THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL, Shustoke
THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL is an independent school for pupils aged 6 to 19 in Shustoke. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL in detail
Results
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 SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What parents say
27 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL (as of September 2025): 85% would recommend the school, 85% say their child is happy there and 60% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school supports their child's wider development (93%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (60%).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL has an education, health and care plan (66 of 66 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Coleshill Parkway Rail Station, about 2.2 miles away in a straight line.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 11 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, burglary and vehicle crime. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Warwickshire (88).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
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's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils are happy and feel they belong at the Secret Garden School. Many pupils have struggled to engage in education in the past. The approaches staff use encourage pupils to find a love of learning once again. Staff understand each pupil and their individual needs very well. Highly effective therapeutic provision means that pupils get the support they need so that they are ready to learn. The school has high expectations for pupils' academic success. Pupils, who all have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.
Pupils know that staff will help them if they are upset or anxious. This helps to reassure pupils and eases their worries so they feel cared for and safe at school. Pupils thrive in the well-equipped environment. There are many areas for pupils to take a break including sensory spaces and an outdoor gym. The pupils engage with and care for a range of domestic and exotic animals including donkeys, ponies, snakes and degus.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has developed a broad curriculum that enables pupils to build their knowledge progressively as they move through the school. For example, in mathematics pupils use language they already know such as 'commutative and inverse', to be able to describe what they are doing when calculating answers. When studying classic literature, older pupils use their recall of the story to infer what characters may be feeling or thinking. In personal, social, and health education (PSHE) pupils learn about finances and healthy minds and bodies. The PSHE curriculum provides activities that enable pupils to understand the wider world and their place in it. As a result, pupils grow in confidence and resilience. However, there are some areas of the curriculum that are not as well developed. This makes it difficult for staff to know what knowledge to prioritise when designing lessons. Consequently, in these subjects, some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge.
Reading is a priority. Staff deliver an effective phonics programme for those pupils who are at an early stage of learning to read. They ensure that these pupils receive the help they need to catch up quickly. The school promotes a love of books through daily reading of high-quality texts. This enables all pupils to develop fluency and accuracy in reading.
From Ofsted's October 2024 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 Good at its October 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
27 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
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 SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
GCSE Subjects Offered
2024/25 academic year - entries by number of pupils
Keep up with THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL.
- Precious People Before/Afterschool club Shustoke770m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
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 Warwickshire is 7 (the median across 286 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
63%
Available places
66 pupils
104 places
38 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Shustoke
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Shustoke
Across Warwickshire council
Places available
7,662
Applications
6,716
Got 1st preference
82.3%
Got preferred school
97.2%
All secondary applications across Warwickshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
66
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
66
Total Pupils
31
Boys
35
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL
Questions parents ask about THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL
What are GCSE results like at THE SECRET GARDEN 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 SECRET GARDEN 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 SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL's Ofsted rating?
THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2024.
Does THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in October 2024, THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL?
THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL has around 66 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL?
THE SECRET GARDEN 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.
Does THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL: Precious People Before/Afterschool club Shustoke (770m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL?
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 Warwickshire is 7 (the median across 286 schools, same distance and years).
Where is THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL?
THE SECRET GARDEN SCHOOL is at SHUSTOKE HALL, MOAT HOUSE LANE, Shustoke, B46 2RJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)