INSPIRE Free Special School, Chatham
INSPIRE Free Special School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 18 in Chatham, part of Rivermead Inclusive Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
INSPIRE Free Special School in detail
INSPIRE Free Special School in its own words
In its own words: "The fully integrated and holistic approach will be delivered through various parts of the young person's day and equip them with the following: Our curriculum is personalised by identifying interests which will engage the young person; the curriculum will challenge, enthuse and inspire the young person to begin to make progress where they have previously been resistant."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Inspire Academy is a special school based in Chatham and every pupil that attends has an EHCP (Educational, Health and Care Plan), with SEMH (Social, Emotional and Mental Health) as their primary need."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to INSPIRE Free Special School are Bradfields Academy (under 0.1 miles, Outstanding); Blue Skies School (1.5 miles, Good); Alchemy School (2.1 miles, Good); and Ripplevale School Rochester (2.2 miles).
Bradfields AcademyBlue Skies SchoolAlchemy SchoolRipplevale School Rochester
The trust
INSPIRE Free Special School is one of 6 schools run by Rivermead Inclusive Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 13 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 54% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 39% to a further education college and 8% into work.
Who goes there
65.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 4.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (81%) and Mixed (11%).
Almost every pupil at INSPIRE Free Special School has an education, health and care plan (98 of 98 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
INSPIRE Free Special School has a resourced provision for social, emotional and mental health needs: 100 places, 96 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Chatham Rail Station, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Burma Way Top (opposite), 210 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood INSPIRE Free Special School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, INSPIRE Free Special School issued 68 suspensions, 75.6 for every 100 pupils, and 2 permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE destination measures; 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from June 2018, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school excels at understanding its pupils deeply and creating safe, supportive relationships where students trust staff and feel valued. Staff work collaboratively to spot patterns in behaviour and make quick changes that have led to fewer behaviour incidents and suspensions. The school also goes the extra mile to support families and pupils who have struggled elsewhere, using specialist training and individualised approaches to help them succeed.
Key Strengths
- Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong child-centred support and clear reporting systems
- Staff manage behaviour well with noticeable reduction in incidents and suspensions through analysis of patterns and targeted interventions
- Warm, trusting relationships between staff and pupils who feel safe and supported at school
- Strong knowledge of individual pupils including their attendance, achievement, behaviour and contextual risks
- Improved monitoring and reviewing mechanisms with better challenge and support from leadership and external trust
Areas for Improvement
- Low pupil attendance that requires continued focus despite recent incentives and training initiatives
- Risk assessments and individual plans lack sufficient detail about strategies and specific interventions tailored to each pupil
- Systems for tracking welfare checks when pupils are absent or on reduced timetables need improvement for better oversight
- Therapeutic curriculum and interventions need enhancement to better meet individual pupil needs
- Communication with parents needs improvement as some find it difficult to get updates on enquiries
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with strong procedures for reviewing concerns, clear reporting systems, appropriate use of external agencies, and all staff well-informed through regular training and daily briefings.
Extracurricular Activities
Trips to laser tag and ice-skating venues
INSPIRE Free Special School is a special school for pupils with Education, Health and Care plans, predominantly serving students with social, emotional and mental health needs. This urgent inspection found that safeguarding arrangements are effective, though the school has identified several areas requiring improvement.
At a Glance
65.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from INSPIRE Free Special School
Medway Incredible Years for Babies sessions
17 Jul 2026
Bowling Tournament
17 Jun 2026
We've moved to Arbor!
3 Sep 2025
We're seeking a Parent Governor to join our Academy Council!
24 Jan 2025
TERM DATES 2024/25
18 Apr 2024
Introducing....Studybugs!
15 Jan 2024
From INSPIRE Free Special School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with INSPIRE Free Special School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to INSPIRE Free Special School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. INSPIRE Free Special School is in Medway; for families living there:
Apply to Medway for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 17
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 17 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 13 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 1 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 Medway is 25 (the median across 117 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
98%
Near capacity
98 pupils
100 places
2 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Chatham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Chatham
Across Medway council
Places available
3,844
Applications
3,586
Got 1st preference
80.4%
Got preferred school
96.8%
All secondary applications across Medway council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
98
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
INSPIRE Free Special School has a resourced provision for social, emotional and mental health needs: 100 places, 96 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
98
Total Pupils
81
Boys
17
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
5.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,446
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
38.9%
Overall absence
74.8%
Persistent absence
107
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
INSPIRE Free Special School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about INSPIRE Free Special School
What are GCSE results like at INSPIRE Free Special School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at INSPIRE Free Special School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 2.5. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is INSPIRE Free Special School's Ofsted rating?
INSPIRE Free Special School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2018, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for INSPIRE Free Special School?
No fixed boundary. When INSPIRE Free Special School is oversubscribed, Medway allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to INSPIRE Free Special School?
INSPIRE Free Special School has around 98 pupils on roll. 65% are eligible for free school meals.
Does INSPIRE Free Special School have specialist SEN provision?
INSPIRE Free Special School has a resourced provision for social, emotional and mental health needs: 100 places, 96 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at INSPIRE Free Special School?
38.9% of sessions were missed at INSPIRE Free Special School in 2024/25. 74.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to INSPIRE Free Special School?
Apply through Medway's coordinated admissions process, naming INSPIRE Free 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 INSPIRE Free Special School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 17 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 13 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 1 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 Medway is 25 (the median across 117 schools, same distance and years).
Where is INSPIRE Free Special School?
INSPIRE Free Special School is at Churchill Avenue, Chatham, Kent, ME5 0LB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)