Agricultural and Rural Centre, Stockport

Special
Other independent special school
Mixed
Ages 1117

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Ceri Smith
Pupils:15 / 30 capacity
LA:Stockport
Phone:07468495271
Website:arc-cic.uk
Address:5 Quarry Road, Romiley, Stockport, SK6 4BA
Status:open
Opened:27 September 2024

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 6 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Strong Standard
Leadership
Expected Standard
Inspected 24 March 2026View full report
URN:150941
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Hazel Grove
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

The school excels at welcoming vulnerable pupils who have experienced disrupted education and helping them rebuild confidence and trust in learning. The farm setting is central to the school's success, providing calm routines and practical learning opportunities that give pupils a genuine sense of purpose. Staff are deeply committed to the school's ethos and provide individualised support that helps pupils develop emotional resilience, improve attendance and progress well from their starting points.

Key Strengths

  • Exceptional inclusion culture where every pupil is known well and their individual needs are quickly identified and met
  • Farm and animal-based activities that help pupils feel calm, develop responsibility and rebuild self-esteem
  • Highly trained staff who receive tailored professional development matched to pupils' complex needs
  • Strong attendance improvements through careful tracking and family partnership
  • Consistent behaviour management approaches that help pupils regulate emotions and feel safe

Areas for Improvement

  • Teaching does not always build securely on prior knowledge, particularly in some non-core subjects
  • Pupils sometimes struggle to retain content in personal, social and health education lessons
  • More consistency needed in practice across different subjects to ensure all pupils have sufficient time to practise before moving on

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified and managed, making pupils safer and helping them feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Farm and animal care, horticultural and agricultural studies pathway, school council, creative cultural experiences (Chinese New Year celebrations), group projects, games and team activities, outdoor learning, careers guidance with practical experiences in horticulture and animal care

Agricultural and Rural Centre is a specialist school for pupils with education, health and care plans, many of whom arrive with significant gaps in learning and experiences of trauma. The school creates a deeply inclusive, nurturing environment where pupils rebuild confidence and make positive progress through its distinctive farm-based learning approach.

At a Glance

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

0.0

Avg class size

0

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Romiley Rail Station (Entrance)
408m · 7 min walk

Bus Stops

Green Lane (opp)
150m · 2 min walk
Duke of York (nr)
154m · 3 min walk
Peak Bank (nr)
289m · 5 min walk
Underhill (S-bound)
293m · 5 min walk
Cow & Calf (o/s)
368m · 6 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

50%

Available places

15 pupils

30 capacity

15 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Stockport

Low pressure
New homes approved:2,446
Projected new pupils:440

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Stockport

Admissions Demand - Stockport

Low demand1.03x oversubscription

Places available

3,392

Applications

3,486

Got 1st preference

76.2%

Got preferred school

94.2%

Secondary admissions across Stockport (2025/26)

Inspection History(2)

24 March 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
31 July 2024

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SEN Provision

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Pupil Demographics

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Feeder Primary Schools

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