Forest Edge School, Sandown
Forest Edge School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Sandown. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2024. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2026 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Forest Edge School in detail
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Forest Edge School has an education, health and care plan (8 of 8 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Sandown Rail Station, about 1020 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is College Close (opposite), 150 metres away.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 8 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Forest Edge School provides a well-planned curriculum that meets individual needs, with teachers who demonstrate strong subject knowledge and use questioning to extend pupils' thinking. The school fosters pupils' personal development through meaningful community contributions, such as maintaining the school garden and working with local galleries. Strong leadership and governance ensure safeguarding and welfare standards are consistently maintained.
Key Strengths
- Ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum aligned with national standards, with clear progression for each year group
- Experienced leadership with strong commitment to meeting local need and thorough implementation planning
- Effective teaching with skilled staff who know pupils well and tailor learning to individual needs, including those with SEND
- Robust safeguarding procedures with regular staff training and strong oversight from governors
- Comprehensive health, safety and fire safety arrangements with no recommendations from external audits
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective - the school has robust procedures to identify and report concerns, staff receive regular relevant training, and leaders regularly review safeguarding practices.
Extracurricular Activities
Community projects with local gallery, school garden maintenance, trip to Houses of Parliament
Forest Edge School applied to expand its age range, relocate to new premises, and increase pupil numbers. The inspection found the school is likely to meet all relevant independent school standards if these changes are approved.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Keep up with Forest Edge School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 12
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 9 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
2 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 Isle of Wight is 10 (the median across 51 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
40%
Available places
8 pupils
20 places
12 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Sandown
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sandown
Across Isle of Wight council
Places available
1,388
Applications
1,221
Got 1st preference
83.4%
Got preferred school
94.3%
All secondary applications across Isle of Wight council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Forest Edge 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
8
Total Pupils
7
Boys
1
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Forest Edge School
Questions parents ask about Forest Edge School
What is Forest Edge School's Ofsted rating?
Forest Edge School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2026, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2024, it was rated Good.
Does Forest Edge School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in February 2024, Forest Edge School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Forest Edge School?
Forest Edge School has around 8 pupils on roll.
Does Forest Edge School have specialist SEN provision?
Forest Edge School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Forest Edge School?
Forest Edge 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 Forest Edge School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 9 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 2 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 Isle of Wight is 10 (the median across 51 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Forest Edge School?
Forest Edge School is at 1 Faulkner Lane, Sandown, Isle of Wight, PO36 9AZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)