Old Hall School, Walsall
Old Hall School is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Walsall. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Old Hall School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Old Hall School are Mary Elliot Academy (0.7 miles); Jane Lane School (0.7 miles, Good); Castle School (1.1 miles, Outstanding); and Phoenix Academy (1.1 miles, Good).
Mary Elliot AcademyJane Lane SchoolCastle SchoolPhoenix Academy
What parents say
26 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Old Hall School (as of September 2025): 96% would recommend the school and 96% say their child is happy there.
The strongest agreement was that the school supports their child's wider development (96%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (89%).
Who goes there
62.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 20.9% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Old Hall School has an education, health and care plan (134 of 134 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
Old Hall School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bloxwich Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Willenhall E-ACT Academy (opposite), 100 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Old Hall School issued 1 suspension, 0.9 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from July 2014, 12 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
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Old Hall School excels at helping pupils with complex needs achieve exceptionally well in a calm, respectful environment. Staff have very high expectations for all pupils and use expert partnerships with therapists and psychologists to meet individual needs quickly and accurately. The school prioritizes pupils' communication skills, mental health, and preparation for adult life through a rich range of experiences and activities.
Key Strengths
- Highly ambitious curriculum carefully planned to meet the specific needs of pupils with SEND, with strong focus on communication and interaction skills
- Exceptional support for pupils' mental health and well-being, with effective strategies to help pupils manage their emotions
- Reading is highly prioritized with a bespoke system for early readers and structured phonics programme, resulting in many pupils reading independently by secondary school
- Outstanding personal development curriculum that prepares pupils for adulthood from the earliest years, including forest schools, planetariums, and careers exposure
- Excellent behaviour support through the holistic intervention programme, resulting in positive and calm behaviours across the school
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong culture around pupil safety and wellbeing, supported by robust systems and trusted adults pupils can name.
Extracurricular Activities
Forest schools, planetariums, performing arts, science clubs, sensory development clubs, careers week, lunchtime activities
Old Hall School is a specialist provider for pupils with complex needs that achieves exceptionally well across all areas. The school has been rated Outstanding in quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision.
At a Glance
62.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
26 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Old Hall School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Old Hall School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Old Hall School is in Walsall; for families living there:
Apply to Walsall for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 3 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 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 Walsall is 20.5 (the median across 134 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
168%
Over capacity
134 pupils
80 places
54 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Walsall
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Walsall
Across Walsall council
Places available
4,069
Applications
3,782
Got 1st preference
77.4%
Got preferred school
94.0%
All secondary applications across Walsall 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
134
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Old Hall 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
134
Total Pupils
91
Boys
43
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
20
Teachers
6.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,208
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.0%
Overall absence
21.4%
Persistent absence
112
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Old Hall School
Questions parents ask about Old Hall School
What are SATs results like at Old Hall School?
Of the pupils at Old Hall School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Old Hall School's Ofsted rating?
Old Hall School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Old Hall School?
No fixed boundary. When Old Hall School is oversubscribed, Walsall allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Old Hall School?
Old Hall School has around 134 pupils on roll. 63% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Old Hall School have specialist SEN provision?
Old Hall School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Old Hall School?
9% of sessions were missed at Old Hall School in 2024/25. 21.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Old Hall School?
Apply through Walsall's coordinated admissions process, naming Old Hall 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 Old Hall School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 3 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 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 Walsall is 20.5 (the median across 134 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Old Hall School?
Old Hall School is at Bentley Lane, Walsall, West Midlands, WS2 7LU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)