Curly's Farm and School, Sheerness
Curly's Farm and School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 20 in Sheerness.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Curly's Farm and School in detail
Curly's Farm and School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Curly's Farm & School is an independent special school and therapeutic working farm for children and young people aged 5 to 19. Many have spent significant time out of education or have found mainstream and other specialist settings difficult. Our provision is built around that reality."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Curly's Farm and School are The Elmley Dray School (4.8 miles, Good); and ISP School (5.8 miles, Good).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Curly's Farm and School has an education, health and care plan (7 of 7 in 2026).
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Curly's Farm and School.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Bay View (adjacent), 270 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Curly's Farm and School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 38 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).
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
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's September 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Curly's Farm and School understands and is specifically designed around the complex needs of its pupils. It combines a broad academic curriculum with therapeutic support, outdoor learning, and farm-based activities that build real-world skills. Staff have genuine experience working with pupils with SEND and are committed to helping each child develop confidence, independence and strategies to manage their emotions.
Key Strengths
- Well-designed curriculum that capitalizes on the farm environment to teach academic skills alongside life skills and emotional development
- Experienced staff from the existing therapy provision who understand pupils' complex needs and individual aptitudes
- Strong safeguarding and health and safety arrangements, including specific farm-related safety training
- Comprehensive careers guidance and work experience opportunities to prepare pupils for life after school
- Focus on building pupils' confidence, independence and self-esteem through celebrating successes
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective with a policy reflecting latest statutory guidance, designated safeguarding lead with relevant training, suitable record-keeping systems, and appropriate plans to identify and help at-risk pupils.
Extracurricular Activities
Gardening, cooking, animal care, physical activities, sensory activities, school council, young farmers council, work experience, community visits
Curly's Farm and School is a proposed independent school for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, many of whom have previously missed significant school time. The school is likely to meet all independent school standards when it opens.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 4 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Curly's Farm and School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 5
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 1 serious and 3 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt.
1 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 Kent is 11 (the median across 711 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
22%
Available places
7 pupils
32 places
25 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Sheerness
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sheerness
Across Kent council
Places available
19,539
Applications
18,644
Got 1st preference
78.9%
Got preferred school
96.2%
All secondary applications across Kent council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Curly's Farm and 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
7
Total Pupils
4
Boys
3
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Curly's Farm and School
Questions parents ask about Curly's Farm and School
How many pupils go to Curly's Farm and School?
Curly's Farm and School has around 7 pupils on roll.
Does Curly's Farm and School have specialist SEN provision?
Curly's Farm and School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Curly's Farm and School?
Curly's Farm and 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 Curly's Farm and School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 1 serious and 3 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt. 1 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 Kent is 11 (the median across 711 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Curly's Farm and School?
Curly's Farm and School is at Curly's Farm, Mustards Road, Sheerness, Kent, ME12 4AN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)