Red Kite School, Princes Risborough
Red Kite School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 18 in Princes Risborough. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2026, ended in a report card: 6 expected standard.
- Ofsted report card
- 0 of 6 areas strong or better
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Red Kite School in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 10 February 2026 inspection grades Red Kite School on 6 areas: 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Achievement - Expected standard. "Many pupils join the school having experienced disrupted educations in the past."
Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "A significant number of pupils join the school with previous low attendance or following disruption to their education."
Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The school has recently introduced new parts of the curriculum and refined others."
Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have established a purposeful culture in which staff have a precise understanding of pupils' needs."
Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding about the quality of the school's provision."
Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school has developed an ambitious personal development programme."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue to embed and refine the curriculum, ensuring that it is taught equally effectively in all subjects, so that all pupils achieve well".
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 Red Kite School are Chiltern Way Academy (4.4 miles, Outstanding); and Booker Park Community School (4.7 miles, Good).
What parents say
12 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Red Kite School (as of April 2026): 58% would recommend the school, 42% say their child is happy there and 0% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (58%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (0%).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Red Kite School has an education, health and care plan (29 of 29 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Monks Risborough Rail Station, about 920 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Avenue (adjacent), 100 metres away.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 8 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since January 2026 for independent schools)
Safeguarding standards met
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- InclusionExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Safeguarding standards: met
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 Red Kite School
Staff welcome pupils warmly each morning in this nurturing and supportive school. The school is a calm, educational and therapeutic environment in which pupils feel they belong. Many pupils have had a difficult and unsettled time in education before joining the school. As a result, pupils typically arrive with negative views of learning and poor self-esteem. The school helps them to get back on track. Pupils make friends, enjoy their learning and gradually grow in confidence. Leaders have created a positive environment, where everybody understands the school's values of respect, responsibility and resilience. Staff understand pupils' needs well and are always on hand for any pupils who need pastoral or academic support. There are strong relationships between staff and pupils. Social times are relaxed and friendly, with some pupils playing pool together while others enjoy talking with staff, playing board games and exploring the outdoor gym. Pupils rightly feel safe at school. Leaders take a zero approach to bullying and it is extremely rare. Leaders take swift action to help pupils resolve any friendship issues that they may have. Many pupils attending this school have missed long periods of education. Leaders support families well. Pupils enjoy coming to school and attend regularly. Leaders have an ambitious vision for pupils' futures. The school provides many opportunities for pupils to experience life beyond school. Pupils achieve well from their starting points and are prepared for their next steps in education, training and employment.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should continue to embed and refine the curriculum, ensuring that it is taught equally effectively in all subjects, so that all pupils achieve well.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 10 February 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Red Kite School specialises in welcoming pupils who have had difficult experiences in education. Staff are warm, understanding and highly skilled at rebuilding pupils' confidence and love of learning. The school combines academic support with emotional wellbeing, helping pupils make real progress and prepare confidently for their next steps in education, training or employment.
Key Strengths
- Excellent support for pupils transitioning into school and overcoming barriers to attendance - pupils settle quickly and attend regularly
- Strong, warm relationships between staff and pupils with a calm, respectful school culture where behaviour is consistently positive
- Personalised curriculum tailored to pupils' interests (outdoor learning, carpentry, car maintenance) that helps them catch up academically and re-engage with learning
- Expert collaborative approach involving educational and clinical teams to meet each pupil's complex individual needs
- Ambitious personal development programme that builds pupils' confidence, life skills and prepares them for next steps
Areas for Improvement
- Continue to embed and refine the curriculum to ensure it is taught equally effectively across all subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - the school has created an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are met and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
outdoor learning, carpentry, car maintenance programmes, work experience, careers events, school council, board games, outdoor gym, cooking, assemblies
Red Kite School is an independent school that supports pupils who have experienced disrupted education. The school creates a nurturing, therapeutic environment where pupils rebuild their confidence, engagement with learning, and relationships.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
12 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 4 nearby schools
Keep up with Red Kite School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 9 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
4 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 Buckinghamshire is 4 (the median across 274 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
48%
Available places
29 pupils
60 places
31 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Princes Risborough
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Princes Risborough
Across Buckinghamshire council
Places available
6,847
Applications
6,535
Got 1st preference
76.7%
Got preferred school
93.9%
All secondary applications across Buckinghamshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
29
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Red Kite 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
29
Total Pupils
18
Boys
11
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Red Kite School
Does Red Kite School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in February 2026, Red Kite School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Red Kite School?
Red Kite School has around 29 pupils on roll.
Does Red Kite School have specialist SEN provision?
Red Kite School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Red Kite School?
Red Kite 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 Red Kite School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 9 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 4 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 Buckinghamshire is 4 (the median across 274 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Red Kite School?
Red Kite School is at Aylesbury Road, Princes Risborough, HP27 0JW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)