Mary Hare School, Newbury
Mary Hare School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 19 in Newbury. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2016. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2016)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Mary Hare School in detail
Mary Hare School in its own words
In its own words: "Mary Hare is a boarding and day school for deaf children and young people aged between 5 to 19. We have a number of exciting roles at Mary Hare in both our Residential Care Houses and within our school - see below and select a tab to see which roles are available."
Coming up: an admissions event on Thursday 25 February 2027 and an open day on Monday 3 May 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in West Berkshire
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Mary Hare School are The Castle School (1.4 miles, Outstanding); Priors Court School (2.1 miles, Outstanding); Northcroft Vocational School (2.4 miles); and Engaging Potential (2.5 miles, Good).
The Castle SchoolPriors Court SchoolNorthcroft Vocational SchoolEngaging Potential
What parents say
31 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Mary Hare School (as of April 2026): 100% would recommend the school, 100% 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 (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 22 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 14% to a further education college.
Of the 38 students who left the sixth form in 2022/23, 34% went on to university or other higher education and 8% into work.
Who goes there
21.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 30.8% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (73%), Asian (10%) and Mixed (6%).
Almost every pupil at Mary Hare School has an education, health and care plan (143 of 146 in 2026). The most common need among them is hearing impairment.
Mary Hare School provides for pupils with hearing impairment.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Newbury Rail Station, about 2.7 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Snelsmore Country Park (opposite), 310 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 1 crime within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in West Berkshire (26).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Mary Hare School issued 37 suspensions, 23.3 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 1 year agoThis judgement is from June 2016, 10 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Mary Hare School transforms pupils' lives by creating an inclusive, nurturing environment where deaf pupils with hearing impairments feel they truly belong. Staff are highly trained in therapeutic approaches and behaviour management, allowing pupils to thrive academically and personally. The school offers ambitious, personalised pathways from primary through sixth form, with excellent support for reading, vocabulary development, and career preparation.
Key Strengths
- Excellent behaviour management and conduct throughout the school with rare disruption to learning
- Strong focus on vocabulary development and reading support, helping pupils become confident readers
- Personalised curriculum pathways in secondary and sixth form tailored to each pupil's strengths and aspirations
- Highly trained staff with therapeutic approach that meets pupils' individual needs effectively
- Comprehensive careers guidance and work-based experiences from Year 7 onwards
Areas for Improvement
- Knowledge sequencing in a small number of foundation subjects needs clarification so teachers can precisely identify and address pupils' learning gaps
- Teachers in some non-core subjects lack clear understanding of what pupils need to know and when
- Checks on pupils' understanding in these areas are not as precise as they could be
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Leadership opportunities (house captains, prefects, mentors, school council), work-based experiences, BTEC and technical pathways (animal care, plumbing, construction, digital media), weekly topical discussions in form time, school and local community events
Mary Hare School is a special school for deaf pupils with hearing impairments, serving ages 4-19. The school has maintained good standards and provides an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum with strong support for pupils' individual needs.
About
Mary Hare School is a residential co-educational Non-Maintained special school for deaf pupils in Newbury, Berkshire, England. It consists of around 230 pupils from Reception to Year 13.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
21.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Hearing
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
31 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Mary Hare School
Celebrating GCSE success!
20 Aug 2026
Hard work pays off for Sixth Formers on results day
13 Aug 2026
Mary Hare Sports Appeal
3 Jun 2024
From Mary Hare School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Mary Hare School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Mary Hare School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Mary Hare School is in West Berkshire; for families living there:
Apply to West Berkshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none 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 West Berkshire is 3 (the median across 99 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
61%
Available places
146 pupils
240 places
94 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Newbury
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Newbury
Across West Berkshire council
Places available
2,143
Applications
1,680
Got 1st preference
94.9%
Got preferred school
99.0%
All secondary applications across West Berkshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(10)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
3
SEN Support
143
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Mary Hare School provides for pupils with hearing impairment.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
146
Total Pupils
82
Boys
64
Girls
2026 academic year
Pupil Absence2024/25
14.6%
Overall absence
47.5%
Persistent absence
40
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
Questions parents ask about Mary Hare School
What are GCSE results like at Mary Hare School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Mary Hare School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 33.2. 20% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Mary Hare School's Ofsted rating?
Mary Hare School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2016, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Mary Hare School?
No fixed boundary. When Mary Hare School is oversubscribed, West Berkshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Mary Hare School?
Mary Hare School has around 146 pupils on roll. 21% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Mary Hare School have specialist SEN provision?
Mary Hare School provides for pupils with hearing impairment.
What is attendance like at Mary Hare School?
14.6% of sessions were missed at Mary Hare School in 2024/25. 47.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Mary Hare School?
Apply through West Berkshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Mary Hare 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 Mary Hare School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none 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 West Berkshire is 3 (the median across 99 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Mary Hare School?
Mary Hare School is at Arlington Manor, Snelsmore Common, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 3BQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)