Meadow View Farm School, Barwell
Meadow View Farm School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Barwell. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2026, ended in a report card: 3 exceptional and 3 strong standard. Before that it was rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in June 2023.
- Ofsted report card
- 6 of 6 areas strong or better
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Meadow View Farm School in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 27 January 2026 inspection grades Meadow View Farm School on 6 areas: 3 exceptional and 3 strong standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Attendance and behaviour - Exceptional. "Leaders' work to understand the reasons why pupils struggle to attend school is deliberate and meticulous."
Inclusion - Exceptional. "All pupils have an education, health and care plan."
Personal development and wellbeing - Exceptional. "The school's personal development programme is second to none."
Achievement - Strong standard. "Many pupils enter the school after long periods of time when they have not received an education or struggled to engage in learning."
Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders have used their deep understanding of the school's context to design a high-quality, ambitious curriculum."
Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders have a deep understanding of the school's context."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "The school should ensure that all members of the board of proprietors share the same deep understanding of the school's strengths and priorities as other school leaders so that they can make an even greater contribution to the school's strategic direction".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Meadow View Farm School in its own words
In its own words: "At Meadow View Farm School, we provide a nurturing, highly specialised learning environment where children with a range of special educational needs and disabilities, predominantly Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, can flourish. Nestled in the Leicestershire countryside, our unique provision combines high-quality, ambitious education with exceptional pastoral care, therapeutic support, outdoor learning and our onsite farm."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include dance and cooking.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Meadow View Farm School are The Fusion Academy (1 mile, Good); The Cedars (1 mile, Outstanding); Dorothy Goodman School Hinckley (3.3 miles, Good); and Dovetree School (3.5 miles, Good).
The Fusion AcademyThe CedarsDorothy Goodman School HinckleyDovetree School
What parents say
25 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Meadow View Farm School (as of April 2026): 96% would recommend the school, 96% 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 they are kept well informed about progress (80%).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Meadow View Farm School has an education, health and care plan (39 of 39 in 2026).
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 13 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 Leicestershire (58).
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 9 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since January 2026 for independent schools)
Safeguarding standards met
- Attendance and behaviourExceptional
- InclusionExceptional
- Personal development and wellbeingExceptional
- AchievementStrong standard
- Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
- Leadership and governanceStrong 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 Meadow View Farm School
Meadow View Farm School is a highly positive and purposeful learning community. It is a shining example of how pupils can experience success because they receive the best possible support. Pupils are happy to come to school because their needs are well known and their wellbeing and safety are prioritised. They feel safe and recognise that they belong to a unique community where staff go above and beyond to provide them with exceptional care. Pupils develop a strong attachment to the adults in school. They have absolute confidence that they will help them if they are struggling at any point in the school day. Pupils make strong progress through the curriculum. As a result of the school's work, pupils are well prepared for the next steps in their education and life in modern Britain. Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. They provide expert support so that pupils learn to recognise their emotions. Pupils use highly personalised strategies that help them to make good choices. When pupils struggle to manage their feelings, staff step in quickly. As a result, pupils overcome the barriers that have prevented them from learning in the past. They work hard, enjoy learning and are active participants in their lessons. Social times are fun because pupils get on well together. They do not worry about bullying. If it should happen, it is dealt with well. Outdoor learning is at the heart of the school's work. Pupils play an active role in maintaining the school's onsite farm. They take great pride in their responsibilities to care for the pigs, chickens and sheep. Pupils benefit hugely from the outdoor learning opportunities that the school provides. This work makes a significant contribution to pupils' confidence, resilience and mental health. Parents and carers are deeply appreciative of the school. One comment reflects the views of many: ‘The transformation in my child is beyond anything that I could have imagined.'
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- The school should ensure that all members of the board of proprietors share the same deep understanding of the school's strengths and priorities as other school leaders so that they can make an even greater contribution to the school's strategic direction.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 27 January 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Meadow View Farm School is a transformational place for children who have struggled in education. Staff provide exceptional care and expert support to help pupils overcome barriers to learning, develop confidence, and make strong progress. The school combines a high-quality curriculum with outdoor farm-based learning, creating a calm, inclusive community where every child belongs and thrives.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional attendance and behaviour support - pupils make significant improvements when they join the school
- Highly inclusive practice with expert staff who meet complex learning needs
- Outstanding personal development and wellbeing programme with tailored support for each pupil
- Strong leadership with a relentless focus on school improvement and pupil success
- Farm-based outdoor learning embedded throughout the curriculum
Areas for Improvement
- Proprietor's understanding of school strengths and improvement priorities could be deeper
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Chess, board games, cheerleading, dinosaur club, litter picking, school council, outdoor farm activities
Meadow View Farm School is an exceptional independent school that transforms the lives of pupils with complex needs and significant barriers to learning. The school creates a highly inclusive, supportive environment where pupils flourish academically and personally.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
25 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Meadow View Farm School
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- 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, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 Leicestershire is 3 (the median across 329 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
78%
Available places
39 pupils
50 places
11 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Barwell
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Barwell
Across Leicestershire council
Places available
8,516
Applications
7,490
Got 1st preference
90.2%
Got preferred school
98.1%
All secondary applications across Leicestershire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
Independent School standard inspection
Met all the independent school standards.
Independent School standard inspection
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
39
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Meadow View Farm 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
39
Total Pupils
31
Boys
8
Girls
2026 academic year
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Meadow View Farm School
Questions parents ask about Meadow View Farm School
What is Meadow View Farm School's Ofsted rating?
Meadow View Farm School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2023, it was rated Outstanding.
Does Meadow View Farm School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in January 2026, Meadow View Farm School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Meadow View Farm School?
Meadow View Farm School has around 39 pupils on roll.
Does Meadow View Farm School have specialist SEN provision?
Meadow View Farm School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Meadow View Farm School?
Meadow View Farm 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 Meadow View Farm 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, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Leicestershire is 3 (the median across 329 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Meadow View Farm School?
Meadow View Farm School is at Kirkby Road, Barwell, Barwell, Leicestershire, LE9 8FT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)