Arbour House School, Weymouth
Arbour House School is a special school for pupils aged 6 to 18 in Weymouth. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2025.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2025)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Arbour House School in detail
Arbour House School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "“I am proud to be Headteacher of Arbour House because it is a very special school, where staff, pupils, parents and carers work closely together to create a strong, supportive environment for children to develop and make progress. This school community is built on the core values of trust, positive regard, shared learning, and equality."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Arbour House School are Kingfisher School (0.7 miles); Wyvern Academy (1.6 miles, Good); and Westfield Arts College (1.9 miles, Outstanding).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Arbour House School has an education, health and care plan (39 of 39 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Weymouth Rail Station, about 600 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Westerhall (n-bound), 230 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Arbour House School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 405 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Dorset (25), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year 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 June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Arbour House has the highest expectations for all pupils and helps them thrive both socially and academically. The school uses creative teaching methods and community-based learning to develop essential life skills, while its staff have expert knowledge of each pupil's individual needs. Pupils enjoy coming to school and benefit from a calm, respectful environment where achievements are celebrated.
Key Strengths
- Broad and rich curriculum with precise identification of what pupils need to learn next
- Expert teachers who adapt approaches to meet individual needs and manage friendships effectively
- Strong personal development programme with meaningful community experiences, visits and trips
- Ambitious careers programme preparing pupils for diverse post-16 pathways
- High-quality professional development for staff creating a culture of support and aspiration
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff vigilant in providing multiple ways for pupils to communicate worries and concerns.
Extracurricular Activities
Community garden work, charity fundraising, sailing, work experience opportunities, visits to post-16 colleges and careers fairs, weekly library visits
Arbour House School is an independent special school for pupils aged 6-18 with complex needs, primarily autism spectrum disorder and learning difficulties. The school has been rated Outstanding across all areas.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 3 nearby schools
Latest from Arbour House School
A little paint, a lot of pride!
16 Sep 2026
Celebrating Friendship and Connection at Focus Support, Newbury
14 Sep 2026
Making a Real Difference in Our Community
9 Sep 2026
Chester Pride 2026!
17 Aug 2026
Celebrating One Year of Independence and Happiness
13 Aug 2026
Gwyliau Cyntaf Rhys mewn Dros 10 Mlynedd - Cyflawniad Arbennig Iawn
11 Aug 2026
From Arbour House School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Arbour House School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 27
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 7
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 27 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 20 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
2 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 Dorset is 3 (the median across 184 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
65%
Available places
39 pupils
60 places
21 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Weymouth
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Weymouth
Across Dorset council
Places available
2,797
Applications
2,105
Got 1st preference
97.9%
Got preferred school
99.0%
All secondary applications across Dorset council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
39
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Arbour House School 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
39
Total Pupils
28
Boys
11
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Arbour House School
What is Arbour House School's Ofsted rating?
Arbour House School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2025.
Does Arbour House School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in June 2025, Arbour House School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Arbour House School?
Arbour House School has around 39 pupils on roll.
Does Arbour House School have specialist SEN provision?
Arbour House School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Arbour House School?
Arbour House School 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 Arbour House School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 27 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 20 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 2 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 Dorset is 3 (the median across 184 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Arbour House School?
Arbour House School is at 15-17 Glendinning Avenue, Weymouth, Weymouth, DT4 7QF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)