Belmont School, Cheltenham
Belmont School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 16 in Cheltenham, part of Sand Academies Trust.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Belmont School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Belmont School are Bettridge School (under 0.1 miles, Good); Battledown School (2.1 miles, Good); Lift Crescent View (2.4 miles, Good); and National Star College (2.7 miles, Good).
Bettridge SchoolBattledown SchoolLift Crescent ViewNational Star College
The trust
Belmont School is one of 8 schools run by Sand Academies Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
163 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Belmont School (as of September 2025): 99% would recommend the school, 95% say their child is happy there and 83% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (99%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (83%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 23 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 78% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 74% to a further education college.
Who goes there
40.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 7.2% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (78%), Mixed (7%) and Asian (6%).
Almost every pupil at Belmont School has an education, health and care plan (181 of 181 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Belmont School provides for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Cheltenham Spa Rail Station, about 1080 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bournside School (outside), 180 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Belmont 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
In 2024/25, Belmont School issued 6 suspensions, 3.3 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; 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
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Belmont School has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in July 2020. Before that, as Belmont School (URN 131549), it was rated Outstanding in October 2014.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Belmont School excels at helping every pupil succeed academically and personally. Teachers know each child incredibly well and adapt their teaching so that pupils can learn at just the right level for them - from learning to read to managing complex maths. The school also provides an amazing range of activities like circus skills, dog grooming, skiing and performances, ensuring pupils develop into confident, well-rounded young people ready for adult life.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional pupil behaviour and strong, caring relationships between staff and pupils that support confident learning
- Highly personalised curriculum and teaching that is skilfully adapted to meet individual learning needs
- Remarkable breadth of enrichment opportunities including sporting, cultural and craft activities that shape pupils' characters
- Expert identification of communication needs and excellent teaching of communication skills
- Strong preparation for adulthood through guidance on next steps, qualifications, and visits to colleges and employers
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Circus skills, dog grooming, animal care, skiing, school choir performances, student parliament, visits to supermarkets and local colleges, visits to London to see Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace
Belmont School is a special school that has maintained its outstanding standards since the previous inspection in 2018. The school places the social, emotional, physical and academic needs of each pupil at the heart of everything it does.
At a Glance
40.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
MLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
163 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Writing has declined from 6% to 0% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Belmont School
Before and after school care
Belmont 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 Belmont School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Belmont 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
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 5 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
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
99%
Near capacity
181 pupils
183 places
2 spare places
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
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
181
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Belmont School provides for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
181
Total Pupils
131
Boys
50
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
27
Teachers
6.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,462
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.3%
Overall absence
20.2%
Persistent absence
183
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Belmont School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Belmont School
What are SATs results like at Belmont School?
Of the pupils at Belmont School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Belmont School's Ofsted rating?
Belmont School has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in July 2020. Before that, as Belmont School (URN 131549), it was rated Outstanding in October 2014.
What is the catchment area for Belmont School?
No fixed boundary. When Belmont School is oversubscribed, Gloucestershire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Belmont School?
Belmont School has around 181 pupils on roll. 40% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Belmont School have specialist SEN provision?
Belmont School provides for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Belmont School?
8.3% of sessions were missed at Belmont School in 2024/25. 20.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Belmont School?
Apply through Gloucestershire's coordinated admissions process, naming Belmont 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 Belmont School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Belmont 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 Belmont School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 5 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 Belmont School?
Belmont School is at Warden Hill Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL51 3AT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)