Holton Sleaford Independent School, Westgate
Holton Sleaford Independent School is a special school for pupils aged 9 to 20 in Westgate. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2025. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Holton Sleaford Independent School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Holton Sleaford Independent School are Willow School (0.1 miles, Good); and Compass Community School Lincolnshire (4.6 miles, Good).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Holton Sleaford Independent School has an education, health and care plan (80 of 80 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Sleaford Rail Station, about 430 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Westgate House (adjacent), 20 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 175 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Lincolnshire (33), as is usual near a town centre.
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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 10 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
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 December 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school excels at keeping pupils safe through embedded daily safety checks and regular staff communication about pupil behaviour and welfare. Leadership demonstrates strong commitment to meeting the needs of pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties, supported by a high staff-to-pupil ratio. The school's expansion plans are well-planned and sustainable, with suitable new premises for the sixth-form provision.
Key Strengths
- Effective safeguarding systems with regular staff training focused on SEMH vulnerabilities and daily safety checks embedded in routines
- Strong health and safety procedures including comprehensive fire safety compliance and risk management
- High staff-to-pupil ratio providing close supervision and support tailored to individual pupil needs
- Experienced leadership team and proprietor committed to meeting pupil welfare needs
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective, with up-to-date policies, regular staff training on SEMH vulnerabilities, daily safety briefings, detailed record-keeping and timely collaboration with external agencies.
Extracurricular Activities
Physical education using other school sites and local recreational facilities
Holton Sleaford Independent School is a special school for pupils aged 9-20 with social, emotional and mental health needs. The inspection assessed the school's proposal to expand from 79 to 102 pupils using a new sixth-form site.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby schools
Keep up with Holton Sleaford Independent School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 40
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 40 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 32 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot and 2 on a bicycle.
13 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 Lincolnshire is 6 (the median across 401 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
78%
Available places
80 pupils
102 places
22 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Across Lincolnshire council
Places available
9,247
Applications
7,828
Got 1st preference
84.7%
Got preferred school
96.4%
All secondary applications across Lincolnshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
80
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Holton Sleaford Independent 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
80
Total Pupils
62
Boys
18
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Holton Sleaford Independent School
What is Holton Sleaford Independent School's Ofsted rating?
Holton Sleaford Independent School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2025, it was rated Good.
Does Holton Sleaford Independent School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in June 2025, Holton Sleaford Independent School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Holton Sleaford Independent School?
Holton Sleaford Independent School has around 80 pupils on roll.
Does Holton Sleaford Independent School have specialist SEN provision?
Holton Sleaford Independent School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Holton Sleaford Independent School?
Holton Sleaford Independent 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 Holton Sleaford Independent School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 40 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 32 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot and 2 on a bicycle. 13 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 Lincolnshire is 6 (the median across 401 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Holton Sleaford Independent School?
Holton Sleaford Independent School is at Westgate House, Westgate, Westgate, NG34 7RJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)