Aurora Charnwood School, Hinckley
Aurora Charnwood School is a special school for pupils aged 7 to 19 in Hinckley. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Aurora Charnwood School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Aurora Charnwood School are Foxglove School (0.5 miles); Sketchley School (0.9 miles, Good); Dorothy Goodman School Hinckley (0.9 miles, Good); and Dovetree School (1 mile, Good).
Foxglove SchoolSketchley SchoolDorothy Goodman School HinckleyDovetree School
What parents say
11 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Aurora Charnwood School (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 83% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school supports their child's wider development (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (83%).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Aurora Charnwood School has an education, health and care plan (20 of 20 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hinckley Rail Station, about 360 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).
21 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Mary's Road (opposite), 60 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 245 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 Leicestershire (58), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 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 November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school excels at re-engaging young people who have struggled with traditional education. Staff are deeply dedicated to helping each child succeed through personalised support, practical life skills training, and real career preparation. Parents universally recommend the school, valuing how it transforms their children's attitudes towards learning and prepares them for adult life.
Key Strengths
- Transforms lives of pupils who were previously out of education or at risk of exclusion through highly effective pastoral support and caring staff
- Expertly tailored curriculum organised into four pathways that meet diverse individual needs and help pupils achieve qualifications
- Exceptional personal development programme including life skills, careers guidance, work experience and preparation for adulthood
- Strong training and support for staff ensuring they develop expert teaching approaches
- Robust governance with governors and proprietor board providing oversight and driving continuous improvement
Areas for Improvement
- In key stage 3, teachers do not always move pupils on quickly enough when they are ready for more complex tasks, which can slow learning progress
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective and the school maintains a safe, happy environment where all pupils feel secure.
Extracurricular Activities
Gardening projects, charity work, competitive sport, work experience, careers fair, visits to places of worship, preparation for adulthood programme
R.E.A.L. Independent Schools Hinckley is a special school for pupils with SEND that helps young people who have disengaged from education to develop a love for learning. The school received an overall 'Good' rating with 'Outstanding' scores for behaviour, personal development, and leadership.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
11 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Aurora Charnwood School
From Aurora Charnwood School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Aurora Charnwood School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 30
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 30 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 20 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 2 on a bicycle.
7 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 Leicestershire is 3 (the median across 329 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
40%
Available places
20 pupils
50 places
30 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Hinckley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Hinckley
Across Leicestershire council
Places available
8,516
Applications
7,490
Got 1st preference
90.2%
Got preferred school
98.1%
All secondary applications across Leicestershire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
20
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Aurora Charnwood 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
20
Total Pupils
8
Boys
12
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Aurora Charnwood School
Showing 10 of 11 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Aurora Charnwood School
What is Aurora Charnwood School's Ofsted rating?
Aurora Charnwood School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2024.
Does Aurora Charnwood School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in November 2024, Aurora Charnwood School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Aurora Charnwood School?
Aurora Charnwood School has around 20 pupils on roll.
Does Aurora Charnwood School have specialist SEN provision?
Aurora Charnwood School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Aurora Charnwood School?
Aurora Charnwood 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 Aurora Charnwood School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 30 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 20 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 2 on a bicycle. 7 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 Leicestershire is 3 (the median across 329 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Aurora Charnwood School?
Aurora Charnwood School is at 27 Station Road, Hinckley, Hinckley, LE10 1AP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)