Mulberry Bush School, Witney
Mulberry Bush School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 12 in Witney. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in September 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2012)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Mulberry Bush School in detail
Mulberry Bush School in its own words
In its own words: "Our Mulberry Bush Schools offer specialist therapeutic care and education to children who have suffered early years trauma and whose lives are impacted by social, emotional and mental health challenges."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Mulberry Bush School has an education, health and care plan (24 of 24 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Mulberry Bush School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Mulberry Bush School.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Garage (opposite), 230 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 3 crimes within a mile of the school, most often other theft and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Oxfordshire (52).
Suspensions and exclusions
Mulberry Bush School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from November 2012, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils thrive at this transformative school. Most pupils attend Mulberry Bush School having experienced childhood trauma. All arrive finding it difficult to be in a class or live among others. Expert staff rapidly build trusting and positive relationships with pupils. This helps pupils to feel safe and ready to learn. Pupils know the high expectations the school has for their learning and behaviour, and they constantly strive to meet them.
Pupils feel valued and listened to. They play an integral part in the school community by leading the school council and the 'get together' community meetings. Pupils learn how to be positive members of a group. They hold other pupils and themselves to account for their behaviour. Social times are joyful periods of the day. During which, staff provide pupils with a range of activities that match their interests. Pupils across the school interact with each other with kindness and respect.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school's curriculum is highly ambitious and broad. It contains carefully constructed sequences of learning that meet pupils' individual needs precisely. The curriculum offer has been suitably amended to help pupils meet their education, health and care plan outcomes. Therapeutic activities, including speech and language, music and drama therapy, are a crucial part of the school day. These activities are accurately matched to pupils' needs. This holistic curriculum has a profoundly positive impact on pupils' well-being and learning. As such, pupils achieve exceptionally well.
As soon as a pupil starts, staff find out how well they can read. Staff use this information to understand what help to give pupils who have fallen behind with reading. They put in place highly effective additional activities. These activities help pupils to become capable and confident readers.
From Ofsted's September 2024 ungraded 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 November 2012 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
0.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Keep up with Mulberry Bush School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Mulberry Bush School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Mulberry Bush School is in Oxfordshire; for families living there:
- Oxfordshire's school travel policy: Free home to school travel assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Oxfordshire is 5 (the median across 369 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
60%
Available places
24 pupils
40 places
16 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Witney
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Witney
Across Oxfordshire council
Places available
7,654
Applications
6,814
Got 1st preference
85.4%
Got preferred school
96.3%
All secondary applications across Oxfordshire 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
24
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Mulberry Bush School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
24
Total Pupils
18
Boys
6
Girls
2026 academic year
Questions parents ask about Mulberry Bush School
What is Mulberry Bush School's Ofsted rating?
Mulberry Bush School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2012, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Mulberry Bush School?
No fixed boundary. When Mulberry Bush School is oversubscribed, Oxfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Mulberry Bush School?
Mulberry Bush School has around 24 pupils on roll.
Does Mulberry Bush School have specialist SEN provision?
Mulberry Bush School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
How do I apply to Mulberry Bush School?
Apply through Oxfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Mulberry Bush 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 Mulberry Bush School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Oxfordshire is 5 (the median across 369 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Mulberry Bush School?
Mulberry Bush School is at Abingdon Road, Standlake, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 7RW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)