learning about healthy relationships, safety, life skills and future pathways. Attendance is steadily improving through close work with families. The main areas for improvement are in some aspects of teaching. In some subjects, staff training on curriculum delivery is still ongoing or not yet in place, and teaching does not always identify or address gaps in pupils’ knowledge or give enough opportunities to consolidate and retain learning. Some pupils with listening and processing difficulties are given too much language or learning that is not broken into manageable parts, which limits their processing time. These issues affect some pupils’ achievement, but the overall picture is of a strong and improving school.

Strengths

• Warm, inclusive culture where pupils feel seen and welcomed
• Curriculum is well sequenced and builds knowledge clearly across subjects
• Strong real-life application of learning, including vocational and practical courses
• Effective support for pupils’ complex social, emotional and mental health needs
• Calm and purposeful environment built on understanding and respectful relationships
• Safe reset spaces such as The Loft and the Emotional Support Unit
• Outstanding personal development, including relationships, safety and life skills
• Careers education from Year 7 with employer partnerships and practical experience
• Attendance is steadily improving through close work with families
• Effective safeguarding arrangements
• Strong trust and governance support has driven rapid positive change

Areas for Improvement

• In some subjects, staff training for curriculum delivery is still ongoing or not in place
• Some teaching does not identify or address gaps in pupils’ knowledge effectively
• Some pupils are not given enough opportunities to consolidate learning and retain it long term
• Some pupils with listening and processing difficulties receive too much language and insufficient processing time
• Teaching is not always broken into manageable parts for pupils with communication needs

In 2024–25 pupils at Loxley Hall School attended 76.6% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 60.3% 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, 6.9% of pupils at Loxley Hall 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 Loxley Hall School had 6.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.3% 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 Loxley Hall School had 105 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 2024–25 Loxley Hall School received £32,124 and spent £30,612 for each of its 101 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £674,000 (£6,675 per pupil).

Across all 13 schools of Manor Hall Academy Trust, income was £31,857 and spending £31,448 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 Uttoxeter · Staffordshire local authority: places and applications

Loxley Hall School is part of Manor Hall Academy Trust, which runs 13 schools. The nearest others:

• Cicely Haughton School Stoke-On-Trent
• Rocklands School Lichfield
• Manor Abbey School Stoke-On-Trent
• Sherbrook Primary School Cannock
• Springfield School Leek
• The Meadows School Leek
• Merryfields School Newcastle
• Shenstone Lodge School Lichfield
• Castlewood School Birmingham
• Adelaide School Crewe

What is Loxley Hall School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Loxley Hall School is Good, from an inspection in September 2025.

When was Loxley Hall School last inspected by Ofsted?

Loxley Hall School was last inspected in September 2025.

How many pupils does Loxley Hall School have?

Loxley Hall School has 105 pupils on roll.

What age range does Loxley Hall School cover?

Loxley Hall School for pupils aged 11 to 16.

Where is Loxley Hall School?

Loxley Hall School is at Stafford Road, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, ST14 8RS.