Compass Community School Willow Park, Sowerby Bridge
Compass Community School Willow Park is a special school for pupils aged 6 to 18 in Sowerby Bridge. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2025.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Compass Community School Willow Park in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Compass Community School Willow Park are Broadwood School (1.5 miles, selective); Ravenscliffe High School (1.6 miles, Outstanding); Stafford Hall School (1.9 miles, Good); and Wood Bank School (2 miles, Good).
Broadwood SchoolRavenscliffe High SchoolStafford Hall SchoolWood Bank School
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Compass Community School Willow Park has an education, health and care plan (72 of 72 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Sowerby Bridge Rail Station, about 520 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
21 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bolton Brow School, 70 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 199 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 Calderdale (102), as is usual near a town centre.
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
This school creates a truly inclusive, welcoming environment where pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs flourish. Teachers are highly skilled at personalising learning to each child's stage and needs, combining expert teaching with therapeutic support to help pupils achieve their best. The school places exceptional focus on personal development and real-world experiences, preparing pupils not just academically but for successful lives beyond school.
Key Strengths
- Highly personalised, ambitious curriculum precisely matched to each pupil's individual needs and EHC plan outcomes
- Expert, skilled teachers who use therapeutic support and carefully adapted tasks to help pupils achieve and remember their learning
- Reading is a top priority with high-quality texts, daily reading, phonics support and rewards that inspire pupils to love reading
- Exceptional pupil behaviour supported by consistently embedded routines and staff skilled at managing emotions
- Personal development at the heart of everything, with real-world experiences like beach clean-ups and court visits that prepare pupils for life beyond school
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with leaders and governors fully understanding their responsibilities and ensuring compliance with all standards.
Extracurricular Activities
Award ceremonies, school prom, choir performances at local theatre, beach clean-ups, court visits, breakfast club, 50 things to do at Willow Park programme, book shop visits for reading rewards
Compass Community School Willow Park is an outstanding independent special school that has improved from Good to Outstanding. All pupils have an Education, Health and Care plan, and the school provides a warm, inclusive environment where pupils thrive and achieve well.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Compass Community School Willow Park
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 21
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 21 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 13 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 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 Calderdale is 12 (the median across 114 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
72 pupils
105 places
33 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Sowerby Bridge
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sowerby Bridge
Across Calderdale council
Places available
2,994
Applications
2,231
Got 1st preference
91.2%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All secondary applications across Calderdale council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
72
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Compass Community School Willow 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
72
Total Pupils
46
Boys
26
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Compass Community School Willow Park
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Compass Community School Willow Park
What are GCSE results like at Compass Community School Willow Park?
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 Compass Community School Willow Park can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is Compass Community School Willow Park's Ofsted rating?
Compass Community School Willow Park was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2025.
Does Compass Community School Willow Park meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in September 2025, Compass Community School Willow Park met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Compass Community School Willow Park?
Compass Community School Willow Park has around 72 pupils on roll.
Does Compass Community School Willow Park have specialist SEN provision?
Compass Community School Willow Park is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Compass Community School Willow Park?
Compass Community School Willow 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 Willow Park?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 21 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 13 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 Calderdale is 12 (the median across 114 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Compass Community School Willow Park?
Compass Community School Willow Park is at Willow Street, Sowerby Bridge, Sowerby Bridge, HX6 2BU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)