Hartwell School, Stockton
Hartwell School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 18 in Stockton. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Hartwell School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Hartwell School are Green Gates Academy (1.9 miles, Good); Westlands Academy (2.1 miles, Good); Abbey Hill Academy (2.4 miles, Good); and Transitions College (2.7 miles).
Green Gates AcademyWestlands AcademyAbbey Hill AcademyTransitions College
What parents say
33 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Hartwell School (as of September 2025): 64% would recommend the school, 61% say their child is happy there and 63% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school supports their child's wider development (70%); the weakest, that their child is happy at the school (61%).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Hartwell School has an education, health and care plan (86 of 88 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Thornaby Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sculptor Crescent (b), 160 metres away.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year 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 June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Hartwell School excels at creating a supportive environment where pupils with special needs feel genuinely cared for and understood. The curriculum is thoughtfully tailored to each pupil's starting point, with skilled teaching in reading and strong support for developing literacy skills. The school goes beyond academics, offering enriching experiences like work experience and the weekly Elevate programme where pupils can pursue their interests in fishing, horse riding, art and cultural visits.
Key Strengths
- Warm and caring relationships between staff and pupils who feel known and understood
- Broad, balanced curriculum tailored to individual pupil needs with strong teaching of early reading and phonics
- Impressive careers offer with work experience opportunities tailored to pupils' interests
- Effective multi-disciplinary teams (clinical, pastoral, education) working together to support pupils
- Clear behaviour expectations and individualised positive behaviour support plans
Areas for Improvement
- Attendance is below national average with too many pupils persistently absent, impacting their learning and development
- Some writing tasks for pupils at early stages of writing do not match their needs, limiting practice with phonics
- Need to strengthen relationships with families following significant staffing changes
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with staff creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Fishing, horse riding, art, cultural visits, work experience, food technology lessons
Hartwell School is a special school for pupils with a range of educational needs and disabilities, rated as Good overall. The school provides a warm, caring environment where pupils feel safe and supported.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
33 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Hartwell School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 12
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 2
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, 2 serious and 10 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
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 Stockton-on-Tees is 9 (the median across 87 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
73%
Available places
88 pupils
120 places
32 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Across Stockton-on-Tees council
Places available
2,586
Applications
2,216
Got 1st preference
94.8%
Got preferred school
99.5%
All secondary applications across Stockton-on-Tees council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
2
SEN Support
86
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Hartwell 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
88
Total Pupils
71
Boys
17
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Hartwell School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Hartwell School
What are GCSE results like at Hartwell School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Hartwell School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is Hartwell School's Ofsted rating?
Hartwell School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2025.
Does Hartwell School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in June 2025, Hartwell School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Hartwell School?
Hartwell School has around 88 pupils on roll.
Does Hartwell School have specialist SEN provision?
Hartwell School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Hartwell School?
Hartwell 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 Hartwell 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, 2 serious and 10 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 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 Stockton-on-Tees is 9 (the median across 87 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Hartwell School?
Hartwell School is at Yarm Road, Stockton, Stockton, TS18 3TN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)