Holme Court School, Cambridge
Holme Court School is a special school for pupils aged 7 to 16 in Cambridge. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2025. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2026 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Holme Court School in detail
Holme Court School in its own words
In its own words: "Bespoke, personalised, intensive alternative to a mainstream educational programme for learners with dyslexia and specific learning differences."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Holme Court School. You will find information about all aspects of school life, and we hope it supports you in getting to know us better. Our ethos and philosophy reflect the aims and values that guide our work each day, offering an insight into how we support our pupils and what we believe matters most."
The school day runs from 8:45am to 3:30pm, 33.75 hours a week.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)The school day (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Holme Court School are Castle School, Cambridge (2.9 miles, Requires improvement); The Cavendish School (4.6 miles, Outstanding); Hope Tree School (4.9 miles, Good, selective); and Gretton School (5.3 miles, selective).
Castle School, CambridgeThe Cavendish SchoolHope Tree SchoolGretton School
What parents say
21 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Holme Court School (as of September 2025): 81% would recommend the school, 76% 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 their child is happy at the school (76%).
Who goes there
In 2026, 3 pupils (7.5%) received SEN support and 37 (92.5%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Cambridge Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Greystoke Road (near), 190 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Holme Court 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 160 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Cambridgeshire (57), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 months 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 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Holme Court School demonstrates exceptional expertise in supporting pupils with special educational needs, autism, social anxiety and mental health difficulties. The school's leaders work closely with families and external professionals to ensure each pupil receives tailored support and appropriate care. The premises are well-designed with sensory-friendly features, and the school maintains rigorous safeguarding standards to keep all pupils safe.
Key Strengths
- Strong leadership with clear understanding of pupils' needs and realistic plans for growth
- Robust admissions process ensuring appropriate placements and matching of pupil needs
- Comprehensive safeguarding procedures with regular staff training and swift action on concerns
- Expert provision for pupils with special educational needs including autism and mental health support
- Well-maintained premises with suitable facilities and thoughtful adaptations for sensory needs
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective - leaders prioritise pupils' safety and wellbeing with regular staff training, alert recognition of concerns, swift action with external agencies, and strong teaching on online and personal safety.
Holme Court School is a special independent school for pupils aged 7-16 with autism, social anxiety and mental health needs. The inspection found the school is likely to meet independent school standards if approved to increase pupil numbers from 37 to 55.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
21 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 4 nearby schools
Latest from Holme Court School
Staff Vacancies
18 Oct 2026
Policies
10 Jun 2026
Admissions
28 May 2026
Request a Prospectus
28 May 2026
Our Approach
28 May 2026
Term Dates
21 May 2026
From Holme Court School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Holme Court School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 14
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 13 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on a bicycle.
5 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 Cambridgeshire is 5 (the median across 312 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
55%
Available places
40 pupils
73 places
33 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Cambridge
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Cambridge
Across Cambridgeshire council
Places available
7,228
Applications
6,755
Got 1st preference
88.3%
Got preferred school
96.6%
All secondary applications across Cambridgeshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
3
SEN Support
37
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Holme Court 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
40
Total Pupils
29
Boys
11
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Holme Court School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Holme Court School
What are GCSE results like at Holme Court 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 Holme Court School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is Holme Court School's Ofsted rating?
Holme Court School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2025, it was rated Good.
Does Holme Court School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in July 2025, Holme Court School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Holme Court School?
Holme Court School has around 40 pupils on roll.
Does Holme Court School have specialist SEN provision?
Holme Court School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Holme Court School?
Holme Court 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 Holme Court School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 13 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on a bicycle. 5 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 Cambridgeshire is 5 (the median across 312 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Holme Court School?
Holme Court School is at Cherry Hinton Hall, Cherry Hinton Road, Cambridge, CB1 8DW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)