Greenside School, Stevenage
Greenside School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in Stevenage. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Greenside School in detail
Greenside School in its own words
In its own words: "Here you will find important school documents and policies and information about our school, including the school Prospectus, Ofsted Report and Governors details. The school colours are light blue t-shirt/polo shirt and royal/navy blue sweatshirt/fleece. Clothes with the school logo can be bought using the link below but are not obligatory."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Greenside School are The Valley School (0.5 miles, Good); Lonsdale School (1 mile, Good); Larwood School (1.6 miles, Good); and East Hall School (3.3 miles, Good).
The Valley SchoolLonsdale SchoolLarwood SchoolEast Hall School
What parents say
34 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Greenside School (as of September 2025): 88% would recommend the school, 97% say their child is happy there and 0% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (97%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (0%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 11 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
34.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 9.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (63%), Mixed (10%) and Asian (9%).
Almost every pupil at Greenside School has an education, health and care plan (197 of 197 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Greenside School has a SEN unit for autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 165 places, 196 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Stevenage Railway Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Shephall Green (opposite), 270 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 251 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Hertfordshire (138), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Greenside School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from February 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Greenside creates a warm, welcoming environment where pupils thrive. The school excels at helping all pupils communicate and engage through creative, sensory-rich activities like story time in the mud. It prepares older pupils exceptionally well for their futures through work experience, community visits, and transition planning tailored to their individual aspirations.
Key Strengths
- Warm, welcoming environment where pupils feel safe and ready to learn
- Strong focus on communication from Reception onwards, with pupils supported to communicate in multiple ways
- Well-designed personal, social and health curriculum including individualised swimming sessions
- Effective behaviour and wellbeing support helping pupils manage emotions and regulate behaviour
- Excellent preparation for adulthood with work experience and community visits tailored to individual goals
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistencies in staff subject knowledge and teaching approaches mean some pupils do not build on their learning as well as they could
- Monitoring by leaders and governors lacks clarity about the impact of school improvement efforts
- Need for better understanding of what is and isn't working well across the school
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Swimming sessions, library visits, card games, residential trips, community visits to shops and farms, work experience, school shop at The Hyde
Greenside School is a special school for pupils aged 2-19 with complex learning needs. The school has maintained good standards since its previous inspection in 2020.
At a Glance
34.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Autism, SLD, PMLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
34 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Greenside School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Greenside School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Greenside School is in Hertfordshire; for families living there:
- Hertfordshire's school travel policy: Read the home to school transport policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 4 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
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 Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 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
119%
Over capacity
197 pupils
165 places
32 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Stevenage
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Stevenage
Across Hertfordshire council
Places available
15,222
Applications
13,456
Got 1st preference
77.5%
Got preferred school
94.9%
All secondary applications across Hertfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
197
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Greenside School has a SEN unit for autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 165 places, 196 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
197
Total Pupils
134
Boys
63
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
30
Teachers
6.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£45,574
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
13.6%
Overall absence
39.3%
Persistent absence
163
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
Greenside School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Greenside School
What are SATs results like at Greenside School?
Of the pupils at Greenside School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Greenside School's Ofsted rating?
Greenside School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Greenside School?
No fixed boundary. When Greenside School is oversubscribed, Hertfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Greenside School?
Greenside School has around 197 pupils on roll. 35% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Greenside School have specialist SEN provision?
Greenside School has a SEN unit for autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 165 places, 196 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Greenside School?
13.6% of sessions were missed at Greenside School in 2024/25. 39.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Greenside School?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Greenside 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 Greenside School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 4 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Greenside School?
Greenside School is at Shephall Green, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG2 9XS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)