Mill Ford School, Plymouth
Mill Ford School is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 19 in Plymouth. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Mill Ford School in detail
Mill Ford School in its own words
In its own words: "I am extremely proud to be Headteacher at Mill Ford School. We are privileged to have the most wonderful children and young people, along with staff who are 100% dedicated to support them to achieve above and beyond expectation."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Mill Ford School are Brook Green Centre for Learning (0.6 miles, Outstanding); Mount Tamar School (0.8 miles); Mount Tamar School (0.8 miles); and Woodlands School (1.4 miles, Good).
Brook Green Centre for LearningMount Tamar SchoolMount Tamar SchoolWoodlands School
Who goes there
54.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 10.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (79%) and Black (5%).
Almost every pupil at Mill Ford School has an education, health and care plan (149 of 149 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
Mill Ford School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is St Budeaux Victoria Road Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Mill Ford School (s-bound), 50 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Mill Ford School issued 1 suspension, 0.8 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Mill Ford School caters for pupils with complex support needs and severe learning difficulties. The school provides exceptionally well for pupils' communication needs. Throughout the school day, pupils use a range of communication aids to make choices and express preferences. This helps pupils to have a voice and develop their confidence.
Pupils learn in increasingly formal ways, as appropriate to their development. Some pupils engage with the world through sensory experiences. Others take delight in learning phonics and go on to become confident and fluent readers. Students in the sixth form have every opportunity to develop skills to thrive as adults. Parents value the wide range of activities that pupils have the chance to do, including in the local community.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school is highly ambitious for each pupil and takes great pride in their individual achievements. The curriculum has been designed with considerable expertise. It meets a wide range of needs, helping pupils to move to more formal approaches to learning as their development allows. The school recognises that pupils have different starting points in different subjects and sets out to maximise what each pupil can learn. Staff deepen their expertise through ongoing training. As a result, many pupils exceed initial expectations.
Communication and reading form the bedrock of the school's curriculum. The school carefully assesses what each pupil can do. The curriculum addresses gaps, for example in pupils' awareness of sounds. The school rightly recognises that pupils need to build their learning on strong foundations. Through regular repetition, many pupils learn the letters and sounds they need to read successfully. Students in the sixth form continue to practise their reading as they prepare to transition into work or college.
From Ofsted's June 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its June 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Sixth form.
At a Glance
54.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Mill Ford School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Mill Ford School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Mill Ford School is in Plymouth; for families living there:
Apply to Plymouth for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 15
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 12 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 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 Plymouth is 22 (the median across 107 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
138%
Over capacity
149 pupils
108 places
41 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Plymouth
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Plymouth
Across Plymouth council
Places available
3,165
Applications
2,761
Got 1st preference
91.7%
Got preferred school
98.9%
All secondary applications across Plymouth council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
149
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Mill Ford School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
149
Total Pupils
104
Boys
45
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
20
Teachers
7.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,744
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.7%
Overall absence
29.4%
Persistent absence
119
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
Mill Ford School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Mill Ford School
What are SATs results like at Mill Ford School?
Of the pupils at Mill Ford School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Mill Ford School's Ofsted rating?
Mill Ford School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2013 it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Mill Ford School?
No fixed boundary. When Mill Ford School is oversubscribed, Plymouth allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Mill Ford School?
Mill Ford School has around 149 pupils on roll. 54% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Mill Ford School have specialist SEN provision?
Mill Ford School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Mill Ford School?
9.7% of sessions were missed at Mill Ford School in 2024/25. 29.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Mill Ford School?
Apply through Plymouth's coordinated admissions process, naming Mill Ford 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 Mill Ford School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 12 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 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 Plymouth is 22 (the median across 107 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Mill Ford School?
Mill Ford School is at Rochford Crescent, Ernesettle, Plymouth, Devon, PL5 2PY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)