Battledown School, Cheltenham
Battledown School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Cheltenham, part of Sand Academies Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Battledown School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Battledown School are Lift Crescent View (0.4 miles, Good); Bettridge School (2.1 miles, Good); Belmont School (2.1 miles); and National Star College (3.7 miles, Good).
Lift Crescent ViewBettridge SchoolBelmont SchoolNational Star College
The trust
Battledown School is one of 8 schools run by Sand Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
56.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 10.9% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (78%) and Mixed (9%).
Almost every pupil at Battledown School has an education, health and care plan (64 of 64 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
Battledown School provides for pupils with visual impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Cheltenham Racecourse (Gloucs Warwicks Railway), about 1.8 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Harp Hill (corner of), 170 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Battledown School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
Battledown School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Battledown Centre for Children and Families is a school where the child is at the heart of every decision that is made. Staff care deeply for the pupils. Relationships between staff and pupils are special. They know and understand each pupil's unique needs. As a result, pupils are happy and safe.
The school has high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils behave well in class and during social times. Pupils are keen to learn and make strong progress from their different starting points. However, the school is aware that, at times as the cohorts change, the academic curriculum is not challenging enough for some pupils.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school's aim to 'remove obstacles and enable learning for all our pupils' shines through. Everything the school does is about helping pupils to realise their potential. Pupils are enthusiastic and eager to do their best. They display positive attitudes towards their learning and strive to overcome the challenges they face. Staff know each pupil exceptionally well. This knowledge enables them to identify and intervene quickly if pupils show signs of anxiety or stress.
The school is ambitious for all pupils to receive a high-quality education. School leaders value the work of the trust that supports them in driving forward identified improvements. This means the curriculum is well planned and bespoke to the needs of the pupil, which is linked closely to their education, health and care plans. For example, in reading and mathematics, planning for how pupils will learn the key vocabulary is clear. Staff revisit previous learning to help the most important knowledge stick in pupils' memory. However, the school knows that for those pupils who are increasingly able to learn a more academic curriculum extra work is needed to ensure these pupils achieve the best outcomes.
From Ofsted's June 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
56.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Vision, Speech and language, Autism +4
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Battledown School
Before and after school care
Battledown School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Gloucestershire
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Battledown School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Battledown School is in Gloucestershire; for families living there:
Apply to Gloucestershire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 12
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 8 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
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 Gloucestershire is 5 (the median across 338 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
98%
Near capacity
64 pupils
65 places
1 spare place
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Cheltenham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Cheltenham
Across Gloucestershire council
Places available
7,977
Applications
6,517
Got 1st preference
86.8%
Got preferred school
97.0%
All secondary applications across Gloucestershire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
64
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Battledown School provides for pupils with visual impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
64
Total Pupils
53
Boys
11
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
4.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,035
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.6%
Overall absence
24.6%
Persistent absence
69
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Battledown School
Questions parents ask about Battledown School
What are SATs results like at Battledown School?
Of the pupils at Battledown School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Battledown School's Ofsted rating?
Battledown School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024.
What is the catchment area for Battledown School?
No fixed boundary. When Battledown School is oversubscribed, Gloucestershire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Battledown School?
Battledown School has around 64 pupils on roll. 56% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Battledown School have specialist SEN provision?
Battledown School provides for pupils with visual impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Battledown School?
7.6% of sessions were missed at Battledown School in 2024/25. 24.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Battledown School?
Apply through Gloucestershire's coordinated admissions process, naming Battledown 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.
Does Battledown School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Battledown School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Battledown School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 8 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 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 Gloucestershire is 5 (the median across 338 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Battledown School?
Battledown School is at Harp Hill, Battledown, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 6PZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)