Minerva May School, Horley
Minerva May School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 17 in Horley. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2026, ended in a report card: 3 strong standard and 3 expected standard.
- Ofsted report card
- 3 of 6 areas strong or better
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Minerva May School in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 19 May 2026 inspection grades Minerva May School on 6 areas: 3 strong standard and 3 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders place great importance on high attendance."
Inclusion - Strong standard. "All pupils in the school are pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities."
Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The school's highly effective personal development programme ensures that pupils make huge strides socially, emotionally and academically."
Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils achieve well across the curriculum."
Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The school has an accurate understanding of the curriculum's strengths and has accurately identified next steps to strengthen it further."
Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "The proprietor has ensured that the school consistently meets the independent school standards."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "The school should continue to strengthen the work of the advisory board so that it can consistently challenge and support the school's work more precisely".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Minerva May School in its own words
In its own words: "At Minerva May, we are committed to a culture where children and young people are encouraged to be ambitious and develop the skills and attitude for a fulfilling adult life, regardless of their disrupted previous education and adverse past experiences."
From the headteacher's welcome: "It is with immense pride and joy that we welcome you to Minerva May School - a school built on strong family values, a deep sense of purpose, and an unwavering commitment to nurturing every young person in our care."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Minerva May School are Burstow Park School (1.4 miles, Requires improvement); Aurora Redehall School (1.5 miles, Good, selective); Emerald Place Clinic School (EPCS) (2.3 miles, Outstanding); and Amberley Court School (2.4 miles).
Burstow Park SchoolAurora Redehall SchoolEmerald Place Clinic School (EPCS)Amberley Court School
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Minerva May School has an education, health and care plan (29 of 29 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Gatwick Airport Rail Station, about 900 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Jai Ho (opposite), 170 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 150 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and weapons possession. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Surrey (76), as is usual near a town centre.
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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 5 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since January 2026 for independent schools)
Safeguarding standards met
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- InclusionStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected 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 Minerva May School
This is a school that cares deeply about making a difference to pupils. They are nurtured and prepared for adult life well. Pupils benefit from a school that looks and feels different to what they have experienced in the past. As a result, pupils cannot believe their luck when they first start at Minerva May School. Pupils feel very safe and happy here. Consequently, most attend very well and for those who struggle, the support they receive soon means they enjoy coming to school in time. All pupils have education, health and care plans, which include social, emotional and mental health needs. Pupils have typically experienced turbulent periods of education in the past and some have been out of education for several years. The nurturing, tranquil environment helps pupils feel calm and prepared for learning once again. Pupils behave well during lessons and social times. Some enjoy quiet time in the garden, while others actively participate in a game of football or basketball. Staff skilfully support pupils to manage friendship issues. Pupils say that bullying is not an issue for them here. The school's values of collaboration, aspiration, resilience and empowerment underpin school life. The school mantra of ‘together we can' is lived out by staff and pupils. Staff get to know pupils' interests and understand what pupils need to thrive in learning. Staff adapt the school day and learning within the curriculum so that pupils receive the support they need. Pupils enjoy a wide range of learning, for example animal care, music production, science, technology, engineering and mathematics. A range of activities out of school provides pupils with plenty of opportunities to explore the wider world in readiness for the future. Pupils successfully learn new knowledge and skills. They complete appropriate qualifications and accreditations.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- The school should continue to strengthen the work of the advisory board so that it can consistently challenge and support the school's work more precisely.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 19 May 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Minerva May School excels at creating a calm, safe environment where pupils who have experienced disrupted education feel valued and ready to learn again. Every moment of the school day is used as a teaching opportunity, and staff skilfully adapt the curriculum and daily routines to meet each pupil's complex needs. Pupils make strong progress in their academic learning, social skills and independence, with excellent support for their transition to the next stage of their education.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional focus on attendance with well-embedded systems and proactive interventions that result in rapid improvement for pupils with low starting points
- Highly personalised support for behaviour and emotional regulation using sensory spaces and individual tools
- Strong pastoral care and personal development programme that nurtures independence and social-emotional skills
- Excellent relationships with parents, carers, social care and local authority
- Staff are highly trained and deeply understand each pupil's individual needs
Areas for Improvement
- Strengthen the advisory board's role in consistently challenging and supporting the school's work
- Develop more systematic approach to addressing handwriting gaps
- Continue to refine curriculum planning to ensure consistent progress across all subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils are made safer and feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Animal care, music production, science, technology, engineering and mathematics, art and music, football, basketball, garden activities, college visits, careers education with local professionals
Minerva May School is a new independent special school for pupils with multiple and complex needs that has been judged as meeting strong standards across attendance, behaviour, inclusion, and personal development. The school creates a nurturing, tranquil environment where pupils feel safe and develop confidence alongside academic progress.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Minerva May School
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 23
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 16 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 Surrey is 13 (the median across 521 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
41%
Available places
29 pupils
70 places
41 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Horley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Horley
Across Surrey council
Places available
12,569
Applications
11,986
Got 1st preference
81.3%
Got preferred school
96.2%
All secondary applications across Surrey council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
29
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Minerva May 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
29
Total Pupils
16
Boys
13
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Minerva May School
Does Minerva May School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in May 2026, Minerva May School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Minerva May School?
Minerva May School has around 29 pupils on roll.
Does Minerva May School have specialist SEN provision?
Minerva May School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Minerva May School?
Minerva May 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 Minerva May School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 16 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 Surrey is 13 (the median across 521 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Minerva May School?
Minerva May School is at Dovenby Hall, Balcombe Road, Horley, Surrey, RH6 9UU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)