St Francis Special School, Fareham
St Francis Special School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in Fareham. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2012)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Francis Special School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to St Francis Special School are Heathfield Special School (under 0.1 miles, Good); Light Years School (0.8 miles, Outstanding); Kingsgate School (1.1 miles, Outstanding); and All's Well (1.7 miles).
Heathfield Special SchoolLight Years SchoolKingsgate SchoolAll's Well
Where pupils go next
Of the 9 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
44.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (84%) and Asian (5%).
Almost every pupil at St Francis Special School has an education, health and care plan (115 of 115 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
St Francis Special School provides for pupils with autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Fareham Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Oldbury Way (s-bound), 230 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Francis Special School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 140 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Hampshire (72), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Francis Special School issued 10 suspensions, 9.1 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; 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 October 2012, 14 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its October 2012 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
44.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Autism, SLD, PMLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with St Francis Special School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Francis Special School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Francis Special School is in Hampshire; for families living there:
Apply to Hampshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 14
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 10 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt.
4 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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 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 - Fareham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Fareham
Across Hampshire council
Places available
15,392
Applications
13,874
Got 1st preference
90.1%
Got preferred school
97.6%
All secondary applications across Hampshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
115
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
St Francis Special School provides for pupils with autism, 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
115
Total Pupils
74
Boys
41
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
7.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,093
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.8%
Overall absence
30.4%
Persistent absence
79
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
St Francis Special School
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about St Francis Special School
What is St Francis Special School's Ofsted rating?
St Francis Special School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2012, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Francis Special School?
No fixed boundary. When St Francis Special School is oversubscribed, Hampshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to St Francis Special School?
St Francis Special School has around 115 pupils on roll. 44% are eligible for free school meals.
Does St Francis Special School have specialist SEN provision?
St Francis Special School provides for pupils with autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at St Francis Special School?
10.8% of sessions were missed at St Francis Special School in 2024/25. 30.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Francis Special School?
Apply through Hampshire's coordinated admissions process, naming St Francis Special 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 St Francis Special School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 10 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt. 4 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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Francis Special School?
St Francis Special School is at Patchway Drive, Oldbury Way, Fareham, Hampshire, PO14 3BN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)