Elms School, Dover
Elms School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 16 in Dover, part of Kent Special Educational Needs Trust (KSENT). It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2017)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Elms School in detail
Elms School in its own words
In its own words: "Pupils attending Elms School have an Education and Health Care Plan, reflecting their complex needs. Their main identified need type is either SEMH, many with ASD. Pupils join at various times in their school career from Y1 - Y11 and have often been out of education for some time."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Elms School are The Sallygate School (1.7 miles, Good); Portal House School (4.6 miles, Good); The Beacon Folkestone (5.1 miles, Outstanding); and Compass Community School Coastal Park (5.3 miles, Good).
The Sallygate SchoolPortal House SchoolThe Beacon FolkestoneCompass Community School Coastal Park
The trust
Elms School is one of 11 schools run by Kent Special Educational Needs Trust (KSENT), an academy trust.
All 11 schools in Kent Special Educational Needs Trust (KSENT)
Where pupils go next
Of the 17 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 53% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 18% to a further education college.
Who goes there
79.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0.8% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Elms School has an education, health and care plan (130 of 131 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Elms School provides for pupils with autism, social, emotional and mental health needs and moderate learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Dover Priory Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Elms School issued 362 suspensions, 262.3 for every 100 pupils, and 1 permanent exclusion.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from October 2017, 9 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its October 2017 inspection - down from Outstanding.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
79.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Autism, SEMH, MLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 13% to 8% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Elms School
Before and after school care
Elms School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Kent
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Elms School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Elms School is in Kent; for families living there:
Apply to Kent for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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
Area Demand Pressure - Dover
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Dover
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(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
1
SEN Support
130
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Elms School provides for pupils with autism, social, emotional and mental health needs and moderate learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
131
Total Pupils
115
Boys
16
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
5.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,889
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
22.5%
Overall absence
66.2%
Persistent absence
148
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Elms School
Showing 10 of 12 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Elms School
What are GCSE results like at Elms School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Elms School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 3.4. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Elms School's Ofsted rating?
Elms School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2017, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Elms School?
No fixed boundary. When Elms School is oversubscribed, Kent allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Elms School?
Elms School has around 131 pupils on roll. 79% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Elms School have specialist SEN provision?
Elms School provides for pupils with autism, social, emotional and mental health needs and moderate learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Elms School?
22.5% of sessions were missed at Elms School in 2024/25. 66.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Elms School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Elms 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.
Does Elms School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Elms School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Elms School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Elms School?
Elms School is at Elms Vale Road, Dover, Kent, CT17 9PS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)