Hope Tree School, Cambridgeshire
Hope Tree School is a special school for girls aged 7 to 19 in Cambridgeshire. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2024. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2026 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Hope Tree School in detail
Hope Tree School in its own words
In its own words: "All we do at Hope Tree School aims to provide a safe place for autistic girls to access education, make friends, learn life skills and prepare for adult life. This is achieved by the following:"
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Hope Tree School are The Cavendish School (0.7 miles, Outstanding); Gretton School (1.8 miles, selective); The Centre School (2 miles, Good); and Castle School, Cambridge (2.4 miles, Requires improvement).
The Cavendish SchoolGretton SchoolThe Centre SchoolCastle School, Cambridge
What parents say
23 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Hope Tree School (as of September 2025): 96% would recommend the school, 83% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Hope Tree School has an education, health and care plan (33 of 33 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Cambridge North Rail Station, about 2.4 miles away in a straight line.
1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Andrew's Way (near), 230 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Hope Tree 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 28 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Cambridgeshire (57).
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 · 5 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 May 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Hope Tree School prioritises pupil wellbeing and creates a calm, purposeful learning environment where pupils thrive. The school offers an ambitious curriculum tailored to individual needs, with particular strength in supporting pupils' personal development through its detailed PSHE programme and weekly off-site visits. Staff are highly skilled in therapeutic approaches, helping pupils regulate their behaviour and develop important life and independence skills.
Key Strengths
- Strong leadership committed to pupils' wellbeing and steady, thoughtful expansion
- Well-sequenced, ambitious curriculum with clear endpoints in all subjects
- Excellent safeguarding practices with detailed policies, robust records, and rapid response to concerns
- Skilled staff trained in therapeutic approaches who help pupils regulate and maintain positive attitudes to learning
- Safe, well-maintained premises with suitable facilities for the proposed expansion
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective, with a suitable policy in place, detailed and robust records, appropriate staff checks completed, and bespoke teaching on contextual risks including online and community safety.
Extracurricular Activities
Weekly off-site visits, work experience, work-based experiences, careers programme, physical education at local venues, Stepping Stones enrichment programme
Hope Tree School is applying to expand its age range and pupil numbers. The inspection found the school is likely to meet all relevant independent school standards if the material change is approved.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
23 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 Hope Tree School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
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
69%
Available places
33 pupils
48 places
15 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Cambridgeshire
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Cambridgeshire
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(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
33
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Hope Tree 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
33
Total Pupils
0
Boys
33
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Hope Tree School
What is Hope Tree School's Ofsted rating?
Hope Tree School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2026, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2024, it was rated Good.
Does Hope Tree School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in November 2024, Hope Tree School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Hope Tree School?
Hope Tree School has around 33 pupils on roll.
Does Hope Tree School have specialist SEN provision?
Hope Tree School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Hope Tree School?
Hope Tree 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 Hope Tree School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Cambridgeshire is 5 (the median across 312 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Hope Tree School?
Hope Tree School is at Nursery House, Manor Farm, Cambridgeshire, CB24 9NG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)