Dibden Park School, Southampton
Dibden Park School is a special school for pupils aged 8 to 16 in Southampton.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Dibden Park School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Dibden Park School are Bower Lodge School (under 0.1 miles); Oak Lodge School (0.9 miles, Good); Oaktree Education Services Limited (2 miles); and The Polygon School (2.6 miles, Good).
Bower Lodge SchoolOak Lodge SchoolOaktree Education Services LimitedThe Polygon School
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Dibden Park School has an education, health and care plan (54 of 54 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Southampton Central Rail Station, about 2.3 miles away in a straight line.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
This is a welcoming and inclusive school where everyone is valued for who they are and for their unique qualities. Many pupils have missed parts of their education and not been in a classroom environment for a significant period of time. The school's carefully planned transition programme on entry helps pupils to learn the routines and requirements of school life. This helps to prepare them for future learning as they progress within the school.
Social times are happy occasions. Pupils chat animatedly with their peers and with members of staff. The range of activities on offer helps pupils to develop their social skills by interacting positively with one another. This includes learning how to lose when playing board games as well as playing as a team in the school's multi-use games area.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school's curriculum is ambitious for every pupil and based on their very specific needs. Staff understand that some pupils have significant gaps in their learning due to their fragmented education before joining Dibden Park. With this in mind, the school has carefully devised a curriculum which is as broad as possible for as long as possible. As a result, pupils' options are not narrowed. They are well supported to access the most appropriate qualification route to allow them to achieve well. Teachers know their subjects well. They model tasks effectively so pupils understand what they need to do in order to be successful. Sometimes, however, staff are not clear enough about how to help pupils take the small steps needed to achieve their targets.
From Ofsted's July 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.
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 Dibden Park School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 2 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people 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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 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
90%
Near capacity
54 pupils
60 places
6 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Southampton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Southampton
Across Hampshire council
Places available
15,392
Applications
13,874
Got 1st preference
90.1%
Got preferred school
97.6%
All secondary applications across Hampshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
54
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Dibden Park 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
54
Total Pupils
37
Boys
17
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Dibden Park School
How many pupils go to Dibden Park School?
Dibden Park School has around 54 pupils on roll.
Does Dibden Park School have specialist SEN provision?
Dibden Park School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Dibden Park School?
Dibden Park 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 Dibden Park School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 2 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people 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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Dibden Park School?
Dibden Park School is at Main Road, Dibden, Southampton, Hampshire, SO45 5TD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)