The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy, Christchurch
The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy is a special school for pupils aged 16 to 25 in Christchurch. It has a Christian religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2012)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy are The Stable School (3.9 miles); Sheiling School (4.3 miles, Good); Sheiling College (4.3 miles, Good); and Connie Rothman School (5.1 miles, selective).
The Stable SchoolSheiling SchoolSheiling CollegeConnie Rothman School
Who goes there
The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs and moderate learning difficulties. The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Hampshire (72).
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from May 2012, 14 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its May 2012 inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
SEMH, MLD
SEN Provision
Approved
Section 41
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy 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)
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 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 - Christchurch
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Christchurch
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(10)
Special educational needs provision
The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs and moderate learning difficulties.
The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Source: Get Information about Schools (GIAS), Department for Education.
Questions parents ask about The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy
What is The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy's Ofsted rating?
The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2012, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy?
No fixed boundary. When The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy is oversubscribed, Hampshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Does The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy have specialist SEN provision?
The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs and moderate learning difficulties. The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
How do I apply to The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy?
Apply through Hampshire's coordinated admissions process, naming The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy 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 Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy?
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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy?
The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy is at Avon Tyrrell, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 8EE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)