Shelldene House School, Wisbech
Shelldene House School is a special school for boys aged 12 to 19 in Wisbech. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Shelldene House School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Shelldene House School are The Old School House (0.2 miles, Good); Cambian Home Tree School (1 mile, Good); Begdale House School (1.1 miles); and Meadowgate Academy (2.4 miles, Outstanding).
The Old School HouseCambian Home Tree SchoolBegdale House SchoolMeadowgate Academy
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Shelldene House School has an education, health and care plan (6 of 6 in 2026).
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Shelldene House School.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Well End (near), 220 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 18 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Cambridgeshire (57).
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
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 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Shelldene House creates a supportive environment where pupils feel respected and understood. Teachers are skilled at personalising lessons to help each pupil progress at their own pace and build confidence. The school excels at preparing pupils for their future through real-world experiences, career guidance and helping them discover their interests and talents.
Key Strengths
- Highly personalised teaching that adapts to individual pupil needs and interests
- Excellent support for reading with pupils quickly gaining confidence and fluency
- Strong focus on personal development through diverse cultural trips, debates and real-world experiences
- Effective behaviour management that helps pupils feel safe and responsible
- Outstanding career support and work experience tailored to pupils' aspirations
Areas for Improvement
- Pupils need more opportunities to develop legible handwriting and accurate grammar and punctuation in English lessons
- The school should strengthen its English curriculum to help pupils build greater fluency and accuracy in writing
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with appropriate staff checks and a strong multi-agency approach to pupil welfare.
Extracurricular Activities
Cultural trips, debates on current issues, discussions around moral dilemmas, sporting activities, artistic experiences, vocational subjects, work experiences
Shelldene House School is a specialist independent school for pupils aged 12-19 with social, emotional, and mental health needs. The school was judged to be Good overall, with Outstanding personal development.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Shelldene House School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 Cambridgeshire is 5 (the median across 312 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
50%
Available places
6 pupils
12 places
6 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Wisbech
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Wisbech
Across Cambridgeshire council
Places available
7,228
Applications
6,755
Got 1st preference
88.3%
Got preferred school
96.6%
All secondary applications across Cambridgeshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Shelldene House 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
6
Total Pupils
4
Boys
2
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Shelldene House School
Questions parents ask about Shelldene House School
What is Shelldene House School's Ofsted rating?
Shelldene House School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2025.
Does Shelldene House School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in February 2025, Shelldene House School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Shelldene House School?
Shelldene House School has around 6 pupils on roll.
Does Shelldene House School have specialist SEN provision?
Shelldene House School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Shelldene House School?
Shelldene House 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 Shelldene House School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Cambridgeshire is 5 (the median across 312 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Shelldene House School?
Shelldene House School is at Shelldene House, 20 Main Road, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, PE14 0HJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)