St Giles School, Retford
St Giles School is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 18 in Retford. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2012)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St Giles School in detail
What parents say
43 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Giles School (as of September 2025): 93% would recommend the school, 98% say their child is happy there and 33% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school supports their child's wider development (98%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (33%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 11 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
46.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 5.4% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at St Giles School has an education, health and care plan (241 of 241 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
St Giles School provides for pupils with visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Retford Low Level Rail Station, about 880 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sports Ground (opposite), 90 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 209 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Nottinghamshire (101), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Giles 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); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from December 2012, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school has improved significantly.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Giles excels at tailoring education to meet each child's unique needs through expertly trained staff who use appropriate communication methods and technology. Reading is woven throughout the entire curriculum from early years onwards, helping pupils develop genuine confidence and enjoyment. The school creates a calm, supportive environment where pupils flourish academically and develop life skills, with excellent behaviour and strong social interactions fostered through varied enrichment activities.
Key Strengths
- Reading is a cornerstone of the curriculum with expertly adapted teaching from early years onwards - pupils develop confidence and love of reading
- Staff are highly skilled at tailoring the curriculum to meet individual pupil needs and responding to their changing circumstances
- Pupils' behaviour is excellent throughout the school with well-established routines creating a nurturing environment of mutual respect
- The school provides rich enrichment activities and social opportunities that help pupils become well-rounded individuals prepared for their next steps
- Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong positive relationships built on trust
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with positive relationships built on trust ensuring pupils feel safe and are well looked after by staff.
Extracurricular Activities
Trips to London, sporting events, Duke of Edinburgh's Awards, King's Trust Awards, school cafe work experience, sensory quad activities, outdoor nature exploration, pupil presidency roles
St Giles School provides an exceptional standard of education and care for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. Evidence suggests the school's work has improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection.
At a Glance
46.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Vision, Hearing, Speech and language +5
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
43 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Keep up with St Giles School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Giles School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Giles School is in Nottinghamshire; for families living there:
- Nottinghamshire's school travel policy: Under 16 Transport Policy 2026-2027
- How to apply: Apply for under 16 travel assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 17
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 17 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 13 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 on a bicycle.
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 Nottinghamshire is 10 (the median across 370 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
80%
Available places
241 pupils
300 places
59 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Retford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Retford
Across Nottinghamshire council
Places available
9,842
Applications
9,200
Got 1st preference
92.5%
Got preferred school
98.5%
All secondary applications across Nottinghamshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
241
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
St Giles School provides for pupils with visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, 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
241
Total Pupils
178
Boys
63
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
44
Teachers
5.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£44,926
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.5%
Overall absence
30.0%
Persistent absence
170
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 Giles School
Questions parents ask about St Giles School
What are SATs results like at St Giles School?
Of the pupils at St Giles School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is St Giles School's Ofsted rating?
St Giles School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2012, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Giles School?
No fixed boundary. When St Giles School is oversubscribed, Nottinghamshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to St Giles School?
St Giles School has around 241 pupils on roll. 47% are eligible for free school meals.
Does St Giles School have specialist SEN provision?
St Giles School provides for pupils with visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at St Giles School?
9.5% of sessions were missed at St Giles School in 2024/25. 30% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Giles School?
Apply through Nottinghamshire's coordinated admissions process, naming St Giles 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 Giles School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 17 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 13 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 on a bicycle. 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 Nottinghamshire is 10 (the median across 370 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Giles School?
St Giles School is at Babworth Road, Retford, Nottinghamshire, DN22 7NJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)