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The Unicorn School, Abingdon

Special
Other independent special school
Mixed
Ages 6–19

The Unicorn School is a special school for pupils aged 6 to 19 in Abingdon.

New inspections, open days and news, by email.

Data last updated 26 Oct 2026

The Unicorn School in detail

The Unicorn School in its own words

In its own words: "At The Unicorn School, we are committed to transforming the lives of children with learning differences and their families. Our approach integrates a personalised curriculum, expert staff, innovative technology, and a nurturing environment to help children thrive and families flourish. We support children aged 6 to 17 years for whom mainstream education is not able to meet their needs."

From the headteacher's welcome: "At the Unicorn School, we transform the lives of children with learning differences and those of their families. With a personalised curriculum, highly qualified staff, cutting-edge technology and a foundation of kindness, we create the conditions for children to thrive and families to flourish. In our care, we see each child as unique."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include swimming and drama.

The school runs after-school care until 5:00pm.

Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 18 November 2026, an open day on Tuesday 26 January 2027 and an open day on Thursday 29 April 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

All school open days in Oxfordshire

Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)

Source: The school's own website

Compared with nearby schools

The nearest other special schools to The Unicorn School are Kingfisher School (1.3 miles, Good); Orion Academy (5 miles, Requires improvement); The Iffley Academy (5.1 miles, Outstanding); and Oxfordshire Hospital School (5.6 miles, Outstanding).

Kingfisher SchoolOrion AcademyThe Iffley AcademyOxfordshire Hospital School

Who goes there

In 2026, 27 pupils (18.2%) received SEN support and 121 (81.8%) had an education, health and care plan.

Getting there

The nearest railway station is Radley Rail Station, about 2.7 miles away in a straight line.

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Victoria Road (opposite), 210 metres away.

The area around the school

In August 2026, police recorded 166 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Oxfordshire (52), as is usual near a town centre.

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

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Ms Alison Woodworth-Sturla
Pupils:148
LA:Oxfordshire
Phone:01235530222
Address:20 Marcham Road, Abingdon, OX14 1AA
Status:open
Opened:16 January 1992

ISI Inspection Reports

Independent schools in England are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), not Ofsted. Ofsted last inspected this school in 27 June 2017, before the latest ISI inspection.

  • Non-Routine Inspection

    27 June 2025

    PDF
  • Routine Inspection

    18 March 2025

    PDF
  • Short Visit

    30 June 2023

    PDF
  • Regulatory Compliance

    12 January 2022

    PDF
View full ISI report page
URN:123322
UKPRN:10073518
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Oxford West and Abingdon
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Fees for 2026/27

Day fees, per year

£35,212 to £37,292

depending on year group

Year 2 - Year 8 per term£35,212 a year
Year 9 - Year 11 per term£37,292 a year
Year 12 per term£37,292 a year

Including VAT. From the school's own fee schedule; check with the school before you rely on it.

At a Glance

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

How Does This School Compare?

Ranked against 5 nearby schools

See peer comparison with Pro - £9 a month, or £90 a year, inc. VAT

Keep up with The Unicorn School

Getting There

Bus Stops

Victoria Road (opp)
208m · 3 min walk
Community Hospital (opp)
255m · 4 min walk
Colwell Drive (S-bound)
265m · 4 min walk
Ladygrove Paddock (adj)
275m · 4 min walk
Abingdon Business Park (S-bound)
481m · 8 min walk

Safety and surroundings

Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)

Collisions
30
Fatal
1
Serious
6
Children hurt
3

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 30 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 23 slight.

3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.

4 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 Oxfordshire is 5 (the median across 369 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

See commute times and house prices with Pro - £9 a month, or £90 a year, inc. VAT

Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

62%

Available places

148 pupils

240 places

92 spare places

as recorded on GIAS

Area Demand Pressure - Abingdon

Medium pressure
New homes approved:1,798
Projected new pupils:324

Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Abingdon

Across Oxfordshire council

Low demand council-wide0.89 applications per place

Places available

7,654

Applications

6,814

Got 1st preference

85.4%

Got preferred school

96.3%

All secondary applications across Oxfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.

Inspection History(6)

27 June 2017
30 November 2016
28 April 2015

SEND & SEN Provision

SEN Overview

27

SEN Support

121

EHC Plans

100.0%

of Total Pupils

2026 academic year

Provision & Specialist Facilities

The Unicorn 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

148

Total Pupils

89

Boys

59

Girls

2026 academic year

Questions parents ask about The Unicorn School

What are GCSE results like at The Unicorn 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 Unicorn School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.

When was The Unicorn School last inspected?

The Unicorn School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a non-routine inspection in June 2025.

How many pupils go to The Unicorn School?

The Unicorn School has around 148 pupils on roll.

Does The Unicorn School have specialist SEN provision?

The Unicorn School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.

How do I apply to The Unicorn School?

The Unicorn 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 Unicorn School?

Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 30 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 23 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 4 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 Oxfordshire is 5 (the median across 369 schools, same distance and years).

Where is The Unicorn School?

The Unicorn School is at 20 Marcham Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 1AA.

Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)

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