The Springfields Academy, Calne
The Springfields Academy is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 19 in Calne, part of Reach South Academy Trust. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2026, ended in a report card: 3 exceptional and 4 strong standard. Before that it was rated Good at its last graded inspection, in March 2022.
- Ofsted report card
- 7 of 7 areas strong or better
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Springfields Academy in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 28 April 2026 inspection grades The Springfields Academy on 7 areas: 3 exceptional and 4 strong standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Inclusion - Exceptional. "All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)."
Leadership and governance - Exceptional. "School and trust leaders are united by a deep commitment to providing every pupil with the highest quality education possible."
Personal development and wellbeing - Exceptional. "The school has an unwavering focus on preparation for adulthood."
Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils' achievement is particularly striking given that many have had unsettled and sometimes disjointed experiences of education before joining the school."
Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Pupils who can attend school do so regularly."
Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum."
Early years - Strong standard. "Leaders have high aspirations for children in the early years."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should sustain the high standards in the curriculum and teaching so that children and pupils consistently achieve exceptionally high standards, detailed knowledge and skills in all elements of their learning".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
The trust
The Springfields Academy is one of 20 schools run by Reach South Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 29 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 72% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 62% to a further education college.
Who goes there
40.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (85%) and Mixed (7%).
Almost every pupil at The Springfields Academy has an education, health and care plan (267 of 267 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
The Springfields Academy has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs and autism: 267 places, 0 pupils on roll.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of The Springfields Academy.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Springfield Academy (outside), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 109 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Wiltshire (34), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Springfields Academy issued 19 suspensions, 7.9 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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 · 6 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards met
- InclusionExceptional
- Leadership and governanceExceptional
- Personal development and wellbeingExceptional
- AchievementStrong standard
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
- Early yearsStrong standard
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at The Springfields Academy
The school's motto, 'Building safe independent lives', is more than words. It is the driving force behind everything leaders and staff do. With an unrelenting focus on pupils' next steps, employability and readiness for adulthood, the school leaves nothing to chance. Pupils gain the skills, confidence and resilience they need to flourish in modern Britain. Pupils are welcomed with friendliness and care as they arrive at school each morning. A culture of trust and respect permeates every aspect of school life. Meaningful relationships lie at the heart of the school's commitment to provide pupils with the help they need to progress and thrive. The bonds formed between pupils and staff mean pupils feel safe, valued and confident. A deep culture of belonging ensures pupils feel motivated and eager to attend school regularly. Pupils live up to and embody the school's guiding values of 'resilience, respect and reflection'. A predictable daily routine and well-established high expectations help pupils to behave well. This helps them to develop extremely positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils feel safe and secure at school. Bullying is not a concern, and pupils are confident that any issues would be dealt with promptly and effectively. All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school is expert in understanding barriers to learning and implementing helpful strategies and interventions to overcome these. Across the different curriculum pathways, the school is relentless in its commitment to ensuring education is precisely matched to pupils' needs. As a result, pupils achieve very well from their differing starting points. They make notable gains in their learning, communication skills and independence. Communication is central to pupils' independence. From the early years onwards, children use symbols, pictures or Makaton to express themselves and make choices. These approaches help pupils participate fully in school life.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should sustain the high standards in the curriculum and teaching so that children and pupils consistently achieve exceptionally high standards, detailed knowledge and skills in all elements of their learning.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 28 April 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Springfields Academy is a beacon of excellence for pupils with additional needs. Staff expertly identify and remove barriers to learning, ensuring every child succeeds regardless of their starting point. The school's transformative approach to inclusion extends beyond its own community, sharing expertise worldwide and helping other schools improve their practice.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional inclusive culture with expert staff who systematically break down targets into small, achievable steps for each pupil
- Strong partnerships with families, therapists, and specialists to identify and remove barriers to learning
- Unwavering focus on preparing pupils for adulthood through carefully crafted personal development
- High-quality, individualized curriculum that blends therapeutic and academic approaches
- Positive behavior and attendance, with pupils feeling safe and supported by trusted adults
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Dodgeball, basketball, Beyblades, Dungeons and Dragons clubs, residential trips (Paris, skiing in Andorra), campfires, sleepovers, Friendship Friday, buddy bench, pupil parliament, sports
The Springfields Academy is an exceptional special educational needs school where all pupils have SEND and arrive with significant barriers to learning. Through inclusive leadership, expert staff, and personalized support, the school helps every pupil flourish and achieve their full potential.
At a Glance
40.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Speech and language, Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby schools
Keep up with The Springfields Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Springfields Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Springfields Academy is in Wiltshire; for families living there:
Apply to Wiltshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
2 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 Wiltshire is 4 (the median across 265 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
100%
Full
267 pupils
267 places
No spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Calne
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Calne
Across Wiltshire council
Places available
6,150
Applications
4,934
Got 1st preference
93.9%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All secondary applications across Wiltshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
267
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Springfields Academy has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs and autism: 267 places, 0 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
267
Total Pupils
219
Boys
48
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
51
Teachers
5.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,781
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
11.8%
Overall absence
32.3%
Persistent absence
229
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 Springfields Academy
Questions parents ask about The Springfields Academy
What are GCSE results like at The Springfields Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at The Springfields Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 5.5. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is The Springfields Academy's Ofsted rating?
The Springfields Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2022, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Springfields Academy?
No fixed boundary. When The Springfields Academy is oversubscribed, Wiltshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Springfields Academy?
The Springfields Academy has around 267 pupils on roll. 40% are eligible for free school meals.
Does The Springfields Academy have specialist SEN provision?
The Springfields Academy has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs and autism: 267 places, 0 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at The Springfields Academy?
11.8% of sessions were missed at The Springfields Academy in 2024/25. 32.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Springfields Academy?
Apply through Wiltshire's coordinated admissions process, naming The Springfields Academy 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 Springfields Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 2 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 Wiltshire is 4 (the median across 265 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Springfields Academy?
The Springfields Academy is at Curzon Street, Calne, Wiltshire, SN11 0DS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)