Dawn House School, Nr Mansfield, Notts

Outstanding
Special
Non-maintained special school
Mixed
Ages 519
Boarding school

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Jenny McConnell
Pupils:113 / 120 capacity
LA:Nottinghamshire
Phone:01623795361
Address:Helmsley Road, Rainworth, Nr Mansfield, Notts, NG21 0DQ
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Outstanding

Quality of Education

Outstanding

Behaviour & Attitudes

Outstanding

Personal Development

Outstanding

Leadership & Management

Outstanding

Sixth Form

Inspected 1 July 2025View full report
URN:122956
UKPRN:10015047
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Mansfield
Urban/Rural:Urban: Further from a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Dawn House School excels at helping pupils with speech, language and communication needs thrive academically and personally. The school combines expert teaching with dedicated therapy teams to deliver a truly personalised education that builds confidence and independence. Parents overwhelmingly praise the school's staff dedication and the significant positive impact it has on their children and families.

Key Strengths

  • Expert teaching of phonics and reading, with strong collaboration from speech and language therapists
  • Highly personalised curriculum tailored to individual SEND needs with clear, achievable learning targets
  • Excellent behaviour and attitudes, with skilled staff helping pupils manage emotions and develop strong friendships
  • Comprehensive personal development programme including life skills, community activities and leadership opportunities
  • Strong careers guidance and preparation for next steps in education, training or employment

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.

Extracurricular Activities

Makaton choir, skiing, abseiling, Dawn's Diner (school cafe in local community), residential trips, pupil leadership group, sixth-form buddy schemes, litter picking, community performances, Shakespeare film adaptations, enterprise activities at local markets

Dawn House School is a transformative special school that provides exceptional education for pupils with speech, language and communication needs. Staff maintain consistently high expectations and help every pupil achieve them through personalised, skilled support.

At a Glance

38.8%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

SLCN - Speech, language and Communication

SEN Provision

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

28 responses
Would recommend93%
Child is happy93%
Well taught93%
Good progress93%
Feels safe93%
Well behaved93%
Bullying dealt with32%
Kept informed86%
Handles concerns54%
Wider development89%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Class Sizes

0.0

Avg class size

0

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Blidworth Lane (opp)
479m · 8 min walk
Helmsley Road (opp)
496m · 8 min walk
Farnsworth Avenue (adj)
610m · 10 min walk
Ransom Business Park (opp)
781m · 13 min walk
Leeway Road (adj)
782m · 13 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

94%

Near capacity

113 pupils

120 capacity

7 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Nr Mansfield, Notts

Low pressure
New homes approved:55
Projected new pupils:10

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Nr Mansfield, Notts

Admissions Demand - Nottinghamshire

Low demand0.96x oversubscription

Places available

9,687

Applications

9,316

Got 1st preference

91.1%

Got preferred school

98.0%

Secondary admissions across Nottinghamshire (2025/26)

Inspection History(8)

1 July 2025
Quality of EducationOutstanding
Behaviour & AttitudesOutstanding
Personal DevelopmentOutstanding
Leadership & ManagementOutstanding
Sixth FormOutstanding
27 June 2023
6 February 2018

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

14.17834%

Overall absence

35.29412%

Persistent absence

85

Enrolments

Authorised11.71987%
Unauthorised2.45847%
Persistent (10%+)35.29412%
Severe (50%+)8.23529%

Absence trend

14.92434%
18/19
12.27996%
20/21
16.7606%
21/22
14.23738%
22/23
14.33294%
23/24
14.17834%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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