Heathfield Special School, Fareham
Heathfield Special School is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Fareham. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2022 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2017)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Heathfield Special School in detail
Heathfield Special School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "The Federation of Heathfield and St Francis Schools is the only special school Federation in Hampshire. We consist of two special schools situated next door to each other in Fareham."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Heathfield Special School are St Francis Special School (under 0.1 miles, Good); Light Years School (0.9 miles, Outstanding); Kingsgate School (1.1 miles, Outstanding); and All's Well (1.8 miles).
St Francis Special SchoolLight Years SchoolKingsgate SchoolAll's Well
Who goes there
39.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 4% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Heathfield Special School has an education, health and care plan (150 of 150 in 2026). The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Heathfield Special School provides for pupils with physical disability and moderate learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Fareham Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Oldbury Way (s-bound), 170 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Heathfield Special School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 134 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Hampshire (72), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Heathfield Special School issued 1 suspension, 0.7 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
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 · 4 years agoThis judgement is from June 2017, 9 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2017 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
39.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Physical, MLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Heathfield Special School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Heathfield Special School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Heathfield Special School is in Hampshire; for families living there:
Apply to Hampshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 22
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 7
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 15 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt.
4 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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 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
Area Demand Pressure - Fareham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Fareham
Across Hampshire council
Places available
15,392
Applications
13,874
Got 1st preference
90.1%
Got preferred school
97.6%
All secondary applications across Hampshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
150
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Heathfield Special School provides for pupils with physical disability and moderate learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
150
Total Pupils
104
Boys
46
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
22
Teachers
6.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£57,135
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.3%
Overall absence
23.3%
Persistent absence
129
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Heathfield Special School
Questions parents ask about Heathfield Special School
What are SATs results like at Heathfield Special School?
Of the pupils at Heathfield Special School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Heathfield Special School's Ofsted rating?
Heathfield Special School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2017, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Heathfield Special School?
No fixed boundary. When Heathfield Special School is oversubscribed, Hampshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Heathfield Special School?
Heathfield Special School has around 150 pupils on roll. 39% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Heathfield Special School have specialist SEN provision?
Heathfield Special School provides for pupils with physical disability and moderate learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Heathfield Special School?
7.3% of sessions were missed at Heathfield Special School in 2024/25. 23.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Heathfield Special School?
Apply through Hampshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Heathfield Special 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 Heathfield Special School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 15 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt. 4 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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Heathfield Special School?
Heathfield Special School is at Oldbury Way, Fareham, Hampshire, PO14 3BN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)