Bluebell School Ltd, Kidsgrove
Bluebell School Ltd is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 19 in Kidsgrove. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2025. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2026 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2025)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Bluebell School Ltd in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Bluebell School Ltd are Church Lawton School (1.6 miles, Good); TILT Education (1.7 miles); Wonder Star School (2.2 miles); and Watermill School (2.3 miles, Good).
Church Lawton SchoolTILT EducationWonder Star SchoolWatermill School
What parents say
35 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Bluebell School Ltd (as of September 2025): 97% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 75% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (75%).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Bluebell School Ltd has an education, health and care plan (137 of 138 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Kidsgrove Rail Station, about 530 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Tesco Store (adjacent), 280 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 154 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Staffordshire (86), 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 · 8 months 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 February 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Bluebell School has invested significantly in providing excellent facilities for pupils with complex needs, including a beautifully renovated new building with sensory-friendly lighting and acoustics. The school prioritises safety through rigorous safeguarding procedures, thorough staff recruitment checks, and well-established health and safety systems. Strong leadership and management ensure high standards are maintained consistently across all areas of school life.
Key Strengths
- Strong safeguarding procedures with well-trained designated leads and regular strategy meetings
- Rigorous safer-recruitment processes with thorough pre-employment checks on all staff
- High-quality new building with excellent facilities designed to meet pupils' sensory and physical needs
- Well-established health and safety systems covering all physical hazards and activities
- Clear leadership and management structures ensuring consistent standards
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective - the school has an up-to-date policy, well-trained designated safeguarding leads, accredited staff training, and clear systems for proprietor oversight including monthly strategy meetings.
Bluebell School Ltd is an independent special school for pupils aged 3-19 with complex needs and social, emotional and mental health needs. The school is likely to meet all relevant independent school standards following its expansion into an additional building.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
35 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Bluebell School Ltd
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 5
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 4 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
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 Staffordshire is 5 (the median across 457 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
83%
Available places
138 pupils
167 places
29 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Kidsgrove
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Kidsgrove
Across Staffordshire council
Places available
8,807
Applications
7,681
Got 1st preference
91.9%
Got preferred school
98.5%
All secondary applications across Staffordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
137
EHC Plans
99.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Bluebell School Ltd 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
138
Total Pupils
105
Boys
33
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Bluebell School Ltd
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Bluebell School Ltd
What are GCSE results like at Bluebell School Ltd?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Bluebell School Ltd can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is Bluebell School Ltd's Ofsted rating?
Bluebell School Ltd's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2026, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2025, it was rated Outstanding.
Does Bluebell School Ltd meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in June 2025, Bluebell School Ltd met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Bluebell School Ltd?
Bluebell School Ltd has around 138 pupils on roll.
Does Bluebell School Ltd have specialist SEN provision?
Bluebell School Ltd is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Bluebell School Ltd?
Bluebell School Ltd 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 Bluebell School Ltd?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 4 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 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 Staffordshire is 5 (the median across 457 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Bluebell School Ltd?
Bluebell School Ltd is at Gloucester Road, Kidsgrove, Kidsgrove, ST7 1EH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)