Hopedale School, Cheddleton
Hopedale School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 18 in Cheddleton. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, ended in a report card: 2 exceptional and 4 strong standard. Before that it was rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in May 2023.
- Ofsted report card
- 6 of 6 areas strong or better
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Hopedale School in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 2 June 2026 inspection grades Hopedale School on 6 areas: 2 exceptional and 4 strong standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Inclusion - Exceptional. "Inclusion is central to the school's ethos and vision and underpins pupils' success at Hopedale."
Leadership and governance - Exceptional. "The strength and stability of leadership over several years have enabled ongoing, effective decisions that build on the school's previous accomplishments and sustain them."
Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils, all of whom have special educational needs and/or disabilities, consistently achieve well from their starting points."
Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Despite typically low attendance at previous schools, pupils' attendance rises rapidly after joining Hopedale."
Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "The curriculum and teaching across the school are highly consistent."
Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The personal development programme reflects leaders' deep moral commitment to giving every pupil a voice."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that staff continue to embed their highly responsive teaching and sharpen their checks on learning and the effectiveness of feedback to deepen pupils' knowledge and skills".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Hopedale School are Cicely Haughton School (1.8 miles, Outstanding); Springfield School (2.5 miles, Good); The Meadows School (2.6 miles, Good); and Horton Lodge Community Special School (3.8 miles, Good).
Cicely Haughton SchoolSpringfield SchoolThe Meadows SchoolHorton Lodge Community Special School
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Hopedale School has an education, health and care plan (68 of 68 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Cheddleton (Churnet Valley Railway), about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ashcombe Centre (adjacent), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Hopedale School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 15 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and drug offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Staffordshire (86).
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 · 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's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at Hopedale School
For pupils and families at Hopedale, leaders and staff significantly transform their lives. The school is an inspiring place because pupils and staff share a deep understanding of each other's needs. Leaders prioritise building positive relationships with pupils. These begin before pupils join, with leaders visiting their homes to get to know parents and carers extremely well. This helps pupils build a deep sense of safety and trust in their new school. As a result, pupils do their best and behave consistently well. Staff know pupils exceptionally well, including their individual special educational needs and/or disabilities and other vulnerabilities. Staff welcome pupils with a caring smile and genuine interest in how each pupil is. Pupils talk openly to staff about their feelings. They develop an awareness and understanding of their own vulnerabilities so they know themselves well, feel they belong and thrive. Specialist behaviour support helps pupils to regulate their emotions in a calm, therapeutic way. Pupils also speak joyfully about their time with Walter, the emotional-support dog who regularly visits school. Pupils describe previous experiences in education, such as not taking part, being bullied or not wanting to attend. They say this school helps them overcome these barriers and learn. Each pupil you meet consistently says that Hopedale has given them a ‘place to belong'. One parent, typical of others, said: ‘People often describe things as life-changing, but Hopedale truly changed my son's life.' The wider curriculum is broad and varied. Pupils benefit from a vast number of experiences on offer. These range from visits into the local community, university and careers conferences, supporting national charities and spending time celebrating national ‘days' such as World Ocean Day and World Mental Health Day. These opportunities broaden pupils' horizons and provide experiences many missed in previous schools.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should ensure that staff continue to embed their highly responsive teaching and sharpen their checks on learning and the effectiveness of feedback to deepen pupils' knowledge and skills.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 2 June 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Hopedale School excels at transforming the lives of pupils with complex special educational needs through a deeply inclusive approach. Staff know each pupil exceptionally well and use highly individualised strategies to help them succeed - from the moment pupils join, attendance improves dramatically and pupils develop confidence in learning and social engagement. The school creates a unique community built on trust, respect and high expectations where every pupil truly belongs.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional inclusion and personalised learning approach - every pupil is supported to thrive from their individual starting point
- Highly effective behaviour management through proactive, relational strategies and well-prepared classrooms
- Strong leadership and governance with stable, experienced leaders who share the school's ethos
- Rapid improvements in pupil attendance and engagement after joining the school
- Rich personal development programme with meaningful community links and enrichment activities
Areas for Improvement
- Sharpen checks on pupils' learning and the effectiveness of feedback to further deepen pupils' skills and knowledge
- Continue extending careers opportunities for pupils
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - the school has created an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are fulfilled and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Silent disco, sports, reading clubs, sensory play, music lessons, annual summer concert, gardening, swimming, shopping trips, visits to local care homes, visits to places of worship, work experience
Hopedale School is an exceptional independent special school where pupils with complex needs consistently achieve well from their starting points. Leaders have established a highly inclusive culture with precisely tailored support that transforms pupils' lives.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Hopedale School
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 1 serious and 0 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 Staffordshire is 5 (the median across 457 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
68%
Available places
68 pupils
100 places
32 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Cheddleton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Cheddleton
Across Staffordshire council
Places available
8,807
Applications
7,681
Got 1st preference
91.9%
Got preferred school
98.5%
All secondary applications across Staffordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
68
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Hopedale 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
68
Total Pupils
62
Boys
6
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Hopedale School
What is Hopedale School's Ofsted rating?
Hopedale School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2023, it was rated Outstanding.
Does Hopedale School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in May 2023, Hopedale School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Hopedale School?
Hopedale School has around 68 pupils on roll.
Does Hopedale School have specialist SEN provision?
Hopedale School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Hopedale School?
Hopedale 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 Hopedale School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 1 serious and 0 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Staffordshire is 5 (the median across 457 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Hopedale School?
Hopedale School is at Hopedale House, Cheddleton, Staffordshire, ST13 7ED.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)