Colnbrook School, Watford
Colnbrook School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Watford. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Colnbrook School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Colnbrook School are Falconer School (1.6 miles, Good); Nisai Virtual Academy Ltd (2 miles); Meadow Wood School (2.2 miles, Good); and Shaftesbury High School (2.3 miles, Requires improvement).
Falconer SchoolNisai Virtual Academy LtdMeadow Wood SchoolShaftesbury High School
Who goes there
26.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 18.5% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Colnbrook School has an education, health and care plan (130 of 130 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Colnbrook School has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs, autism and moderate learning difficulties: 130 places, 134 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Carpenders Park Rail Station, about 420 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
19 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Colnbrook School (opposite), 70 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Colnbrook School issued 1 suspension, 0.8 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from October 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its October 2013 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
26.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Speech and language, Autism, MLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Colnbrook School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Colnbrook School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Colnbrook 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
- 25
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 20 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
10 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
100%
Full
130 pupils
130 places
No spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Watford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Watford
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(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
130
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Colnbrook School has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs, autism and moderate learning difficulties: 130 places, 134 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
130
Total Pupils
99
Boys
31
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
24
Teachers
5.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,686
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.6%
Overall absence
38.6%
Persistent absence
127
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Colnbrook School
What are SATs results like at Colnbrook School?
Of the pupils at Colnbrook School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Colnbrook School's Ofsted rating?
Colnbrook School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Colnbrook School?
No fixed boundary. When Colnbrook School is oversubscribed, Hertfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Colnbrook School?
Colnbrook School has around 130 pupils on roll. 26% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Colnbrook School have specialist SEN provision?
Colnbrook School has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs, autism and moderate learning difficulties: 130 places, 134 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Colnbrook School?
9.6% of sessions were missed at Colnbrook School in 2024/25. 38.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Colnbrook School?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Colnbrook 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 Colnbrook School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 20 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 10 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 Colnbrook School?
Colnbrook School is at Hayling Road, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD19 7UY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)