Newfriars College, Stoke-on-Trent
Newfriars College is a special school for pupils aged 16 to 25 in Stoke-on-Trent. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2022.
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Newfriars College in detail
Newfriars College in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "A Very Warm Welcome to Newfriars College. I feel very honoured to lead the exceptional team at the college and I am extremely proud of the journey we have been on together. Our passion is in specialist education, and we have great partnerships and opportunities which are thriving in the local community."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, swimming, dance and gardening.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Newfriars College are Manor Abbey School (0.2 miles); Aurora Hanley School (0.3 miles, Outstanding); Spruce House School (1.3 miles); and Edgewood Academy (1.6 miles).
Manor Abbey SchoolAurora Hanley SchoolSpruce House SchoolEdgewood Academy
Who goes there
Newfriars College is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Stoke-on-Trent Rail Station, about 2.4 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Castle Grove (adjacent), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Newfriars College stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 4th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 187 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Staffordshire (86), 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 · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Source: Ofsted, further education and skills inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2022 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Approved
Section 41
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Newfriars College
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Newfriars College from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Newfriars College is in Staffordshire; for families living there:
Apply to Staffordshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 5 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot.
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 Staffordshire is 5 (the median across 457 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
Area Demand Pressure - Stoke-on-Trent
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Stoke-on-Trent
Across Staffordshire council
Places available
8,807
Applications
7,681
Got 1st preference
91.9%
Got preferred school
98.5%
All secondary applications across Staffordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
Special educational needs provision
Newfriars College is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Source: Get Information about Schools (GIAS), Department for Education.
Questions parents ask about Newfriars College
What is Newfriars College's Ofsted rating?
Newfriars College was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2022.
What is the catchment area for Newfriars College?
No fixed boundary. When Newfriars College is oversubscribed, Staffordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Does Newfriars College have specialist SEN provision?
Newfriars College is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
How do I apply to Newfriars College?
Apply through Staffordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Newfriars College 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 Newfriars College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 5 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot. 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 Staffordshire is 5 (the median across 457 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Newfriars College?
Newfriars College is at Castle Grove, Newhouse Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST2 8BH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)