Priory Woods School, Middlesbrough
Priory Woods School is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 19 in Middlesbrough. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Priory Woods School in detail
Priory Woods School in its own words
In its own words: "AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability."
From the headteacher's welcome: "We hope that by looking at it, you get a flavour of life in our wonderful school for children and young people with a wide range of special educational needs from the age of four to nineteen."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Priory Woods School are River Tees Academy Grangetown (1 mile); Mackenzie Thorpe Centre (1.2 miles, Good); Mo Mowlam Academy (1.6 miles, Good); and Holmwood School (2.1 miles, Good).
River Tees Academy GrangetownMackenzie Thorpe CentreMo Mowlam AcademyHolmwood School
What parents say
36 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Priory Woods School (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school supports their child's wider development (94%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 19 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 5% to a further education college.
Who goes there
64.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 15.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Priory Woods School has an education, health and care plan (205 of 205 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
Priory Woods School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Marton Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Fleet Close (a), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Priory Woods School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Priory Woods School issued 2 suspensions, 1 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from March 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
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Priory Woods creates a special place where children with complex learning needs genuinely thrive. The school expertly weaves together academic learning with vital life skills through creative, hands-on experiences - from learning history through drama to cooking in real kitchens. Every pupil is known exceptionally well, with learning personalized to their individual goals so they leave school moving towards ambitious, well-suited futures.
Key Strengths
- Behaviour and attitudes are outstanding - pupils are polite, kind and empathetic towards each other
- Personal development is exceptional with rich extra-curricular activities, strong careers education and life skills learning
- Early years provision is outstanding with children flourishing in accessible, stimulating outdoor learning environments
- Reading is prioritized across the school with expert phonics teaching and skilfully adapted approaches for pupils with SEND
- The curriculum uses immersive, practical experiences that bring learning to life and enhance understanding
Areas for Improvement
- Learning for some pupils on the 'challenge' pathway is not well matched to their current knowledge and abilities, limiting their progress
- The school's evaluation systems are not sufficiently developed to accurately identify gaps in provision
- There is limited understanding within governance of the full impact of the curriculum on pupil outcomes
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff trained to keep pupils safe including online safety.
Extracurricular Activities
Musical instruments, dance, boccia, sixth form café work experience, sixth form enterprise business, end-of-term shows, work experience in the community
Priory Woods School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 19 with severe learning difficulties and a range of other SEND needs. The school creates a warm, caring environment where pupils thrive and achieve well, with staff holding high expectations for all learners.
At a Glance
64.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SLD, PMLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
36 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
Latest from Priory Woods School
Look Around
23 Sep 2026
Challenge Enterprise Week
18 May 2026
Fire Station Visit
7 May 2026
Endeavour Cup
5 May 2026
World Book Day 2026 🦉📚
31 Mar 2026
Careers Week
6 Mar 2026
From Priory Woods School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Priory Woods School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Priory Woods School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Priory Woods School is in Middlesbrough; for families living there:
Apply to Middlesbrough for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 11
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 7
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 4 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 2 on a bicycle.
8 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 Middlesbrough is 14 (the median across 64 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
102%
Over capacity
205 pupils
200 places
5 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Middlesbrough
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Middlesbrough
Across Middlesbrough council
Places available
1,884
Applications
1,913
Got 1st preference
84.3%
Got preferred school
96.3%
All secondary applications across Middlesbrough council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
205
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Priory Woods School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
205
Total Pupils
140
Boys
65
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
33
Teachers
6.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,092
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.9%
Overall absence
33.3%
Persistent absence
150
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Priory Woods School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Priory Woods School
What are SATs results like at Priory Woods School?
Of the pupils at Priory Woods School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Priory Woods School's Ofsted rating?
Priory Woods School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Priory Woods School?
No fixed boundary. When Priory Woods School is oversubscribed, Middlesbrough allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Priory Woods School?
Priory Woods School has around 205 pupils on roll. 65% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Priory Woods School have specialist SEN provision?
Priory Woods School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Priory Woods School?
10.9% of sessions were missed at Priory Woods School in 2024/25. 33.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Priory Woods School?
Apply through Middlesbrough's coordinated admissions process, naming Priory Woods 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 Priory Woods School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 4 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 2 on a bicycle. 8 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 Middlesbrough is 14 (the median across 64 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Priory Woods School?
Priory Woods School is at Tothill Avenue, Netherfields, Middlesbrough, TS3 0RH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)