Oversands School, Grange-over-Sands

Special
Other independent special school
Mixed
Ages 519
Boarding school

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Edward Sherratt
Pupils:73 / 80 capacity
LA:Westmorland and Furness
Phone:01539552397
Address:Witherslack, Grange-over-Sands, LA11 6SD
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:31 January 1973

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Inspected 22 July 2025View full report
URN:112452
UKPRN:10015356
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Westmorland and Lonsdale
Urban/Rural:Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

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.

At a Glance

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

0.0

Avg class size

0

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

91%

Near capacity

73 pupils

80 capacity

7 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Grange-over-Sands

High pressure
New homes approved:54
Projected new pupils:10

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Grange-over-Sands

Admissions Demand - Westmorland and Furness

Low demand0.68x oversubscription

Places available

2,864

Applications

1,955

Got 1st preference

96.7%

Got preferred school

99.7%

Secondary admissions across Westmorland and Furness (2025/26)

Inspection History(9)

22 July 2025
29 September 2023
29 November 2022

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SEN Provision

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Pupil Demographics

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