Compass School, Southampton
Compass School is a pru school for pupils aged 5 to 16 in Southampton. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Compass School in detail
Compass School in its own words
In its own words: "Compass School is a specialist Alternative Provision for pupils who require additional support who because of exclusion or other reasons, would not otherwise access education in a mainstream school."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Where pupils go next
Of the 16 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 31% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 25% to a further education college.
Who goes there
67.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 12.5% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (73%), Mixed (8%) and Asian (5%).
In 2026, 27 pupils (67.5%) received SEN support and 13 (32.5%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Redbridge (Hants) Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Green Lane (nw-bound), 230 metres away.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils attending Compass School value the time they spend there. Staff are patient, calm and kind. They are well trained to understand pupils' social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. Staff develop warm, professional relationships with pupils. Pupils feel listened to, known and accepted for who they are.
Staff are ambitious for pupils. They help pupils to understand their emotions and re-engage with learning. Pupils behave well in lessons. Staff carefully manage any occasions where a pupil becomes distressed so that they quickly return to learning.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Leaders, governors and staff have worked hard and successfully since the previous inspection to make improvements to the school. Leaders have raised their expectations of what pupils can achieve by making sure that the curriculum and provision match pupils' different needs. Pupils are placed in classes which reflect their different admissions arrangements and pathways. Pupils' SEMH needs are assessed on entry so that staff can finely target how they meet pupils' different needs.
The curriculum for each pathway is logically sequenced and adapted to make the best use of pupils' time in the provision. English, mathematics and personal, social and health education (PSHE) take priority. Adults are well-trained to identify and fill pupils' gaps in learning. They adapt learning to focus on the most important knowledge that pupils need to gain. In particular, adults skilfully adapt PSHE lessons to match any safeguarding needs or vulnerabilities pupils have, and to help pupils to navigate local risks. A sharper focus on reading is making a positive difference. Pupils who need it are supported to improve their phonics knowledge, especially in the primary phase. There is more work to do to thoroughly embed the school's ambitions for pupils' reading and writing in the secondary phase.
From Ofsted's June 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 June 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
67.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Compass School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Compass School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Compass School is in Southampton; for families living there:
Apply to Southampton for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 18
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 18 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 12 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise.
6 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 Southampton is 33 (the median across 87 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
Area Demand Pressure - Southampton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Southampton
Across Southampton council
Places available
2,620
Applications
2,668
Got 1st preference
83.4%
Got preferred school
93.4%
All secondary applications across Southampton council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(12)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
27
SEN Support
13
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
40
Total Pupils
32
Boys
8
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
2.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£41,312
Mean salary
2026 data
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Compass School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Compass School
What is Compass School's Ofsted rating?
Compass School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024.
What is the catchment area for Compass School?
No fixed boundary. When Compass School is oversubscribed, Southampton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Compass School?
Compass School has around 40 pupils on roll. 68% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Compass School?
Apply through Southampton's coordinated admissions process, naming Compass 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 Compass School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 18 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 12 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise. 6 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 Southampton is 33 (the median across 87 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Compass School?
Compass School is at Green Lane, Millbrook, Southampton, Hampshire, SO16 9FQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)