The Milestone School, Gloucester
The Milestone School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 16 in Gloucester, part of Sand Academies Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Milestone School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Milestone School are Hartmore School (3.7 miles, Good); Brook Academy (3.8 miles); Valley Bridge School (4.1 miles, Requires improvement); and Belong School Gloucestershire (4.1 miles, Good).
Hartmore SchoolBrook AcademyValley Bridge SchoolBelong School Gloucestershire
The trust
The Milestone School is one of 8 schools run by Sand Academies Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
24 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Milestone School (as of September 2025): 75% would recommend the school, 83% 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 (92%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 38 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 79% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 58% to a further education college.
Who goes there
51.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 9.3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (70%), Mixed (11%) and Asian (6%).
Almost every pupil at The Milestone School has an education, health and care plan (322 of 322 in 2026). The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
The Milestone School has a resourced provision (326 places, 328 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit (326 places, 328 pupils on roll) for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Gloucester Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Brionne Way (before), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Milestone School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Milestone School issued 5 suspensions, 1.6 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from September 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils attend well. All pupils have an education, health and care plan (EHC plan). A range of curriculum pathways support pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities well, including in 'The Space'. There are bespoke learning environments to suit each learning pathway.
Strong routines start in early years and continue throughout the school. As a result, pupils understand the high expectations of behaviour and learning set for them. Pupils experience a broad and balanced curriculum. They achieve well from their individual starting points.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school is well led and managed. School leaders ensure staff have the right resources to deliver the school's curriculums across all pathways. The local advisory board provides appropriate support and challenge. A notable feature is the strong pastoral support the school provides to families and pupils. Staff value the improved communication they receive and are proud to work at the school.
There has been a substantial review of the curriculum. It is well structured to meet pupils' learning and development needs, including for pupils in 'The Space' and in the early years departments. The various curriculum pathways combine both academic curriculums and life-skills curriculums successfully.
From Ofsted's November 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its September 2013 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
51.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision and SEN unit: SpLD, Vision, Hearing +8
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
24 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 5 nearby schools
Keep up with The Milestone School
Before and after school care
The Milestone School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Gloucestershire
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Milestone School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Milestone School is in Gloucestershire; for families living there:
Apply to Gloucestershire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 0 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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 Gloucestershire is 5 (the median across 338 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
99%
Near capacity
322 pupils
326 places
4 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Gloucester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Gloucester
Across Gloucestershire council
Places available
7,977
Applications
6,517
Got 1st preference
86.8%
Got preferred school
97.0%
All secondary applications across Gloucestershire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
322
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Milestone School has a resourced provision (326 places, 328 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit (326 places, 328 pupils on roll) for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, 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
322
Total Pupils
225
Boys
97
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
51
Teachers
6.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,335
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.7%
Overall absence
29.1%
Persistent absence
316
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 Milestone School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about The Milestone School
What are SATs results like at The Milestone School?
Of the pupils at The Milestone School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is The Milestone School's Ofsted rating?
The Milestone School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for The Milestone School?
No fixed boundary. When The Milestone School is oversubscribed, Gloucestershire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Milestone School?
The Milestone School has around 322 pupils on roll. 51% are eligible for free school meals.
Does The Milestone School have specialist SEN provision?
The Milestone School has a resourced provision (326 places, 328 pupils on roll) and a SEN unit (326 places, 328 pupils on roll) for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at The Milestone School?
10.7% of sessions were missed at The Milestone School in 2024/25. 29.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Milestone School?
Apply through Gloucestershire's coordinated admissions process, naming The Milestone 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.
Does The Milestone School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
The Milestone School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near The Milestone School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 0 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Gloucestershire is 5 (the median across 338 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Milestone School?
The Milestone School is at Longford Lane, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL2 9EU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)