City of Rochester School, Rochester
City of Rochester School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 18 in Rochester. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
City of Rochester School in detail
City of Rochester School in its own words
In its own words: "Our ambition at City of Rochester School is for pupils to develop self-confidence, independence and resilience through an engaging and holistic curriculum. This will provide the skills, life experiences and qualifications pupils need to participate successfully in wider society Our highly experienced and dedicated team provides an ambitious curriculum that nurtures and challenges our pupils."
The school runs after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to City of Rochester School are Abbey Court Foundation Special School (2.5 miles, Outstanding); FORWARD2 EMPLOYMENT LIMITED (3.1 miles, Good); Ripplevale School Rochester (3.6 miles); and Rivermead School (3.8 miles, Good).
Abbey Court Foundation Special SchoolFORWARD2 EMPLOYMENT LIMITEDRipplevale School RochesterRivermead School
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at City of Rochester School has an education, health and care plan (59 of 59 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Higham Rail Station, about 1.7 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Primary School (adjacent), 90 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 14 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Medway (250).
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
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
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's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils feel safe and secure at school. They know that staff are on their side and will support them kindly and sensitively. The school is highly successful at integrating pupils, not only back into education, but into the school community. Many pupils had a negative view of education prior to joining City of Rochester School. They speak very positively about their school, and how it has supported them to develop an optimistic view of education. Over time, pupils learn to value themselves and others. Older pupils and students in the sixth form say that the school has transformed their lives.
The school has designed its educational offer very carefully to ensure that pupils achieve well academically and incorporate experiential and vocational learning that feels relevant and engaging to pupils. The school's strong curriculum offer supports work to improve pupils' attendance, many of whom have in the past been reluctant to attend school. Pupils told inspectors that they now want to come to school. Pupils benefit from the positive and respectful environment that staff create. Pupils learn to behave well and to be respectful of others.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Leaders are passionate about providing all pupils with a high-quality and meaningful education, within a supportive and nurturing environment. The school has developed a broad curriculum that enables pupils to make connections with the world and understand how they can play a positive role in society now and in the future.
Teachers and the school's therapy team work together carefully to ensure that pupils are able to develop their well-being and mental health, as well as their communication and interaction and physical strength and coordination to succeed in education and beyond. Pupils learn to understand their own needs and to self-regulate with independence and confidence. Pupils who have attended the school for longer are highly reflective about their journey with the school and the highly positive impact that the school has had for them.
From Ofsted's July 2024 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 Good at its July 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Leadership & management, Sixth form.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with City of Rochester School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
0 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 Medway is 25 (the median across 117 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
69%
Available places
59 pupils
85 places
26 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Rochester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Rochester
Across Medway council
Places available
3,844
Applications
3,586
Got 1st preference
80.4%
Got preferred school
96.8%
All secondary applications across Medway council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
59
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
City of Rochester School 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
59
Total Pupils
46
Boys
13
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
City of Rochester School
Questions parents ask about City of Rochester School
What are GCSE results like at City of Rochester School?
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 City of Rochester School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is City of Rochester School's Ofsted rating?
City of Rochester School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2024.
Does City of Rochester School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in July 2024, City of Rochester School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to City of Rochester School?
City of Rochester School has around 59 pupils on roll.
Does City of Rochester School have specialist SEN provision?
City of Rochester School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to City of Rochester School?
City of Rochester School 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 City of Rochester School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 0 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 Medway is 25 (the median across 117 schools, same distance and years).
Where is City of Rochester School?
City of Rochester School is at Bradbury House, View Road, Rochester, Kent, ME3 8UJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)