Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School, Dunnington
Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Dunnington. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2025. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2026 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School in detail
Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School in its own words
In its own words: "Lord Gowthorpe's Independent Special School is a specialist school for young people who require a supportive and nurturing learning environment to reach their potential. We provide education for those young people with social interaction and communication differences and related social anxiety."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
What parents say
15 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that their child is happy at the school (100%).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School has an education, health and care plan (24 of 24 in 2026).
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hassacarr Lane (opposite), 40 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Lord Gowthorpe's Independent 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 7 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in York (175).
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 · 3 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 July 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school demonstrates excellent leadership and a genuine commitment to pupil wellbeing. Buildings have been thoughtfully renovated with high-quality teaching spaces, and the school has carefully planned for safe expansion. Staff are well-trained in safeguarding and health and safety, and work closely with external professionals to support each child.
Key Strengths
- Strong leadership with clear vision and high expectations for staff and pupils
- Effective safeguarding arrangements with thorough policies and well-trained staff
- High standards of health and safety with regular checks and staff training
- Thoughtfully renovated buildings with well-designed teaching spaces and equipment
- Robust risk assessments tailored to specific activities and individual pupil needs
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective, with appropriate policies, suitably trained staff, thorough records, and strong partnerships with external agencies to support pupil wellbeing.
Extracurricular Activities
Physical education, visits to local attractions, scientific experiments, horse riding
Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School is applying to increase its capacity from 25 to 45 pupils. The inspection found the school is likely to meet all relevant independent school standards if this material change is approved.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
15 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby schools
Latest from Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School
A Brilliant Start to Autumn Term in Maths! ➕➖
2 Oct 2026
Teamwork, Problem Solving and Plenty of Laughter!
2 Oct 2026
Autumn Nature Hunt in Engage
29 Sep 2026
Hands-on science bringing learning to life!
25 Sep 2026
Descriptive Writing Comes to Life in English
25 Sep 2026
Creativity Comes to Life in Engage Media
24 Sep 2026
From Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Lord Gowthorpe's Independent 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 York is 12.5 (the median across 74 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
53%
Available places
24 pupils
45 places
21 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Dunnington
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Dunnington
Across York council
Places available
1,977
Applications
1,772
Got 1st preference
93.7%
Got preferred school
98.9%
All secondary applications across York council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
24
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Lord Gowthorpe's 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
24
Total Pupils
13
Boys
11
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School
Questions parents ask about Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School
What is Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School's Ofsted rating?
Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2026, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2025, it was rated Good.
Does Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in June 2025, Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School?
Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School has around 24 pupils on roll.
Does Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School have specialist SEN provision?
Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School?
Lord Gowthorpe's 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 Lord Gowthorpe's Independent 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 York is 12.5 (the median across 74 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School?
Lord Gowthorpe's Independent School is at 45 Common Road, Dunnington, North Yorkshire, YO19 5PA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)