Compass Community School Vicarage Park, Kidderminster
Compass Community School Vicarage Park is a special school for pupils aged 8 to 19 in Kidderminster. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2025.
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Compass Community School Vicarage Park in detail
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Compass Community School Vicarage Park has an education, health and care plan (10 of 10 in 2026).
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Compass Community School Vicarage Park.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Fighting Cocks Inn (adjacent), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 1 crime within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Shropshire (10).
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 · 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
The school creates a warm, caring community where pupils feel happy and safe. Staff know each child exceptionally well and use strong relationships to support both learning and emotional development. The school is investing in the right improvements with new leadership committed to raising teaching quality.
Key Strengths
- Strong, caring relationships between staff and pupils with excellent knowledge of individual needs
- Well-designed curriculum tailored to pupils' complex needs with good phonics programme
- Effective use of sensory regulation activities and therapeutic support reducing pupil distress
- Beautiful, spacious grounds and outdoor equipment that pupils enjoy
- High attendance and positive behaviour across the school
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent teaching quality and delivery of lessons across the school
- Staff lack subject-specific knowledge and professional development in some areas
- Teachers do not consistently check what pupils understand before moving learning forward
- Communication strategies not being used consistently to support pupil independence
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school keeps pupils safe with clear procedures for pupils to report worries.
Extracurricular Activities
Horse riding, animal care, walks around local area, sensory regulation activities
Compass Community School Vicarage Park is an independent special school for pupils with severe and complex learning needs and autism spectrum disorder. The school requires improvement overall due to inconsistent teaching delivery, though behaviour, attitudes, and personal development are good.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Keep up with Compass Community School Vicarage Park
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Shropshire is 1 (the median across 187 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
71%
Available places
10 pupils
14 places
4 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Kidderminster
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Kidderminster
Across Shropshire council
Places available
3,213
Applications
2,845
Got 1st preference
91.0%
Got preferred school
98.7%
All secondary applications across Shropshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Compass Community School Vicarage Park 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
10
Total Pupils
6
Boys
4
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Compass Community School Vicarage Park
Questions parents ask about Compass Community School Vicarage Park
What is Compass Community School Vicarage Park's Ofsted rating?
Compass Community School Vicarage Park was rated Requires Improvement at its most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2025.
Does Compass Community School Vicarage Park meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in September 2025, Compass Community School Vicarage Park met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Compass Community School Vicarage Park?
Compass Community School Vicarage Park has around 10 pupils on roll.
Does Compass Community School Vicarage Park have specialist SEN provision?
Compass Community School Vicarage Park is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Compass Community School Vicarage Park?
Compass Community School Vicarage Park 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 Compass Community School Vicarage Park?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Shropshire is 1 (the median across 187 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Compass Community School Vicarage Park?
Compass Community School Vicarage Park is at The Old Vicarage, The Bullring, Kidderminster, Shropshire, DY14 8UH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)