Abbey School, Rotherham
Abbey School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 19 in Rotherham, part of Nexus Multi Academy Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2019)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Abbey School in detail
Abbey School in its own words
In its own words: "We take great pleasure in introducing our school to you. We are lucky enough to have very special young people that come to Abbey, all of whom have an Education Health Care Plan."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Abbey School are Kelford School (0.8 miles, Good); Lotus Academy (2.5 miles); ROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGE (2.9 miles, Good); and Woolley Wood School (3.3 miles, Good).
Kelford SchoolLotus AcademyROTHERHAM OPPORTUNITIES COLLEGEWoolley Wood School
The trust
Abbey School is one of 23 schools run by Nexus Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
28 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Abbey School (as of September 2025): 96% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that pupils behave well (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 24 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 92% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 38% to a further education college.
Who goes there
54.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 8.8% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Abbey School has an education, health and care plan (238 of 238 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Magna, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Abbey School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
Abbey School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from May 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Abbey School excels at understanding each pupil's individual needs and tailoring education to help them succeed. The school places exceptional emphasis on communication, reading, and developing real-world skills that prepare pupils for employment and further education. Staff genuinely care for every child, creating a supportive environment where pupils love coming to school and behave extremely well.
Key Strengths
- Pupils achieve well regardless of starting points, with staff carefully checking learning and knowing exactly what each pupil needs next
- Exceptional focus on reading fluency with highly trained staff providing targeted support and daily phonics sessions
- Outstanding personal development woven through everything the school does, including leadership opportunities and community engagement
- Pupils develop strong employability and independence skills through real-life learning environments and 'Steam Street' jobs programme
- Excellent safeguarding and pastoral care with strong family relationships and regular attendance monitoring
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Netball, cricket, dance festivals, school trips, pupils' parliament, Abbey's Man Club, Girl Power Days, leadership programmes, sports opportunities, community visits to shops/libraries/museums, charity support
Abbey School is an exceptional special school that has maintained outstanding standards since its previous inspection in 2019. The school provides high-quality education for pupils with moderate learning difficulties, autism, and attachment difficulties, with staff who deeply care for each pupil's development.
At a Glance
54.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
28 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Abbey School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Abbey School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Abbey School is in Rotherham; for families living there:
Apply to Rotherham for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 5 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 Rotherham is 13 (the median across 128 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
116%
Over capacity
238 pupils
205 places
33 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Rotherham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Rotherham
Across Rotherham council
Places available
3,667
Applications
2,933
Got 1st preference
92.4%
Got preferred school
97.3%
All secondary applications across Rotherham council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
238
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
238
Total Pupils
163
Boys
75
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
32
Teachers
7.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,184
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.7%
Overall absence
23.4%
Persistent absence
209
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Abbey School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Abbey School
What are GCSE results like at Abbey School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Abbey School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 6.6. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Abbey School's Ofsted rating?
Abbey School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2019, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Abbey School?
No fixed boundary. When Abbey School is oversubscribed, Rotherham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Abbey School?
Abbey School has around 238 pupils on roll. 54% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Abbey School?
7.7% of sessions were missed at Abbey School in 2024/25. 23.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Abbey School?
Apply through Rotherham's coordinated admissions process, naming Abbey School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Abbey School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 5 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Rotherham is 13 (the median across 128 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Abbey School?
Abbey School is at Little Common Lane, Kimberworth, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S61 2RA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)