The Dales School, Northallerton
The Dales School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in Northallerton. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Dales School in detail
What parents say
14 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Dales School (as of September 2025): 71% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 0% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (93%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (0%).
Who goes there
32.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at The Dales School has an education, health and care plan (71 of 71 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
The Dales School provides for pupils with autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Northallerton Rail Station, about 2.3 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Dales School (w-bound), 70 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 1 crime within a mile of the school, most often criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in North Yorkshire (9).
Suspensions and exclusions
The Dales School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from April 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
The Dales School excels at creating a caring, supportive environment where pupils with complex learning needs thrive. Staff combine academic ambition with specialist approaches to help every pupil achieve well, while the school's strong focus on communication, independence and preparation for adulthood ensures pupils develop resilience and confidence for life beyond school.
Key Strengths
- Strong relationships between staff and pupils create a safe, nurturing environment where pupils settle quickly and approach staff confidently for support
- Ambitious, highly personalised curriculum that blends academic learning with therapeutic approaches tailored to each pupil's complex needs
- Excellent focus on communication across all pathways, with consistent approaches using signing, songs, pictures and multi-sensory methods
- Well-established routines and visual supports help pupils manage transitions and feel secure throughout the school day
- Dedicated staff who are well-trained, well-supported by leaders, and work closely with external agencies to meet pupils' individual needs
Areas for Improvement
- The knowledge and skills pupils learn in some areas of the curriculum need to be aligned better with the assessment processes to ensure teachers can use assessment information effectively to plan future teaching
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff creating an open, positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Student council, Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, outdoor activities, work experience, cookery skills through pop-up scone shop and happy café, visits and enrichment experiences through 'suitcase for life' programme
The Dales School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 with complex learning needs and disabilities that has maintained good standards since its last inspection in 2019. The school provides a broad, personalised curriculum combined with strong therapeutic support in a well-designed environment where pupils feel safe and happy.
At a Glance
32.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Autism, Multi-sensory, Physical +2
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
14 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Keep up with The Dales School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Dales School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Dales School is in North Yorkshire; for families living there:
Apply to North Yorkshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in North Yorkshire is 3 (the median across 382 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 - Northallerton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Northallerton
Across North Yorkshire council
Places available
7,086
Applications
5,586
Got 1st preference
91.9%
Got preferred school
98.8%
All secondary applications across North Yorkshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
71
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Dales School provides for pupils with autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, 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
71
Total Pupils
43
Boys
28
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
7.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£56,484
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
15.0%
Overall absence
51.9%
Persistent absence
52
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
The Dales School
Questions parents ask about The Dales School
What is The Dales School's Ofsted rating?
The Dales School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in April 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Dales School?
No fixed boundary. When The Dales School is oversubscribed, North Yorkshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Dales School?
The Dales School has around 71 pupils on roll. 32% are eligible for free school meals.
Does The Dales School have specialist SEN provision?
The Dales School provides for pupils with autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at The Dales School?
15% of sessions were missed at The Dales School in 2024/25. 51.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Dales School?
Apply through North Yorkshire's coordinated admissions process, naming The Dales 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 The Dales School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in North Yorkshire is 3 (the median across 382 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Dales School?
The Dales School is at Morton-on-Swale, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL7 9QW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)