Blackmarston School, Hereford
Blackmarston School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Hereford, part of Accordia Academies Trust.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Blackmarston School in detail
Blackmarston School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "A ballot is held involving ALL pupils across the school and those with the highest number of votes awarded badges of office. The project for 2021-2022 was to design and develop our new school library. The Student Council were in charge of choosing the furniture, colours and selecting images to be painted into a mural for the wall."
Coming up: an open day on Tuesday 5 January 2027, an open day on Monday 11 January 2027, an open day on Monday 18 January 2027 and an open day on Monday 25 January 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Herefordshire, County of
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Blackmarston School are Pathway Schools Limited (1.3 miles); Barrs Court School (1.6 miles, Outstanding); The Brookfield School (1.8 miles); and G.E.M Hereford (1.9 miles, Good).
Pathway Schools LimitedBarrs Court SchoolThe Brookfield SchoolG.E.M Hereford
The trust
Blackmarston School is one of 3 schools run by Accordia Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
45.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 17.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Blackmarston School has an education, health and care plan (105 of 105 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Blackmarston School has a SEN unit for autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 99 places, 99 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hereford Rail Station, about 1.6 miles away in a straight line.
16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Frome Avenue (opposite), 160 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Blackmarston 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 221 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Herefordshire, County of (4), 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
Blackmarston School has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in March 2025. Before that, as Blackmarston School (URN 117052), it was rated Good in September 2013.
At a Glance
45.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Autism, SLD, PMLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Blackmarston School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Blackmarston School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Blackmarston School is in Herefordshire, County of; for families living there:
- Herefordshire, County of's school travel policy: School transport policy
- How to apply: Apply for school transport
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 19
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 16 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 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 Herefordshire, County of is 2 (the median across 115 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
106%
Over capacity
105 pupils
99 places
6 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Hereford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Hereford
Across Herefordshire, County of council
Places available
1,920
Applications
1,685
Got 1st preference
91.9%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All secondary applications across Herefordshire, County of council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
105
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Blackmarston School has a SEN unit for autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 99 places, 99 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
105
Total Pupils
68
Boys
37
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
6.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,006
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.9%
Overall absence
21.3%
Persistent absence
80
Enrolments
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Blackmarston School
Questions parents ask about Blackmarston School
What is Blackmarston School's Ofsted rating?
Blackmarston School has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in March 2025. Before that, as Blackmarston School (URN 117052), it was rated Good in September 2013.
What is the catchment area for Blackmarston School?
No fixed boundary. When Blackmarston School is oversubscribed, Herefordshire, County of allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Blackmarston School?
Blackmarston School has around 105 pupils on roll. 46% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Blackmarston School have specialist SEN provision?
Blackmarston School has a SEN unit for autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 99 places, 99 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Blackmarston School?
5.9% of sessions were missed at Blackmarston School in 2024/25. 21.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Blackmarston School?
Apply through Herefordshire, County of's coordinated admissions process, naming Blackmarston 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.
How many road collisions happen near Blackmarston School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 16 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 Herefordshire, County of is 2 (the median across 115 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Blackmarston School?
Blackmarston School is at Honddu Close, Hereford, Herefordshire, HR2 7NX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)