The Fountains High School, Burton-on-Trent
The Fountains High School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 18 in Burton-on-Trent, part of Esteem Multi-Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2022.
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Fountains High School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Fountains High School are The Fountains Primary School (under 0.1 miles, Good); Bladon House School (1.8 miles, Good); The Bayleaf Hub (2.4 miles); and Longdon Park School (2.5 miles).
The Fountains Primary SchoolBladon House SchoolThe Bayleaf HubLongdon Park School
The trust
The Fountains High School is one of 14 schools run by Esteem Multi-Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 18 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 94% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 44% to a further education college.
Who goes there
41.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 19.9% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at The Fountains High School has an education, health and care plan (246 of 246 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
The Fountains High School has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 225 places, 248 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Burton-on-Trent Rail Station, about 1.8 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bitham Court (opposite), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Fountains High 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 138 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Staffordshire (86), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Fountains High School issued 12 suspensions, 4.8 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 · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its December 2022 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Sixth form.
At a Glance
41.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: SpLD, Vision, Hearing +7
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with The Fountains High School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Fountains High School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Fountains High School is in Staffordshire; for families living there:
Apply to Staffordshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 7 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot.
3 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 Staffordshire is 5 (the median across 457 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
109%
Over capacity
246 pupils
225 places
21 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Burton-on-Trent
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Burton-on-Trent
Across Staffordshire council
Places available
8,807
Applications
7,681
Got 1st preference
91.9%
Got preferred school
98.5%
All secondary applications across Staffordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
246
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Fountains High School has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 225 places, 248 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
246
Total Pupils
170
Boys
76
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
35
Teachers
7.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,718
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.8%
Overall absence
28.4%
Persistent absence
194
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 Fountains High School
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about The Fountains High School
What are GCSE results like at The Fountains High School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at The Fountains High School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 1.8. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is The Fountains High School's Ofsted rating?
The Fountains High School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in December 2022.
What is the catchment area for The Fountains High School?
No fixed boundary. When The Fountains High School is oversubscribed, Staffordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Fountains High School?
The Fountains High School has around 246 pupils on roll. 42% are eligible for free school meals.
Does The Fountains High School have specialist SEN provision?
The Fountains High School has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 225 places, 248 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at The Fountains High School?
10.8% of sessions were missed at The Fountains High School in 2024/25. 28.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Fountains High School?
Apply through Staffordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming The Fountains High 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 Fountains High School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 7 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot. 3 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 Staffordshire is 5 (the median across 457 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Fountains High School?
The Fountains High School is at Bitham Lane, Stretton, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, DE13 0HB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)