Sheiling School, Ringwood
Sheiling School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 19 in Ringwood. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2024. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2026 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Sheiling School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Sheiling School are Sheiling College (under 0.1 miles, Good); The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy (4.3 miles, Good); and Portfield School (4.7 miles, Good).
Sheiling CollegeThe Fortune Centre of Riding TherapyPortfield School
What parents say
15 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Sheiling School (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school and 100% say their child is happy there.
The strongest agreement was that the school supports their child's wider development (100%); the weakest, that their child is happy at the school (100%).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Sheiling School has an education, health and care plan (43 of 43 in 2026).
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Sheiling School.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Ives Wood (se-bound), 90 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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Safeguarding: effective
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 Insights
From Ofsted's February 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Sheiling School demonstrates excellent leadership and safeguarding practices with skilled staff who know how to support pupils with complex needs. The school takes a thoughtful approach to welcoming new pupils, working closely with local authorities and considering each child's academic, social and emotional development. Staff receive comprehensive training and support to deliver specialist teaching and therapies effectively.
Key Strengths
- Strong leadership and governance with skilled trustees who robustly monitor school performance and safeguarding arrangements
- Comprehensive safeguarding procedures with clear policies accessible to all pupils, including non-verbal pupils
- Effective staff deployment and supervision with detailed induction programmes tailored to pupils' academic, social and emotional needs
- Thorough risk assessments and health and safety practices across the 45-acre site
- Rigorous safer recruitment practices with up-to-date single central record
Areas for Improvement
- Updated fire risk assessment needed for the proposed additional classroom before it is commissioned for school use
- Full site fire risk assessment last completed in 2016 and needs updating (though some external assessments have been commissioned)
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective - staff understand and carry out their responsibilities diligently, pupils feel safe, and leaders take timely action when pupils face risk of harm.
Extracurricular Activities
Design technology, swimming
Sheiling School is a special school for pupils aged 5-19 with moderate and severe learning difficulties and/or autism. This inspection assessed whether the school can safely accommodate 10 additional day pupils.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
15 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 4 nearby schools
Keep up with Sheiling School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 25
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 19
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 22 slight.
19 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt.
1 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 Dorset is 3 (the median across 184 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
78%
Available places
43 pupils
55 places
12 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Ringwood
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Ringwood
Across Dorset council
Places available
2,797
Applications
2,105
Got 1st preference
97.9%
Got preferred school
99.0%
All secondary applications across Dorset council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
43
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Sheiling 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
43
Total Pupils
31
Boys
12
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Sheiling School
What is Sheiling School's Ofsted rating?
Sheiling School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2026, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2024, it was rated Good.
Does Sheiling School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in November 2024, Sheiling School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Sheiling School?
Sheiling School has around 43 pupils on roll.
Does Sheiling School have specialist SEN provision?
Sheiling School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Sheiling School?
Sheiling 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 Sheiling School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 22 slight. 19 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt. 1 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 Dorset is 3 (the median across 184 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Sheiling School?
Sheiling School is at Horton Road, Ashley, Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 2EB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)