The Robert Ogden School, Barnsley
The Robert Ogden School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 19 in Barnsley. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
The Robert Ogden School in detail
The Robert Ogden School in its own words
In its own words: "As a result of our high expectations and by working together as an extended school family we aim to: The mission for our students is to provide them with both an education and environment which are safe, respectful and inspiring. The school shares in what the National Autistic Society believes and practises."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Hello and welcome to Robert Ogden School, where we have been teaching and caring for autistic children and young people since 1977. At Robert Ogden School we provide a caring and friendly environment where your child will be safe and supported. We have a very dedicated staff team who are specialists in working with autistic young people."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Robert Ogden School are Compass Community School Hemsworth (4.2 miles) and Milton School (4.4 miles).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at The Robert Ogden School has an education, health and care plan (152 of 152 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Thurnscoe Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Clayton Lane/Clayton Avenue (at), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Robert Ogden School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's September 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Robert Ogden School excels at creating a caring environment where pupils with autism thrive. Staff know each pupil well and deliver a rich, individualised curriculum that balances academic learning with personal development. The school successfully prepares older students for their future through careers education and life skills, with most students moving into positive destinations when they leave.
Key Strengths
- Pupils feel safe and well-supported with strong relationships between staff and pupils
- Ambitious, well-designed curriculum adapted to individual needs with clear learning pathways
- Excellent support for reading through skilled phonics and targeted interventions
- Strong focus on personal development woven through all learning, including Duke of Edinburgh's Award
- Effective systems to promote good attendance and positive behaviour
Areas for Improvement
- Assessment is not used consistently across all subjects to identify how pupils can improve and inform teaching
- Some pupils lack well-developed understanding of different faiths and cultures
- Staff do not consistently adjust teaching based on assessment checks to help pupils secure knowledge
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school meets all requirements.
Extracurricular Activities
Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, gardening, board games, sensory activities, artistic experiences, sporting experiences
The Robert Ogden School is a good independent special school for pupils with autism aged 5-19. The school has high expectations for all pupils and creates a caring, supportive environment where pupils feel safe and valued.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from The Robert Ogden School
Congratulations
18 Sep 2026
School Updates September 26
14 Sep 2026
School Updates May 26
21 May 2026
School Updates March 26
29 Apr 2026
Autism Accreditation
27 Apr 2026
Robert Ogden School achieves Good Ofsted report
14 Jan 2026
From The Robert Ogden School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with The Robert Ogden School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 Barnsley is 11 (the median across 96 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
92%
Near capacity
152 pupils
165 places
13 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Barnsley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Barnsley
Across Barnsley council
Places available
2,717
Applications
2,653
Got 1st preference
91.0%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All secondary applications across Barnsley council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(10)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
152
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Robert Ogden 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
152
Total Pupils
138
Boys
14
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about The Robert Ogden School
What are GCSE results like at The Robert Ogden 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 Robert Ogden School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is The Robert Ogden School's Ofsted rating?
The Robert Ogden School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2025.
Does The Robert Ogden School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in September 2025, The Robert Ogden School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to The Robert Ogden School?
The Robert Ogden School has around 152 pupils on roll.
Does The Robert Ogden School have specialist SEN provision?
The Robert Ogden School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to The Robert Ogden School?
The Robert Ogden 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 Robert Ogden School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Barnsley is 11 (the median across 96 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Robert Ogden School?
The Robert Ogden School is at Clayton Lane, Thurnscoe, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S63 0BG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)