Rosewood Free School, Southampton
Rosewood Free School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in Southampton, part of Specialist Schools Trust Ltd. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Rosewood Free School in detail
Rosewood Free School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am very proud to be head of the school, working with a talented team of professionals, both employed by the school and from the wider multidisciplinary team. All are committed to supporting learners and their families to live their best lives."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Rosewood Free School are Vermont School (0.8 miles); Vermont School (0.8 miles, Requires improvement); Great Oaks School (0.9 miles, Outstanding); and The Cedar School (1.3 miles, Good).
Vermont SchoolVermont SchoolGreat Oaks SchoolThe Cedar School
The trust
Rosewood Free School is one of 2 schools run by Specialist Schools Trust Ltd, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 6 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
29.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 27.3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (61%), Asian (12%) and Mixed (9%).
In 2026, 10 pupils (13%) received SEN support and 67 (87%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is a profound and multiple learning difficulty.
Rosewood Free School has a SEN unit for other difficulties or disabilities, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 77 places, 77 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Millbrook (Hants) Rail Station, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Turning Circle (sw-bound), 60 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Rosewood Free School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 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
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its July 2014 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
29.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Other, Multi-sensory, Physical +1
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2023/24KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2023/24 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Rosewood Free School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Rosewood Free School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Rosewood Free School is in Southampton; for families living there:
Apply to Southampton for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 18
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 18 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 15 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
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 Southampton is 33 (the median across 87 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
100%
Full
77 pupils
77 places
No spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Southampton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Southampton
Across Southampton council
Places available
2,620
Applications
2,668
Got 1st preference
83.4%
Got preferred school
93.4%
All secondary applications across Southampton council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
10
SEN Support
67
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Rosewood Free School has a SEN unit for other difficulties or disabilities, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 77 places, 77 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
77
Total Pupils
39
Boys
38
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
17
Teachers
4.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,609
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.9%
Overall absence
35.7%
Persistent absence
42
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
Rosewood Free School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Rosewood Free School
What are SATs results like at Rosewood Free School?
Of the pupils at Rosewood Free School who took the 2024 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Rosewood Free School's Ofsted rating?
Rosewood Free School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Rosewood Free School?
No fixed boundary. When Rosewood Free School is oversubscribed, Southampton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Rosewood Free School?
Rosewood Free School has around 77 pupils on roll. 30% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Rosewood Free School have specialist SEN provision?
Rosewood Free School has a SEN unit for other difficulties or disabilities, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 77 places, 77 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Rosewood Free School?
9.9% of sessions were missed at Rosewood Free School in 2024/25. 35.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Rosewood Free School?
Apply through Southampton's coordinated admissions process, naming Rosewood Free 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 Rosewood Free School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 18 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 15 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 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 Southampton is 33 (the median across 87 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Rosewood Free School?
Rosewood Free School is at Aldermoor Road, Southampton, Hampshire, SO16 5NA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)