The Valley School, Stevenage
The Valley School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Stevenage. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
The Valley School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Valley School are Greenside School (0.5 miles, Good); Lonsdale School (1.1 miles, Good); Larwood School (1.4 miles, Good); and East Hall School (2.9 miles, Good).
Greenside SchoolLonsdale SchoolLarwood SchoolEast Hall School
What parents say
25 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Valley School (as of September 2025): 92% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (80%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 29 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 90% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 86% to a further education college.
Who goes there
40.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 6.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (76%), Mixed (9%) and Asian (6%).
Almost every pupil at The Valley School has an education, health and care plan (193 of 193 in 2026). The most common need among them is a moderate learning difficulty.
The Valley School has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs, autism and moderate learning difficulties: 20 places, 10 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Stevenage Railway Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Valley School (adjacent), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 331 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 Hertfordshire (138), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Valley School issued 35 suspensions, 18.4 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from October 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Valley School creates a happy, positive environment where pupils feel trusted and take responsibility for their behaviour seriously. Teachers tailor support using advice from specialists like speech and language therapists. The school excels at preparing pupils for life beyond school through practical skills like independent travel, road safety and managing money.
Key Strengths
- Behaviour is exemplary with well-embedded routines that help pupils understand expectations and regulate their emotions
- Teaching presents new knowledge clearly and tasks help pupils remember their learning
- Exceptional careers program, preparation for adulthood and transition support
- Broad curriculum allowing pupils to develop interests through museums, galleries, musicals, sports and arts clubs
- Strong support for Year 7 pupils transitioning into the school
Areas for Improvement
- Curriculum in a small number of subjects is not precisely sequenced, creating gaps in pupils' knowledge
- Teachers do not always check pupils' understanding with enough precision before moving on to new learning
- Some improvements to curriculum design are still in early stages and need more time to show results
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong culture and clear procedures in place.
Extracurricular Activities
Museums and galleries visits, musicals, sporting clubs, arts clubs, online safety education, design and technology projects
The Valley School is a special school for pupils aged 11-16 with a wide range of needs including autism and learning difficulties. The school provides a broad, ambitious curriculum with exemplary behaviour and outstanding personal development.
At a Glance
40.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: Speech and language, Autism, MLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
25 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from The Valley School
Changes to Student Mobile Phone Use
14 Sep 2026
Year 11 Leaving Arrangements 2026
2 Mar 2026
Year 7 English
2 Mar 2026
Year 9 Art
2 Mar 2026
Dr Dolittle
2 Mar 2026
Annie
2 Mar 2026
From The Valley School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with The Valley School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Valley School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Valley School is in Hertfordshire; for families living there:
- Hertfordshire's school travel policy: Read the home to school transport policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 20
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 3 serious and 16 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
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 Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 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
117%
Over capacity
193 pupils
165 places
28 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Stevenage
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Stevenage
Across Hertfordshire council
Places available
15,222
Applications
13,456
Got 1st preference
77.5%
Got preferred school
94.9%
All secondary applications across Hertfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
193
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Valley School has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs, autism and moderate learning difficulties: 20 places, 10 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
193
Total Pupils
140
Boys
53
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
30
Teachers
6.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,038
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.3%
Overall absence
20.6%
Persistent absence
194
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 Valley School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about The Valley School
What are GCSE results like at The Valley School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at The Valley School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 0.5. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is The Valley School's Ofsted rating?
The Valley School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Valley School?
No fixed boundary. When The Valley School is oversubscribed, Hertfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Valley School?
The Valley School has around 193 pupils on roll. 41% are eligible for free school meals.
Does The Valley School have specialist SEN provision?
The Valley School has a resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs, autism and moderate learning difficulties: 20 places, 10 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at The Valley School?
9.3% of sessions were missed at The Valley School in 2024/25. 20.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Valley School?
Apply through Hertfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming The Valley School 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 Valley School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 3 serious and 16 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 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 Hertfordshire is 9 (the median across 590 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Valley School?
The Valley School is at Broadhall Way, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG2 9BN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)