Breakspeare School, Abbots Langley
Breakspeare School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in Abbots Langley. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Breakspeare School in detail
Breakspeare School in its own words
In its own words: "Some students have additional needs such as visual impairment, hearing or sensory impairment or a physical disability. A minority have complex medical needs, including a few life threatening conditions requiring a minimum of full time one-to-one staff to meet their needs. A growing population of pupils are on the autistic spectrum disorder."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Breakspeare School are Garston Manor School (1.4 miles, Good); Seva Education St Albans (2.9 miles); Woodfield School (3 miles, Outstanding); and Nisai Virtual Academy Ltd (3.3 miles).
Garston Manor SchoolSeva Education St AlbansWoodfield SchoolNisai Virtual Academy Ltd
What parents say
19 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Breakspeare School (as of September 2025): 74% would recommend the school, 79% say their child is happy there and 0% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school supports their child's wider development (79%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (0%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 7 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
40.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 19.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Breakspeare School has an education, health and care plan (157 of 157 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
Breakspeare School has a SEN unit for autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 153 places, 159 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Kings Langley Rail Station, about 1160 metres away (roughly a 15-minute walk).
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Pope's Road (near), 60 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Breakspeare 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, Breakspeare School issued 3 suspensions, 2.2 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 agoThis judgement is from February 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils receive exceptional care. They trust that any discomfort or unease will be swiftly spotted and solved. This is because pupils' assigned staff are deeply attuned to their wants and needs. This safeguards pupils' dignity and ensures a nurturing, secure environment.
Established routines and respectful relationships maintain high standards of behaviour. The daily greeting, for example, teaches pupils to use their communication strategy to politely acknowledge those around them.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Since the last inspection, leaders have produced a precise curriculum. It outlines what pupils should learn from the early years through to sixth form. The school's child-centred approach allows for careful pupil grouping. It means pupils access the lessons and facilities that best meet their needs. Staff sensibly align long-term aims from education, health, and care (EHC) plans with short-term curriculum targets. This ensures purposeful daily learning, evident in pupils' workbooks and discussions. By sixth form, students confidently complete tailored qualifications. These showcase their knowledge and skills, whether writing by hand or using assistive technology.
The school uses evidence-informed approaches to teach pupils communication and reading. Staff choose suitable methods based on their understanding of each pupils' needs and their EHC plan. They regularly create opportunities for pupils to practise and reinforce their learning. For instance, the weekly signing assembly teaches pupils to use gestures to express their thoughts and feelings. Fostering a love for both classic and modern stories is a top priority. Staff ignite pupils' imagination with sensory storytelling that captivates them. Carefully chosen lighting, sounds, and textured fabrics keep pupils engaged and immersed.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded 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 Outstanding at its February 2013 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
40.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Autism, SLD, PMLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
19 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)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Breakspeare School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Breakspeare School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Breakspeare School is in Hertfordshire; for families living there:
- Hertfordshire's school travel policy: Read the home to school transport policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 2
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, 2 serious and 5 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 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 Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 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
103%
Over capacity
157 pupils
153 places
4 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Abbots Langley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Abbots Langley
Across Hertfordshire council
Places available
15,222
Applications
13,456
Got 1st preference
77.5%
Got preferred school
94.9%
All secondary applications across Hertfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
157
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Breakspeare School has a SEN unit for autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 153 places, 159 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
157
Total Pupils
108
Boys
49
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
24
Teachers
6.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£44,119
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
14.6%
Overall absence
46.9%
Persistent absence
128
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
Breakspeare School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Breakspeare School
What are SATs results like at Breakspeare School?
Of the pupils at Breakspeare School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Breakspeare School's Ofsted rating?
Breakspeare School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Breakspeare School?
No fixed boundary. When Breakspeare School is oversubscribed, Hertfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Breakspeare School?
Breakspeare School has around 157 pupils on roll. 41% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Breakspeare School have specialist SEN provision?
Breakspeare School has a SEN unit for autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 153 places, 159 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Breakspeare School?
14.6% of sessions were missed at Breakspeare School in 2024/25. 46.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Breakspeare School?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Breakspeare 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 Breakspeare School?
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, 2 serious and 5 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 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 Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Breakspeare School?
Breakspeare School is at Gallows Hill Lane, Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire, WD5 0BU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)