Oversands School, Grange-over-Sands
Oversands School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 19 in Grange-over-Sands. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Oversands School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Oversands School are SwitchED2 (3.2 miles); and Cambian Whinfell School (6.4 miles, Outstanding, selective).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Oversands School has an education, health and care plan (72 of 73 in 2026).
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Westmorland and Furness (11).
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year 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 Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Oversands excels at helping pupils who have faced disruption to their learning get back on track. The school creates a supportive environment where pupils feel safe and cared for, with staff providing positive encouragement that helps them re-engage with learning. Reading is a particular strength, with expert phonics teaching and books carefully matched to each pupil's level.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on reading with expert phonics support and carefully matched reading books that help pupils develop confidence and proficiency
- Well-designed curriculum with careful thought given to the most important knowledge pupils should learn in the right order
- Staff quickly identify additional needs and work with professionals to ensure pupils receive expert help
- Effective behaviour management and attendance improvements from individual starting points
- Enrichment activities including theatre, sports, and animal care that contribute to personal development
Areas for Improvement
- Some classroom activities do not focus carefully enough on the most important knowledge, making it harder for pupils to remember key content over time
- Some younger pupils have limited opportunities to practise using their phonics knowledge when writing, which hampers their ability to apply it correctly in different situations
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with strong systems in place to keep pupils safe and well cared for.
Extracurricular Activities
Theatre performances, kayaking, horse riding, animal care (hens, guinea pigs, gerbils), horticulture with vegetable sales, business enterprise activities, workplace visits, careers guidance from local employers
Oversands School is a special school for pupils aged 5-19 with a range of learning needs and disabilities. The school has created a broad and exciting curriculum designed to engage pupils' interest, helping those who have experienced disruption to their learning to settle in quickly and re-engage with education.
About
Oversands School is a private special school with specialist SEN status situated in the village of Witherslack near Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria, England.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 3 nearby schools
Keep up with Oversands School
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 Westmorland and Furness is 3 (the median across 161 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
81%
Available places
73 pupils
90 places
17 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Grange-over-Sands
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Grange-over-Sands
Across Westmorland and Furness council
Places available
2,857
Applications
1,903
Got 1st preference
96.4%
Got preferred school
99.5%
All secondary applications across Westmorland and Furness council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
1
SEN Support
72
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Oversands 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
73
Total Pupils
62
Boys
11
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Oversands School
Questions parents ask about Oversands School
What are GCSE results like at Oversands School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Oversands School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is Oversands School's Ofsted rating?
Oversands School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2025.
Does Oversands School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in July 2025, Oversands School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Oversands School?
Oversands School has around 73 pupils on roll.
Does Oversands School have specialist SEN provision?
Oversands School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Oversands School?
Oversands 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 Oversands 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 Westmorland and Furness is 3 (the median across 161 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Oversands School?
Oversands School is at Witherslack, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria, LA11 6SD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)