Silver Linings School, Nottingham
Silver Linings School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Nottingham. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Silver Linings School in detail
Silver Linings School in its own words
In its own words: "We recognise that many of our children will have experienced difficulties and challenges in the educational environments from which they have come, and so we have designed Silver linings School with wellbeing and safety at its core."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Silver Linings School are Willowfield Academy (0.5 miles, Good); Oak Field School (0.5 miles, Outstanding); Woodlands Academy (0.8 miles, Good); and Foxwood Academy (2.1 miles, Good).
Willowfield AcademyOak Field SchoolWoodlands AcademyFoxwood Academy
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Silver Linings School has an education, health and care plan (17 of 17 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Phoenix Park Tram Stop, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.
16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Moorhouse Road, 220 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Silver Linings School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 255 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Nottingham (391).
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 · 1 year 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 July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Silver Linings excels at supporting pupils who have struggled with learning elsewhere. The school creates a nurturing environment where children feel safe and cared for, with staff using highly effective strategies to help them manage their emotions and engage with learning. Parents report their children thrive at the school, and the curriculum is carefully designed to help pupils build confidence step-by-step without feeling overwhelmed.
Key Strengths
- Highly effective emotional support strategies that help pupils regulate their behaviour and return to learning
- Well-sequenced, ambitious curriculum that builds pupil confidence and prepares them for next steps
- Expert pastoral care and strong relationships between staff and pupils
- Excellent phonics and reading support that helps pupils become more confident and fluent readers
- Strong partnership with parents and community involvement
Areas for Improvement
- Some lesson activities do not effectively support pupil understanding of key knowledge - the school should ensure all activities consistently build knowledge well
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with staff well-trained in understanding pupils' individual triggers and needs, and a strong positive culture around safeguarding in place.
Extracurricular Activities
Litter picking, community events
Silver Linings School is an independent special school for pupils aged 5-11 with SEND, including autism and social, emotional and mental health needs. The school was rated as Good overall, with effective safeguarding and strong pastoral support.
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 Silver Linings School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 21
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 21 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 19 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 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 Nottingham is 37 (the median across 119 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
57%
Available places
17 pupils
30 places
13 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Nottingham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Nottingham
Across Nottingham council
Places available
3,708
Applications
3,688
Got 1st preference
80.3%
Got preferred school
94.1%
All secondary applications across Nottingham council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
17
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Silver Linings 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
17
Total Pupils
16
Boys
1
Girls
2026 academic year
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Questions parents ask about Silver Linings School
What is Silver Linings School's Ofsted rating?
Silver Linings School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2025.
Does Silver Linings School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in July 2025, Silver Linings School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Silver Linings School?
Silver Linings School has around 17 pupils on roll.
Does Silver Linings School have specialist SEN provision?
Silver Linings School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Silver Linings School?
Silver Linings 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 Silver Linings School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 21 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 19 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 Nottingham is 37 (the median across 119 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Silver Linings School?
Silver Linings School is at 28 Old Park Close, Bilborough, Nottingham, NG8 4FR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)