Northstar New School, The Shaftesburys
Northstar New School is a special school for pupils aged 7 to 18 in The Shaftesburys. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2026, ended in a report card: 6 strong standard. Before that it was rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in June 2023.
- Ofsted report card
- 6 of 6 areas strong or better
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Northstar New School in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 7 July 2026 inspection grades Northstar New School on 6 areas: 6 strong standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils join the school with different starting points."
Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Attendance and punctuality are high."
Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Expectations for what pupils can achieve are very high."
Inclusion - Strong standard. "There is a highly effective system in place for assessing pupils' needs when they join the school."
Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders and the proprietor demonstrate a highly inclusive ethos."
Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders support pupils' personal development very well."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "The proprietor should further strengthen the programme of professional learning, with a focus on subject-specific pedagogy so that, as it expands the school, teaching staff continue to have the knowledge and confidence to deliver the wider curriculum consistently well"; "The proprietor should continue to develop its careers programme, including careers advice that is even more tailored to pupils' needs, so that they are able to make exceptionally well-informed choices".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Northstar New School are Horizon Academy (0.6 miles, Good); Riverside Bridge School (1.9 miles, Good); Connaught Special School (1.9 miles); and Oak House School (1.9 miles, Good).
Horizon AcademyRiverside Bridge SchoolConnaught Special SchoolOak House School
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Northstar New School has an education, health and care plan (21 of 21 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest Underground station is Barking Underground Station, about 870 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Gascoigne Primary School (->s), 200 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 737 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and drug offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Barking and Dagenham (470), 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 · 3 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
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 Northstar New School
Pupils receive a warm welcome at Northstar New School. Staff go the extra mile to provide a calm, safe and nurturing environment. This enables pupils with difficult and disrupted experiences of education to find joy in learning. New pupils are supported by staff and their peers to settle into the routines. These are clear and consistent. Over time, pupils develop a strong sense of belonging. Pupils value this greatly. As a result, attendance is high. Staff keep pupils safe. Pupils develop a deep sense of trust in staff. Pupils feel respected and well-cared-for. They appreciate that they are treated like individuals. Pupils know that if they make mistakes they will be supported to learn from them. This helps to reduce the anxiety that many feel about school. The positive environment encourages pupils to socialise and many build strong supportive friendships. For some, this is a new and transformative experience. There is no culture of bullying. These bonds help pupils develop the confidence needed to approach different social situations. This prepares them very well for the next steps in education, employment or training. Staff have high expectations for pupils. Pupils who have been at the school for longer periods are excellent role models for their peers. Pupils take their learning very seriously. This helps those with negative previous experiences of education to see learning in a different light. Pupils take great pride in their achievements, including in national tests where they achieve highly. Pupils learn the important information that will help keep them safe. They are very clear about how to identify and report abuse. They know who they can speak to if they have concerns. Pupils have a wide range of opportunities to learn about British history and culture. They contribute to their local community, including through volunteering and fund raising.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- The proprietor should further strengthen the programme of professional learning, with a focus on subject-specific pedagogy so that, as it expands the school, teaching staff continue to have the knowledge and confidence to deliver the wider curriculum consistently well.
- The proprietor should continue to develop its careers programme, including careers advice that is even more tailored to pupils' needs, so that they are able to make exceptionally well-informed choices.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 7 July 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Northstar New School specialises in supporting pupils who have struggled elsewhere, creating a calm, nurturing environment where they rediscover confidence in learning. Staff provide exceptional individualised support, helping pupils with autism and challenging behaviour to thrive through consistent, structured routines. The school combines high academic expectations with strong emotional support, so pupils develop both skills and resilience alongside genuine friendships and a sense of belonging.
Key Strengths
- Pupils achieve very well academically, emotionally and socially with consistently high quality work
- High attendance and positive behaviour due to clear expectations and consistent staff modelling
- Excellent support for pupils with autism through well-planned, structured learning environment
- Rapid progress in reading and development of confident communication skills
- Highly effective personalised support and assessment of individual pupil needs
Areas for Improvement
- Further strengthen the programme of professional learning for staff
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - the school has created an open and positive culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Chess club, coding club, enrichment days with life skills activities like cooking, trips to galleries and museums, supervised gym sessions, careers programme with workplace visits and college interactions
Northstar New School is a specialist school that welcomes pupils with complex needs and previous educational struggles. The school achieves strong outcomes across academics, behaviour, and personal development through a highly supportive and inclusive environment.
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 Northstar New School
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 83
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 11
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 83 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 11 serious and 72 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
12 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 Barking and Dagenham is 65 (the median across 68 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
70%
Available places
21 pupils
30 places
9 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Across Barking and Dagenham council
Places available
3,518
Applications
3,094
Got 1st preference
81.9%
Got preferred school
96.4%
All secondary applications across Barking and Dagenham council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
Independent School standard inspection
Met all the independent school standards.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
21
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Northstar New 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
21
Total Pupils
19
Boys
2
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Northstar New School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Northstar New School
What is Northstar New School's Ofsted rating?
Northstar New School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2023, it was rated Outstanding.
Does Northstar New School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in June 2023, Northstar New School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Northstar New School?
Northstar New School has around 21 pupils on roll.
Does Northstar New School have specialist SEN provision?
Northstar New School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Northstar New School?
Northstar New 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 Northstar New School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 83 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 11 serious and 72 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 12 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 Barking and Dagenham is 65 (the median across 68 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Northstar New School?
Northstar New School is at c/o Gascoigne Primary Annex, The Shaftesburys, The Shaftesburys, IG11 7JA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)