Greenfields Specialist School for Communication, Northampton
Greenfields Specialist School for Communication is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Northampton, part of Gssc Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Greenfields Specialist School for Communication in detail
Greenfields Specialist School for Communication in its own words
In its own words: "Testimonials: 'Really happy with everything the school is doing...' 'Really informative and gave us the link to ... progress. She has developed so much since attending and we are all really pleased...' 'Extremely happy, very informative and lovely to hear all the progress that ... is making. Fantastic staff, very supportive and know ..."
The school runs after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Greenfields Specialist School for Communication are Edgewood School (0.6 miles, Good); Billing Brook Special School (0.8 miles, Outstanding); Overstone Park School (0.9 miles); and Kings Meadow School (1.4 miles).
Edgewood SchoolBilling Brook Special SchoolOverstone Park SchoolKings Meadow School
The trust
Greenfields Specialist School for Communication is run by its own single-school academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 19 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 95% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 5% to a further education college.
Of the 14 students who left the sixth form in 2022/23, 0% went on to university or other higher education.
Who goes there
44.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 24.5% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Greenfields Specialist School for Communication has an education, health and care plan (106 of 106 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
Greenfields Specialist School for Communication provides for pupils with autism, multi-sensory impairment, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Greenfields Specialist School for Communication.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Osmund Drive (adjacent), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Greenfields Specialist School for Communication stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 259 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and vehicle crime. That is well above the typical figure around schools in West Northamptonshire (90), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Greenfields Specialist School for Communication recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from February 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils flourish at this school. All pupils who attend have special educational needs and/or disabilities and have an education, health and care plan (EHC plan). Staff show great kindness and care for all pupils. They provide a nurturing environment, where pupils are safe and feel happy.
Staff greet pupils warmly as they arrive each morning. Pupils enter school smiling and meet their friends eagerly. They enjoy school and form strong friendships. Pupils are proud of their talents and unique qualities, for example playing piano, performing with the rock choir or taking part in the television show, 'Blue Peter'.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has developed a broad and ambitious curriculum. The key knowledge and skills that they want pupils to acquire and develop have been identified by staff. The conductive education many pupils receive is a strength. However, the school recognises that there is more to do to ensure the academic elements of the school's curriculum are well sequenced. These are not yet as coherently planned as they need to be. As a result, pupils do not develop new knowledge and skills equally well across the curriculum. Precise monitoring of the academic curriculum is not yet fully established. This means staff are not assessing over the longer term what pupils know and remember. Occasionally, the learning activity choices that staff make within the academic curriculum do not fully meet pupils' needs and do not deepen their knowledge and skills over time.
From Ofsted's June 2024 ungraded 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.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its February 2014 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
44.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Autism, Multi-sensory, SLD +1
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Greenfields Specialist School for Communication
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Greenfields Specialist School for Communication from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Greenfields Specialist School for Communication is in West Northamptonshire; for families living there:
- West Northamptonshire's school travel policy: Free school travel assistance (4-to-16 year olds)
- How to apply: Apply for free school travel assistance (4-to-16 year olds)
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 23
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 20 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 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 West Northamptonshire is 7 (the median across 208 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
118%
Over capacity
106 pupils
90 places
16 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Northampton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Northampton
Across West Northamptonshire council
Places available
5,019
Applications
4,602
Got 1st preference
75.8%
Got preferred school
95.7%
All secondary applications across West Northamptonshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
106
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Greenfields Specialist School for Communication provides for pupils with autism, multi-sensory impairment, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
106
Total Pupils
74
Boys
32
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
20
Teachers
5.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,091
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
13.3%
Overall absence
36.6%
Persistent absence
71
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
Greenfields Specialist School for Communication
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Greenfields Specialist School for Communication
What is Greenfields Specialist School for Communication's Ofsted rating?
Greenfields Specialist School for Communication's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Greenfields Specialist School for Communication?
No fixed boundary. When Greenfields Specialist School for Communication is oversubscribed, West Northamptonshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Greenfields Specialist School for Communication?
Greenfields Specialist School for Communication has around 106 pupils on roll. 44% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Greenfields Specialist School for Communication have specialist SEN provision?
Greenfields Specialist School for Communication provides for pupils with autism, multi-sensory impairment, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Greenfields Specialist School for Communication?
13.3% of sessions were missed at Greenfields Specialist School for Communication in 2024/25. 36.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Greenfields Specialist School for Communication?
Apply through West Northamptonshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Greenfields Specialist School for Communication 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 Greenfields Specialist School for Communication?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 20 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 West Northamptonshire is 7 (the median across 208 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Greenfields Specialist School for Communication?
Greenfields Specialist School for Communication is at Prentice Court, Lings Way, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN3 8XS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)