Chatten Free School

Chatten Free School has demonstrated outstanding performance in multiple areas, including the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. The school effectively caters to students with complex special educational needs, providing a personalized curriculum that restores confidence in education for both pupils and their parents. With a strong emphasis on building trust and understanding among staff and students, pupils make remarkable progress in their communication and personal development, learning essential skills for future challenges.

Strengths

• Outstanding quality of education tailored for pupils with complex needs.
• Strong relationships between pupils, parents, and staff foster a supportive environment.
• Effective behaviour management and routines create a secure learning atmosphere.
• Innovative curriculum promotes independent communication and personal growth.
• Staff are well-trained in supporting pupils' unique communication needs.
• Positive progress tracking helps celebrate small yet significant achievements.

In 2024–25 pupils at Chatten Free School attended 91.6% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 29.4% 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 Chatten Free 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 Chatten Free School had 5.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.1% 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 Chatten Free School had 75 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; social, emotional and mental health; speech, language and communication needs; multi-sensory impairment; autistic spectrum disorder.

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 Chatten Free School received £71,107 and spent £57,453 for each of its 75 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,201,000 (£16,013 per pupil).

Across all 4 schools of Hope Learning Community, income was £25,835 and spending £23,640 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.

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All schools in Braintree · Essex local authority: places and applications

Chatten Free School is part of Hope Learning Community, which runs 4 schools. The nearest others:

• Southview School Witham
• Lexden Springs School Colchester
• Market Field School and College Colchester

What is Chatten Free School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Chatten Free School is Outstanding, from an inspection in May 2024.

When was Chatten Free School last inspected by Ofsted?

Chatten Free School was last inspected in May 2024.

How many pupils does Chatten Free School have?

Chatten Free School has 75 pupils on roll.

What age range does Chatten Free School cover?

Chatten Free School for pupils aged 4 to 19.

What are Chatten Free School's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Chatten Free School?

Chatten Free School is at Rickstones Road, Rivenhall, Essex, CM8 3HH.