A.R.T.S. Education, Merseyside
A.R.T.S. Education is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 17 in Merseyside. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
A.R.T.S. Education in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to A.R.T.S. Education are Moss View School (2.2 miles); Hope High School (2.6 miles, Good); Kingsbury Primary Special School (3.2 miles, Outstanding); and West Lancashire Community High School (3.3 miles, Good).
Moss View SchoolHope High SchoolKingsbury Primary Special SchoolWest Lancashire Community High School
What parents say
13 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about A.R.T.S. Education (as of September 2025): 92% would recommend the school, 85% say their child is happy there and 0% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (92%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (0%).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at A.R.T.S. Education has an education, health and care plan (22 of 22 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Rainford Rail Station, about 0.7 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Eden Avenue (adjacent), 50 metres away.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school excels at creating a genuinely caring community where pupils with complex needs feel secure and celebrated. Teachers know their pupils exceptionally well and have designed a personalised curriculum that prepares them for real life - from managing their own prom budget to exploring careers in music, film and healthcare. Most pupils arrive having missed a lot of school elsewhere, and the staff are relentless in rebuilding their confidence and love of learning.
Key Strengths
- Strong sense of belonging with pupils feeling valued and safe in a warm, inclusive community
- Nurturing staff relationships that support pupils' emotional wellbeing and help them manage behaviour effectively
- Well-designed, ambitious curriculum tailored to each pupil's needs with clear focus on reading development
- Effective careers guidance from Year 7 onwards with varied visits to music, film, and NHS settings
- Successful support for pupils with a history of non-attendance, with thorough tracking and positive re-engagement
Areas for Improvement
- Some subject curriculums are not fully developed - teachers lack clarity about exactly what knowledge pupils should learn and in what order
- In a few subjects, teaching activities don't always deliver the intended curriculum effectively
- Need to ensure all teachers have the knowledge and skills to successfully implement all subject curriculums
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with staff responding sensitively to pupils' emotional needs and pupils trusting that support is always available.
Extracurricular Activities
Enterprise activities (school prom planning), careers visits to music industry, film production and NHS, trips and visits linked to spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
A.R.T.S. Education is a special school for pupils aged 11-17 with SEND that has improved significantly from its previous inadequate rating. The school creates a warm, inclusive environment where pupils feel valued and well-supported.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
13 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with A.R.T.S. Education
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in St. Helens is 11.5 (the median across 80 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
55%
Available places
22 pupils
40 places
18 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Merseyside
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Merseyside
Across St. Helens council
Places available
2,109
Applications
1,849
Got 1st preference
93.3%
Got preferred school
98.4%
All secondary applications across St. Helens council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
22
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
A.R.T.S. Education is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
22
Total Pupils
9
Boys
13
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about A.R.T.S. Education
What are GCSE results like at A.R.T.S. Education?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for A.R.T.S. Education can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is A.R.T.S. Education's Ofsted rating?
A.R.T.S. Education was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2025.
Does A.R.T.S. Education meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in February 2025, A.R.T.S. Education met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to A.R.T.S. Education?
A.R.T.S. Education has around 22 pupils on roll.
Does A.R.T.S. Education have specialist SEN provision?
A.R.T.S. Education is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to A.R.T.S. Education?
A.R.T.S. Education is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near A.R.T.S. Education?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in St. Helens is 11.5 (the median across 80 schools, same distance and years).
Where is A.R.T.S. Education?
A.R.T.S. Education is at 167a Ormskirk Road, Rainford, Merseyside, WA11 8HR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)