Epinay Business and Enterprise School, South Shields
Epinay Business and Enterprise School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 18 in South Shields, part of The Bede Co-operative Learning Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2018)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Epinay Business and Enterprise School in detail
Epinay Business and Enterprise School in its own words
In its own words: "There are lots of ways in which you can support Epinay Business and Enterprise School. Did you know you can make a donation to Epinay School. Click on the link to make an online donation."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Epinay Business and Enterprise School are Park View School (1.2 miles, Good); Bamburgh School (1.7 miles, Good); Harry Watts Academy (2.5 miles, Outstanding); and Trinity Academy New Bridge (3 miles, Requires improvement).
Park View SchoolBamburgh SchoolHarry Watts AcademyTrinity Academy New Bridge
The trust
Epinay Business and Enterprise School is run by its own single-school academy trust.
What parents say
28 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Epinay Business and Enterprise School (as of April 2026): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (96%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 18 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 17% to a further education college.
Who goes there
59.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 2.3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Epinay Business and Enterprise School has an education, health and care plan (258 of 258 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Epinay Business and Enterprise School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is East Boldon (Tyne and Wear Metro Station), about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is South Shields Community School (w-bound), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Epinay Business and Enterprise School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Epinay Business and Enterprise School issued 2 suspensions, 0.9 for every 100 pupils, and 1 permanent exclusion.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from March 2018, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its March 2018 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
59.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SpLD, Vision, Hearing +4
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
28 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Epinay Business and Enterprise School
Epinay Newsletter - June 2026
15 Jul 2026
Epinay Newsletter - May 2026
9 Jun 2026
Epinay Newsletter - April 2026
11 May 2026
Epinay Newsletter - March 2026
2 Apr 2026
Northumbria Police - “ride out” letter to parents
26 Mar 2026
SEN Magazine
6 Mar 2026
From Epinay Business and Enterprise School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Epinay Business and Enterprise School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Epinay Business and Enterprise School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Epinay Business and Enterprise School is in South Tyneside; for families living there:
Apply to South Tyneside for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in South Tyneside is 13 (the median across 64 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 - South Shields
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for South Shields
Across South Tyneside council
Places available
1,804
Applications
1,548
Got 1st preference
89.2%
Got preferred school
96.9%
All secondary applications across South Tyneside council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
258
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Epinay Business and Enterprise School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
258
Total Pupils
171
Boys
87
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
28
Teachers
9.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,798
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.1%
Overall absence
18.2%
Persistent absence
192
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
Epinay Business and Enterprise School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Epinay Business and Enterprise School
What are GCSE results like at Epinay Business and Enterprise School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Epinay Business and Enterprise School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 0.4. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Epinay Business and Enterprise School's Ofsted rating?
Epinay Business and Enterprise School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2018, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Epinay Business and Enterprise School?
No fixed boundary. When Epinay Business and Enterprise School is oversubscribed, South Tyneside allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Epinay Business and Enterprise School?
Epinay Business and Enterprise School has around 258 pupils on roll. 60% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Epinay Business and Enterprise School have specialist SEN provision?
Epinay Business and Enterprise School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Epinay Business and Enterprise School?
6.1% of sessions were missed at Epinay Business and Enterprise School in 2024/25. 18.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Epinay Business and Enterprise School?
Apply through South Tyneside's coordinated admissions process, naming Epinay Business and Enterprise 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 Epinay Business and Enterprise School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in South Tyneside is 13 (the median across 64 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Epinay Business and Enterprise School?
Epinay Business and Enterprise School is at Nevinson Avenue, South Shields, NE34 8BT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)