Unified Academy

Unified Academy is a special school for boys aged 9 to 16, all of whom have an education, health and care plan and special educational needs and/or disabilities, many with social, emotional and mental health difficulties. It is part of Orchard Hill College Academy Trust. The July 2025 inspection graded the quality of education and behaviour and attitudes as requiring improvement, while personal development and leadership and management were good. Safeguarding is effective. Pupils are proud of their school, feel safe and benefit from a strong culture of belonging and inclusion, calm behaviour around the school, and supportive relationships with staff. The curriculum has been developed since the previous inspection and is broad, ambitious and well structured, with a strong reading focus, a high priority on personal development and a strong careers offer. The trust provides strong support, and leaders are determined to ensure pupils leave with the qualifications they need. However, some pupils remain persistently absent, and this contributes to gaps in their learning. Staff do not consistently use assessment systems to identify these gaps, individual targets are not always precise enough, and staff do not always check that pupils have secured intended knowledge before moving on. As a result, pupils do not consistently learn as well as they should. Leaders have a clear vision and staff share it. Staff subject knowledge is strong and relationships with pupils are a fundamental strength. The main improvement priorities are to embed strategies that improve attendance, ensure staff identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge, and help staff precisely identify the support individual pupils need.

Strengths

• Strong culture of belonging and inclusion that develops pupils’ self-esteem and confidence
• Pupils feel safe and behaviour around the school is generally calm and positive
• Tailored support helps pupils regulate emotions and make fresh starts after difficulties
• Broad, ambitious and well-structured curriculum with a range of qualifications
• Strong focus on reading across the curriculum
• High priority on personal development, health and safety
• Strong careers offer that helps pupils identify post-16 next steps
• Effective safeguarding arrangements and a strong culture of care
• Strong trust support with rigorous processes to identify improvement needs
• Staff build strong relationships and have a robust understanding of pupils’ specific needs
• Staff have strong subject knowledge and share leaders’ clear vision

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils remain persistently absent despite the school’s attendance work
• Staff do not consistently use assessment systems to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge
• Pupils’ individual targets are sometimes not precise enough to secure the support they need
• Staff do not always check that pupils have secured intended knowledge before moving on
• Curriculum implementation is not yet consistently in line with leaders’ expectations
• The reading support system for younger pupils is still developing

In 2024–25 pupils at Unified Academy attended 59.2% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 85.2% 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, 42.2% of pupils at Unified Academy 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 Unified Academy had 6.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.6% 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 Unified Academy had 82 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 Unified Academy received £38,903 and spent £38,432 for each of its 84 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £109,000 (£1,295 per pupil).

Across all 12 schools of Orchard Hill College Academy Trust, income was £39,932 and spending £38,950 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 Dorking · Surrey local authority: places and applications

Unified Academy is part of Orchard Hill College Academy Trust, which runs 12 schools. The nearest others:

• St Philip's School Chessington
• Dysart School Surbiton
• Bedelsford School Kingston Upon Thames
• Carew Academy Wallington
• The Link School Croydon
• Brantridge School Haywards Heath
• St Dominic's School Godalming
• Addington Valley Academy Croydon
• Nightingale Community Academy London
• The PRIDE Academy West Drayton

What is Unified Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Unified Academy is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in September 2025.

When was Unified Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Unified Academy was last inspected in September 2025.

How many pupils does Unified Academy have?

Unified Academy has 82 pupils on roll.

What age range does Unified Academy cover?

Unified Academy for pupils aged 9 to 16.

Where is Unified Academy?

Unified Academy is at Chart Lane South, Dorking, RH5 4DB.