Springwell School, Southampton
Springwell School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Southampton. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Springwell School in detail
Springwell School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am very proud to be the Headteacher and lead our wonderful school. I am particularly proud of the all the pupils and their amazing achievements. Springwell is a primary school for children aged 4 - 11 years with complex learning difficulties."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Springwell School are The Serendipity School (0.2 miles, Outstanding); Yarrow Heights School (1.4 miles, selective); Luminous Oak Academy (2.8 miles); and New Avenue School (2.9 miles, Good, selective).
The Serendipity SchoolYarrow Heights SchoolLuminous Oak AcademyNew Avenue School
Who goes there
64.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 27.8% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (51%), Asian (20%) and Black (9%).
Almost every pupil at Springwell School has an education, health and care plan (281 of 281 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Springwell School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Sholing Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Byron Road (e-bound), 70 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Springwell School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
Springwell School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from March 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its March 2013 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
64.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SpLD, Speech and language, Autism +6
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Springwell School
Parent Coffee Mornings - Yearly Overview
10 Sep 2026
News - SPCF Summer 26 Update
9 Jul 2026
Diwali 2025
20 Oct 2025
School Council - End of year party
18 Jul 2025
Pink Flamingos Accessible Bike Trip
4 Jul 2025
World Book Day 2025
7 Mar 2025
From Springwell School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Springwell School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Springwell School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Springwell School is in Southampton; for families living there:
Apply to Southampton for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 25
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 6
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, 4 serious and 21 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
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 Southampton is 33 (the median across 87 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
102%
Over capacity
281 pupils
276 places
5 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Southampton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Southampton
Across Southampton council
Places available
2,620
Applications
2,668
Got 1st preference
83.4%
Got preferred school
93.4%
All secondary applications across Southampton council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
281
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Springwell School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
281
Total Pupils
197
Boys
84
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
57
Teachers
4.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,353
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.6%
Overall absence
30.9%
Persistent absence
246
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Questions parents ask about Springwell School
What are SATs results like at Springwell School?
Of the pupils at Springwell School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Springwell School's Ofsted rating?
Springwell School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Springwell School?
No fixed boundary. When Springwell School is oversubscribed, Southampton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Springwell School?
Springwell School has around 281 pupils on roll. 64% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Springwell School have specialist SEN provision?
Springwell School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Springwell School?
9.6% of sessions were missed at Springwell School in 2024/25. 30.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Springwell School?
Apply through Southampton's coordinated admissions process, naming Springwell 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 Springwell 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, 4 serious and 21 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 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 Southampton is 33 (the median across 87 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Springwell School?
Springwell School is at Hinkler Road, Thornhill, Southampton, Hampshire, SO19 6DH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)