The Stable School, Commons

Special
Other independent special school
Mixed
Ages 616

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Denise Carpenter
Pupils:52 / 65 capacity
LA:Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Phone:01202116274
Address:12 Dudmoor Farm Road, Christchurch, Commons, BH23 6AQ
Status:open
Opened:25 September 2019

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Inspected 8 July 2025View full report
URN:147198
UKPRN:10085471
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Christchurch
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

The Stable School creates a caring environment where pupils feel heard and supported. The school offers an impressive range of practical subjects and outdoor activities that build confidence and resilience, alongside core academics taught by specialists. Parents are very positive about the individualised support their children receive for their special educational needs.

Key Strengths

  • Pupils feel safe, listened to and well cared for with strong relationships with staff
  • Broad curriculum with practical subjects like carpentry alongside core academics, plus specialist teachers
  • Wide range of engaging extra-curricular activities including outdoor pursuits, swimming and Duke of Edinburgh Award
  • Effective support for individual pupil needs and successful transitions back into education
  • Strong focus on reading with a well-resourced library and positive attitudes towards learning

Areas for Improvement

  • Some work given to pupils does not match their individual needs or intended learning, causing them to find it too easy or too difficult
  • Support for pupils with significant reading gaps, particularly in key stage 4, is still in early stages
  • Staff need stronger pedagogical knowledge to deliver the curriculum more consistently and effectively

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff skilled at supporting pupils to make positive choices and dealing quickly with bullying incidents.

Extracurricular Activities

Paddleboarding, horse riding, surfing, cycling, hill-climbing, swimming lessons, Duke of Edinburgh Award, philosophy and ethics, carpentry, digital technology, media studies, trips to local businesses, career events, charity fundraising

The Stable School is an independent special school for pupils aged 6-16 with various special educational needs and disabilities. The school has improved significantly since its previous inspection and now provides good quality education with a broad, ambitious curriculum.

At a Glance

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

26 responses
Would recommend73%
Child is happy69%
Well taught65%
Good progress65%
Feels safe69%
Well behaved54%
Bullying dealt with50%
Kept informed73%
Handles concerns73%
Wider development65%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Class Sizes

0.0

Avg class size

0

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Lincoln Avenue (NE-bound)
845m · 14 min walk
Surrey Close (E-bound)
849m · 14 min walk
Walcott Avenue (N-bound)
860m · 14 min walk
Hillside Drive (SE-bound)
913m · 15 min walk
Marlow Drive Shops (SW-bound)
952m · 15 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

80%

Available places

52 pupils

65 capacity

13 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Commons

Low pressure
New homes approved:36
Projected new pupils:6

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Commons

Admissions Demand - Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Low demand0.90x oversubscription

Places available

4,071

Applications

3,669

Got 1st preference

85.9%

Got preferred school

96.5%

Secondary admissions across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (2025/26)

Inspection History(6)

8 July 2025
21 November 2023
14 July 2020

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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