Heatherwood School, Doncaster
Heatherwood School is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 19 in Doncaster, part of Nexus Multi Academy Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2016. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2016)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Heatherwood School in detail
Heatherwood School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Heatherwood School is a vibrant learning community and part of Nexus Multi Academy Trust. It is a special day school for pupils aged 3-19 years with severe, profound and/or multiple learning difficulties. We have an additional post 16 provision for pupils with moderate learning needs, and a small cohort are educated at The Bridge, our offsite provision."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Heatherwood School are Yorkshire Rose College (1.3 miles, Good); Doncaster School for Deaf Children (1.3 miles, Good); Bader Academy (1.4 miles, Requires improvement); and Waterside School (2.1 miles, Good).
Yorkshire Rose CollegeDoncaster School for Deaf ChildrenBader AcademyWaterside School
The trust
Heatherwood School is one of 23 schools run by Nexus Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
48.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 19.2% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Heatherwood School has an education, health and care plan (99 of 99 in 2026). The most common need among them is a profound and multiple learning difficulty.
Heatherwood School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Kirk Sandall Rail Station, about 2.2 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Westminster Crescent/Lothian Road (near), 300 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Heatherwood School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 263 crimes within a mile of the school, most often shoplifting, violence and sexual offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Doncaster (131), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Heatherwood School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: 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 December 2016, 9 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Care, compassion and a curriculum that enables the pupils to thrive are part of the magic ingredients that make Heatherwood School an inspiring, life-changing school. The pupils are central to the school. Staff are fully invested in the education they provide.
The relationships between staff and pupils are superb. The two-way respect between them is palpable. The curriculum is carefully designed to support individual needs on a personal level. The success of this is clear. Over time, pupils learn how to communicate very effectively. They also build a broad knowledge base in a wide range of subjects.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has a curriculum in place that is thoughtful and fully inclusive. The structure of the curriculum enables pupils to excel in many different areas. The school supports pupils to start their studies at age three and continue until they are 19 years old. The personalised approach to learning meets the needs of the pupils. School leaders and staff offer a rich and diverse range of opportunities to learn. Pupils explore the local woods, visit the sensory garden to look at science, along with more formal teaching in the classroom.
Staff create memorable moments in learning to successfully help knowledge stick in pupils' minds. In mathematics, the pupils are proud to show inspectors' column addition. They can explain their thought processes. Pupils enjoyed teaching the inspectors what they had learned.
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 Outstanding at its December 2016 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
48.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SLD, PMLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Heatherwood School
Jeans for Genes Day 2026
28 Sep 2026
Eco Award: Distinction
11 Sep 2026
It's a new school year!
10 Sep 2026
Grab your bucket hat ...It's Heatherfest time!
24 Jul 2026
End of Academic Year 2025-2026
24 Jul 2026
Nexus celebrates its 10 year anniversary!
23 Jul 2026
From Heatherwood School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Heatherwood School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Heatherwood School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Heatherwood School is in Doncaster; for families living there:
Apply to Doncaster for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 23
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 16 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
7 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 Doncaster is 10 (the median across 143 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
157%
Over capacity
99 pupils
63 places
36 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Doncaster
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Doncaster
Across Doncaster council
Places available
3,913
Applications
3,506
Got 1st preference
89.9%
Got preferred school
97.4%
All secondary applications across Doncaster council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
99
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Heatherwood School provides for pupils with 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
99
Total Pupils
52
Boys
47
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
8.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,819
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
24.1%
Overall absence
65.5%
Persistent absence
58
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
Heatherwood School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Heatherwood School
What is Heatherwood School's Ofsted rating?
Heatherwood School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2016, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Heatherwood School?
No fixed boundary. When Heatherwood School is oversubscribed, Doncaster allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Heatherwood School?
Heatherwood School has around 99 pupils on roll. 49% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Heatherwood School have specialist SEN provision?
Heatherwood School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Heatherwood School?
24.1% of sessions were missed at Heatherwood School in 2024/25. 65.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Heatherwood School?
Apply through Doncaster's coordinated admissions process, naming Heatherwood 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 Heatherwood School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 16 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 7 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 Doncaster is 10 (the median across 143 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Heatherwood School?
Heatherwood School is at Leger Way, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN2 6HQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)