Leith Hill School, Holmbury St Mary
Leith Hill School is a special school for pupils aged 7 to 16 in Holmbury St Mary. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2026, ended in a report card: 3 strong standard and 3 expected standard.
- Ofsted report card
- 3 of 6 areas strong or better
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Leith Hill School in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 19 May 2026 inspection grades Leith Hill School on 6 areas: 3 strong standard and 3 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders have achieved tangible success with attendance, despite histories of non-attendance and severe absence for many pupils."
Inclusion - Strong standard. "Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) thrive here."
Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders have established a highly effective personal development programme that is carefully tailored to meet the needs of pupils."
Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils achieve well across the school's curriculum."
Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders and proprietors ensure that the curriculum is ambitious and clearly sequenced."
Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders and proprietors provide effective oversight and maintain a clear strategic vision for the school."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should strengthen the teaching of writing to help all pupils to acquire very secure foundations in this area to match their success with reading and mathematics".
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 Leith Hill School are St Joseph's Specialist Trust (3.8 miles, Outstanding); Unified Academy (4.4 miles, Requires improvement); and Elysian, West Horsley (4.4 miles, Good).
St Joseph's Specialist TrustUnified AcademyElysian, West Horsley
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Leith Hill School has an education, health and care plan (33 of 33 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Gomshall Rail Station, about 2.6 miles away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Belmont School (adjacent), 180 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 1 crime within a mile of the school, most often bicycle theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Surrey (76).
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 · 5 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since January 2026 for independent schools)
Safeguarding standards met
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- InclusionStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
Safeguarding standards: met
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 Leith Hill School
Pupils are thriving in this deeply caring school. Many have missed extended periods of learning in the past, but this school is addresses pupils' gaps in learning to ensure that they achieve well across a broad and engaging curriculum. Pupils have discovered a meaningful sense of belonging at this school. Leaders ensure that support for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities is excellent. The school is meticulous and tireless in its work to identify pastoral, emotional and academic needs to put very effective support in place. Many parents and carers commend the school as being ‘life changing' for their children. They are grateful to the school for ensuring that their children are back in full-time education after long periods out of school. Behaviour is excellent. High expectations, warm relationships and clear systems keep everybody safe and happy. Pupils are not worried about bullying. There is a culture of mutual respect and inclusivity in this caring school. The school is an oasis of calm purpose. Pupils flourish emotionally and get back on track with their education. Personal development and wellbeing are excellent. Pastoral care and occupational therapy are highly personalised to support pupils' mental and physical health. Pupils appreciate how staff care about them and help them to be confident, resilient and ambitious despite their struggles in the past. Pupils develop secure understanding of important issues relating to relationships, consent, online safety and protected characteristics. Pupils become advocates for themselves and others, resolving conflicts through reflective discussions and embracing the views of others. The school prepares pupils well for their future steps, raising their aspirations for future careers while harnessing their talents and passions through extensive enrichment opportunities. Pupils attend highly, enjoy learning, and embrace opportunities to boost their independence, confidence and success in future life.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should strengthen the teaching of writing to help all pupils to acquire very secure foundations in this area to match their success with reading and mathematics.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 19 May 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school specialises in supporting children who have experienced trauma, anxiety and extended absences from education. Parents describe it as 'life-changing', with pupils rediscovering a sense of belonging and achieving well across a broad curriculum. The school combines excellent academic support with outstanding emotional care, helping vulnerable pupils flourish both academically and personally.
Key Strengths
- Excellent behaviour and attendance, particularly for pupils with anxiety and histories of non-attendance
- Outstanding SEND support with integrated therapeutic help including occupational therapy, speech therapy and medical care
- Highly effective personal development programme covering emotional health, relationships, consent education and life skills
- Strong pastoral care that makes pupils feel safe, valued and understood
- Mathematics and reading are particular curriculum strengths
Areas for Improvement
- Writing skills need improvement - teaching of writing is inconsistent and needs better modelling
- Some activities could be designed with more precision to reduce dependence on adults
- Need for more consistent teaching of writing across the school
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met. Leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Gardening, music technology, sport, performing arts
Leith Hill School is a deeply caring and inclusive school where pupils with SEND and emotional needs thrive. The school has achieved exceptional success in improving attendance and behaviour through highly effective pastoral strategies and support.
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 Leith Hill 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 Surrey is 13 (the median across 521 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
44%
Available places
33 pupils
75 places
42 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Holmbury St Mary
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Holmbury St Mary
Across Surrey council
Places available
12,569
Applications
11,986
Got 1st preference
81.3%
Got preferred school
96.2%
All secondary applications across Surrey council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
33
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Leith Hill 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
22
Boys
11
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Leith Hill School
Questions parents ask about Leith Hill School
Does Leith Hill School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in May 2026, Leith Hill School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Leith Hill School?
Leith Hill School has around 33 pupils on roll.
Does Leith Hill School have specialist SEN provision?
Leith Hill School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Leith Hill School?
Leith Hill 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 Leith Hill 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 Surrey is 13 (the median across 521 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Leith Hill School?
Leith Hill School is at Pasture Wood Road, Holmbury St Mary, Surrey, RH5 6LQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)