Middleton School, Ware
Middleton School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Ware. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2024.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Middleton School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Middleton School are Pinewood School (under 0.1 miles, Requires improvement); Amwell View School (1.5 miles, Outstanding); and Hailey Hall School (1.6 miles, Requires improvement).
Who goes there
35.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 3.5% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (74%), Mixed (10%) and Black (6%).
Almost every pupil at Middleton School has an education, health and care plan (113 of 113 in 2026). The most common need among them is a moderate learning difficulty.
Middleton School has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs, autism and moderate learning difficulties: 90 places, 112 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ware Rail Station, about 960 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is School (outside), 350 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Middleton School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Middleton School issued 1 suspension, 0.9 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
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; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its April 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
35.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Speech and language, Autism, MLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 0% to 5% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Middleton School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Middleton School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Middleton School is in Hertfordshire; for families living there:
- Hertfordshire's school travel policy: Read the home to school transport policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
2 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 Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 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
126%
Over capacity
113 pupils
90 places
23 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Ware
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Ware
Across Hertfordshire council
Places available
15,222
Applications
13,456
Got 1st preference
77.5%
Got preferred school
94.9%
All secondary applications across Hertfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
113
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Middleton School has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs, autism and moderate learning difficulties: 90 places, 112 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
113
Total Pupils
69
Boys
44
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
6.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,819
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.4%
Overall absence
27.0%
Persistent absence
115
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Middleton School
Questions parents ask about Middleton School
What are SATs results like at Middleton School?
Of the pupils at Middleton School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 5% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Middleton School's Ofsted rating?
Middleton School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in April 2024.
What is the catchment area for Middleton School?
No fixed boundary. When Middleton School is oversubscribed, Hertfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Middleton School?
Middleton School has around 113 pupils on roll. 35% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Middleton School have specialist SEN provision?
Middleton School has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs, autism and moderate learning difficulties: 90 places, 112 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Middleton School?
8.4% of sessions were missed at Middleton School in 2024/25. 27% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Middleton School?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Middleton 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 Middleton School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 2 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 Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Middleton School?
Middleton School is at Walnut Tree Walk, Ware, Hertfordshire, SG12 9PD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)