Blue Mountain Education, Cossall
Blue Mountain Education is a special school for pupils aged 8 to 18 in Cossall. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2024. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in September 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Blue Mountain Education in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Blue Mountain Education are Bennerley Fields School (0.7 miles, Good); Progression 2 Work (2.4 miles, Requires improvement); Willowfield Academy (3 miles, Good); and Jasmine House School (3.2 miles, Good).
Bennerley Fields SchoolProgression 2 WorkWillowfield AcademyJasmine House School
Who goes there
In 2026, 2 pupils (22.2%) received SEN support and 7 (77.8%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ilkeston Rail Station, about 430 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
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 September 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Blue Mountain Education demonstrates strong commitment to health and safety with well-developed policies and high staff-to-pupil ratios ensuring close supervision. The school provides thoughtful facilities including a sensory room for emotional regulation and has robust recruitment procedures to ensure staff suitability. Staff receive specific training on safeguarding vulnerable pupils with SEND.
Key Strengths
- Well-considered health and safety and risk assessment policies in place with regular staff review and adaptation
- High staff-to-pupil ratio allows close supervision throughout the school day
- Suitable premises with appropriate outdoor spaces, sensory room, and medical facilities at new sites
- Robust recruitment and vetting procedures with electronic single central record meeting all requirements
- Staff receive safeguarding training including specific knowledge about vulnerable pupils with SEND
Areas for Improvement
- Only one designated safeguarding lead (DSL) with no deputies - insufficient for overseeing safeguarding across multiple sites
- Proprietor has not fully considered how safeguarding systems will meet needs at each site
- Not enough staff trained to manage safeguarding responsibilities across expanded provision
- Leadership has not adequately planned how pupils' well-being will be supported at new sites
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are not effective for the proposed expansion - the school lacks sufficient trained staff and deputy DSLs to maintain oversight of safeguarding duties across multiple sites, potentially putting pupils at risk.
Blue Mountain Education is an independent special school for pupils aged 8-18 with social emotional and behaviour needs, autism, and ADHD. The inspection found the school is unlikely to meet independent school standards if its proposed expansion to two additional sites is approved.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Blue Mountain Education
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 6 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
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 Nottinghamshire is 10 (the median across 370 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
60%
Available places
9 pupils
15 places
6 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Cossall
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Cossall
Across Nottinghamshire council
Places available
9,842
Applications
9,200
Got 1st preference
92.5%
Got preferred school
98.5%
All secondary applications across Nottinghamshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
2
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Blue Mountain Education 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
9
Total Pupils
3
Boys
6
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Blue Mountain Education
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Blue Mountain Education
What is Blue Mountain Education's Ofsted rating?
Blue Mountain Education's most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2024, it was rated Good.
Does Blue Mountain Education meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in December 2024, Blue Mountain Education met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Blue Mountain Education?
Blue Mountain Education has around 9 pupils on roll.
Does Blue Mountain Education have specialist SEN provision?
Blue Mountain Education is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Blue Mountain Education?
Blue Mountain Education 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 Blue Mountain Education?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 6 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 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 Nottinghamshire is 10 (the median across 370 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Blue Mountain Education?
Blue Mountain Education is at Willow Farm, Off Newton Lane, Cossall, Nottinghamshire, NG16 2SD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)