The Lion Works School, Poole
The Lion Works School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 18 in Poole.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Lion Works School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Lion Works School are Winchelsea School (0.3 miles, Good); Langside School (1 mile, Good); The White House School (1.7 miles); and Victoria Education Centre (1.9 miles, Good).
Winchelsea SchoolLangside SchoolThe White House SchoolVictoria Education Centre
What parents say
11 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Lion Works School (as of September 2025): 82% would recommend the school, 82% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (91%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at The Lion Works School has an education, health and care plan (55 of 55 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Branksome Rail Station, about 1.8 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Mountbatten Roundabout (se-bound), 110 metres away.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Lion Works School creates a welcoming, respectful environment where pupils feel proud and supported. The school has a broad curriculum that goes far beyond the classroom, with trips, outdoor activities and real work experience helping pupils build confidence and life skills. Staff understand each pupil's individual needs well and use tailored strategies to help them succeed.
Key Strengths
- Well-designed, calm school environment that helps pupils feel safe and supported
- Broad, ambitious curriculum with good ordering of learning, including outdoor education and enrichment activities
- Effective support for pupils with SEND through understanding of individual needs and therapeutic strategies
- Strong focus on preparing pupils for work and independence through career events and work experience
- Improved leadership and systems ensuring school compliance and continuous improvement
Areas for Improvement
- Assessment processes need to be more precise - teachers should identify exactly what pupils know and what they need to learn next, particularly in mathematics and literacy
- Some pupils still miss too many school days, creating gaps in learning - attendance systems need regular evaluation to support pupils with the poorest attendance
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong culture and systems in place to protect pupils.
Extracurricular Activities
Cricket, water sports, bush craft, Duke of Edinburgh award scheme (bronze and silver), curriculum trips to art museums and steam railway, career fairs, work experience, school council
The Lion Works School is a special school for pupils aged 11-18 with SEND that has improved significantly since its last inspection. It is now rated Good overall, meeting all independent school standards.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
11 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from The Lion Works School
The latest edition of the Newsletter Podcast
22 Jul 2026
Newsletter Podcast
22 May 2026
Why choose GCSE English Literature?
10 Oct 2025
Understanding the Zones of Regulation at The Lion Works School
26 Sep 2025
Ambition
20 Jun 2025
Beyond IQ: The Many Faces of Intelligence
9 May 2025
From The Lion Works School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with The Lion Works School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 45
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 7
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 45 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 38 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
11 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 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is 24 (the median across 117 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
79%
Available places
55 pupils
70 places
15 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Poole
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Poole
Across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council
Places available
4,119
Applications
3,624
Got 1st preference
86.4%
Got preferred school
96.9%
All secondary applications across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
55
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Lion Works School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
55
Total Pupils
41
Boys
14
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
The Lion Works School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about The Lion Works School
What are GCSE results like at The Lion Works School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for The Lion Works School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
How many pupils go to The Lion Works School?
The Lion Works School has around 55 pupils on roll.
Does The Lion Works School have specialist SEN provision?
The Lion Works School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to The Lion Works School?
The Lion Works School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near The Lion Works School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 45 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 38 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 11 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 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is 24 (the median across 117 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Lion Works School?
The Lion Works School is at 543 Wallisdown Road, Poole, Poole, Dorset, BH12 5AD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)