Halesbury School, Halesowen

Ofsted's report card from its 10 March 2026 inspection grades Halesbury School on 8 areas: 3 strong standard and 5 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders take a supportive approach to attendance difficulties."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Every child is valued at this school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Personal development and preparing pupils for life beyond their time in Halesbury is the hallmark of this school."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils make positive progress through the curriculum from their starting points."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders ensure that the curriculum is broad and ambitious."

Early years - Expected standard. "Children make a positive start in the early years."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders and those responsible for governance are passionate and ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders have created a post-16 curriculum that is ambitious and adapted to students' needs."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should further support staff to ensure that all curriculum subjects are delivered consistently well across the school"; "Leaders should refine the school's writing curriculum so as there is a more logical sequence to the delivery of important skills and knowledge"; "The governing body should strengthen its oversight of the school's work so that it consistently and robustly supports school improvement".

From the headteacher's welcome: "Halesbury is an all-age Special School (4-19) located in Halesowen in the borough of Dudley. We support 164 pupils aged 4 to 16 in our main school setting along with our Post 16 provision for 16-19 students. (Years 12-14)"

The nearest other special schools to Halesbury School are Coombswood Special School (0.7 miles, Requires improvement); The Westminster School (1.5 miles, Good); The Orchard School (1.6 miles, Requires improvement); and INNOV4TE Independent School (2.6 miles, Good).

Halesbury School is run by its own single-school academy trust.

23 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Halesbury School (as of April 2026): 91% would recommend the school, 96% 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 pupils behave well (91%).

Of the 13 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 85% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 23% to a further education college.

44.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 9.8% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (71%), Asian (10%) and Mixed (8%).

Almost every pupil at Halesbury School has an education, health and care plan (174 of 174 in 2026). The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.

Halesbury School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and severe learning difficulties.

The nearest railway station is Rowley Regis Rail Station, about 1090 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Newlands Drive (opposite), 60 metres away.

In 2024/25, Halesbury School issued 6 suspensions, 3.4 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.