Sense College, Peterborough
Sense College is a special school for pupils aged 16 to 25 in Peterborough. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2023.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Sense College in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Sense College are Lime Academy Orton (1.1 miles); The Beeches Independent School (2 miles, Requires improvement, selective); NeneGate (2.9 miles); and Medeshamstede Academy (3.3 miles, Requires improvement).
Lime Academy OrtonThe Beeches Independent SchoolNeneGateMedeshamstede Academy
Who goes there
Sense College provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and severe learning difficulties. Sense College is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Orton Mere (Nene Valley Railway), about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cygnet Road (adjacent), 240 metres away.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Source: Ofsted, further education and skills inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its February 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
SEMH, Multi-sensory, Physical +1
SEN Provision
Approved
Section 41
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Sense College
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Sense College from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Sense College is in Peterborough; for families living there:
- Peterborough's school travel policy: Mainstream school transport assistance policy
- How to apply: Apply online for school transport for 4 to 16 year olds
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 28
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 28 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 24 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt.
6 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 Peterborough is 16 (the median across 91 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
Area Demand Pressure - Peterborough
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Peterborough
Across Peterborough council
Places available
3,127
Applications
2,762
Got 1st preference
82.9%
Got preferred school
96.6%
All secondary applications across Peterborough council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(10)
Special educational needs provision
Sense College provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and severe learning difficulties.
Sense College is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Source: Get Information about Schools (GIAS), Department for Education.
Questions parents ask about Sense College
What is Sense College's Ofsted rating?
Sense College was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2023.
What is the catchment area for Sense College?
No fixed boundary. When Sense College is oversubscribed, Peterborough allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Does Sense College have specialist SEN provision?
Sense College provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and severe learning difficulties. Sense College is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
How do I apply to Sense College?
Apply through Peterborough's coordinated admissions process, naming Sense College 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 Sense College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 28 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 24 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt. 6 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 Peterborough is 16 (the median across 91 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Sense College?
Sense College is at 50 Forder Way, Cygnet Park, Peterborough, PE7 8JB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)