Southall School, Telford
Southall School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Telford. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Southall School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Southall School are Queensway (0.3 miles, Good); The Seeds School (1.1 miles, Good); Haughton School (1.7 miles, Good); and Aspris Telford School (2 miles, Good).
QueenswayThe Seeds SchoolHaughton SchoolAspris Telford School
What parents say
21 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Southall School (as of September 2025): 81% would recommend the school, 91% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (91%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 35 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 77% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 49% to a further education college.
Who goes there
54.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 7.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (78%), Asian (10%) and Mixed (5%).
Almost every pupil at Southall School has an education, health and care plan (210 of 210 in 2026). The most common need among them is a moderate learning difficulty.
Southall School provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Telford Central Rail Station, about 1.8 miles away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Southall Corner (opposite), 110 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Southall School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from July 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Southall School creates a very special, welcoming environment where pupils with SEND thrive. Staff work closely with families to understand and support each child's individual needs, and the school has high expectations that disabilities will not limit pupils' potential. Parents report the school makes a positive difference not just to their child, but to their whole family.
Key Strengths
- Pupils are happy, eager to learn, and receive excellent support from caring staff
- Strong focus on reading, with skilled staff adapting approaches to help pupils learn phonics effectively
- Exceptional attendance achieved through close partnership with families and support services
- Positive mental health and emotional well-being are prioritized with a dedicated pastoral team
- Clear curriculum pathways and consistent teaching approaches help pupils build knowledge over time
Areas for Improvement
- In some lessons, staff do not check carefully enough that pupils understand what they have learned
- Assessment approaches need to be implemented more consistently across all classes and staff
- Some pupils are less well prepared for their next steps of learning due to inconsistent checking of understanding
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports, performing arts, school parliament, outdoor learning in forest school, residential trips to London and beyond, careers fairs, supported visits to local colleges
Southall School is a special school that has maintained its good standards since the previous inspection in 2019. The school strives to achieve the best outcomes for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities in a caring, nurturing environment.
At a Glance
54.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Speech and language, Autism, MLD +1
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
21 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Southall School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Southall School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Southall School is in Telford and Wrekin; for families living there:
Apply to Telford and Wrekin for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
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.
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 Telford and Wrekin is 7 (the median across 86 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 - Telford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Telford
Across Telford and Wrekin council
Places available
2,604
Applications
2,281
Got 1st preference
76.1%
Got preferred school
90.4%
All secondary applications across Telford and Wrekin council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(11)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
210
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Southall School provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
210
Total Pupils
136
Boys
74
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
31
Teachers
6.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,537
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.1%
Overall absence
19.8%
Persistent absence
212
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
Southall School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Southall School
What are GCSE results like at Southall School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Southall School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 3.7. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Southall School's Ofsted rating?
Southall School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Southall School?
No fixed boundary. When Southall School is oversubscribed, Telford and Wrekin allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Southall School?
Southall School has around 210 pupils on roll. 54% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Southall School have specialist SEN provision?
Southall School provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Southall School?
7.1% of sessions were missed at Southall School in 2024/25. 19.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Southall School?
Apply through Telford and Wrekin's coordinated admissions process, naming Southall 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 Southall 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. 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 Telford and Wrekin is 7 (the median across 86 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Southall School?
Southall School is at Off Rowan Avenue, Dawley, Telford, Shropshire, TF4 3PX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)