Alfriston School, Beaconsfield

Special
Academy special converter
Girls
Ages 1118
Boarding school

Data last updated 12 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Claire Smart
Pupils:164 / 150 capacity
LA:Buckinghamshire
Phone:01494673740
Address:Penn Road, Knotty Green, Beaconsfield, HP9 2TS
Trust:ALFRISTON SCHOOL
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 March 2012

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 8 months ago

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

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Expected Standard
Leadership
Expected Standard
Sixth Form
Expected Standard
Inspected 13 January 2026View full report
URN:137934
UKPRN:10036322
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Chesham and Amersham
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Alfriston School excels at creating a calm, inclusive environment where pupils feel they belong and are confident to be themselves. Staff build strong relationships with families which helps pupils attend regularly and develop positive behavior and attitudes to learning. The school provides excellent preparation for life beyond school through travel training, independent living skills, work experience, and college placements.

Key Strengths

  • Strong safeguarding culture with effective pastoral support and positive relationships between staff and pupils
  • Well-designed curriculum with enrichment opportunities including Duke of Edinburgh's Award, work experience, and community activities
  • Excellent behavior and attendance support through positive relationships with families and well-embedded routines
  • Effective transition planning and careers guidance preparing students well for post-16 life

Areas for Improvement

  • Teaching quality is inconsistent across subjects - staff do not routinely check pupils' understanding or adapt teaching to meet individual needs effectively
  • Early reading instruction needs significant improvement as pupils struggling with reading fall behind in other curriculum areas
  • Leaders have not identified the most effective support for early readers, limiting their academic progress
  • Academic progress is inconsistent across subjects and the proportion of pupils achieving formal examination success has declined

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met with an open, positive culture where safety is everyone's responsibility and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, nationwide singing event, sports captaincy roles, school council representation, peace garden, Black History events, disability awareness activities, work experience in coffee shops and care homes, martial arts, dance, fitness, college courses

Alfriston School is a special school where pupils feel safe and supported within a nurturing environment with strong pastoral care and wellbeing focus. However, the school needs to improve teaching consistency and early reading support to help pupils make stronger academic progress.

At a Glance

31.7%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty

SEN Provision

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

0.0

Avg class size

0

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Alfriston School
77m · 1 min walk
The Red Lion PH (opp)
386m · 6 min walk
Knottocks Drive H&R
562m · 9 min walk
Forty Green Road H&R
605m · 10 min walk
Seeleys Road N H&R
822m · 13 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

109%

Over capacity

164 pupils

150 capacity

14 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Beaconsfield

High pressure
New homes approved:433
Projected new pupils:78

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Beaconsfield

Admissions Demand - Buckinghamshire

Low demand0.95x oversubscription

Places available

6,842

Applications

6,518

Got 1st preference

77.3%

Got preferred school

94.3%

Secondary admissions across Buckinghamshire (2025/26)

Inspection History(5)

13 January 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Sixth Form
19 September 2023
11 January 2018

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

11.92222%

Overall absence

32.77311%

Persistent absence

119

Enrolments

Authorised9.2902%
Unauthorised2.63202%
Persistent (10%+)32.77311%
Severe (50%+)3.36134%

Absence trend

11.07285%
18/19
5.56454%
20/21
9.05732%
21/22
10.22965%
22/23
12.38534%
23/24
11.92222%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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