The Waterloo School, Waterlooville
The Waterloo School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Waterlooville. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2016. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2016)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
The Waterloo School in detail
The Waterloo School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "On behalf of the children, staff and Governors at The Waterloo School, I would like to welcome you to our school."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Waterloo School are Jubilee School (0.6 miles); Riverside Community Special School (1.1 miles, Good); Prospect School (1.2 miles, Good); and Rachel Madocks School (1.5 miles, Good).
Jubilee SchoolRiverside Community Special SchoolProspect SchoolRachel Madocks School
What parents say
17 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Waterloo School (as of September 2025): 77% would recommend the school, 77% 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 (71%).
Who goes there
80.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at The Waterloo School has an education, health and care plan (72 of 72 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
The Waterloo School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bedhampton Rail Station, about 2.2 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Library (near), 90 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 221 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 Hampshire (72), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Waterloo School issued 13 suspensions, 17.3 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: 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; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from May 2016, 10 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school excels at helping pupils feel safe, valued and proud to attend. Staff know pupils well and have created a calm, respectful environment with clear routines. The school creatively combines personal development support with a broad academic curriculum, helping pupils build confidence and resilience while making progress in their learning.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on mental health and emotional wellbeing with clear behavior expectations and outdoor activity opportunities
- Well-designed personal development curriculum with personalized targets that align to individual education plans
- Broad, meaningful academic curriculum with engaging real-life scenarios and effective phonics teaching
- Creative approach to supporting pupil attendance and family engagement
- Safe, respectful school culture where pupils are valued as individuals
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils' individual academic targets are not clearly defined, which can lead to learning moving on too quickly before foundational knowledge is consolidated
- Need for clearer guidance to staff on supporting pupils to develop and build on foundational knowledge and skills across the curriculum
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with staff creating an open and positive culture that prioritizes pupils' safety and wellbeing.
Extracurricular Activities
Trampolining, swimming, sailing qualifications, adventurous outdoor activities, girls club, art therapy, music activities, pantomime trips, Winchester cathedral visits
The Waterloo School is a special school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs that has maintained good standards since its last inspection. Pupils are proud of their school and benefit from a well-organized learning environment that prioritizes their wellbeing alongside academic progress.
At a Glance
80.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
17 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 6% (2024 to 2025), while writing has improved from 0% to 6% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from The Waterloo School
Support resources available to families over the holidays
13 Jul 2026
New Caterers - Chartwells
28 Nov 2025
School Transport
9 Jan 2024
School Dinners
9 May 2023
Online Health Resource
5 Dec 2022
Our Website
27 Apr 2020
From The Waterloo School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with The Waterloo School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Waterloo School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Waterloo School is in Hampshire; for families living there:
Apply to Hampshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 35
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 35 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 28 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise.
10 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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 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
97%
Near capacity
72 pupils
74 places
2 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Waterlooville
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Waterlooville
Across Hampshire council
Places available
15,392
Applications
13,874
Got 1st preference
90.1%
Got preferred school
97.6%
All secondary applications across Hampshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
72
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Waterloo School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
72
Total Pupils
64
Boys
8
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
5.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,147
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
14.4%
Overall absence
40.5%
Persistent absence
79
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Questions parents ask about The Waterloo School
What are SATs results like at The Waterloo School?
Of the pupils at The Waterloo School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 6% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is The Waterloo School's Ofsted rating?
The Waterloo School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2016, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Waterloo School?
No fixed boundary. When The Waterloo School is oversubscribed, Hampshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Waterloo School?
The Waterloo School has around 72 pupils on roll. 81% are eligible for free school meals.
Does The Waterloo School have specialist SEN provision?
The Waterloo School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
What is attendance like at The Waterloo School?
14.4% of sessions were missed at The Waterloo School in 2024/25. 40.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Waterloo School?
Apply through Hampshire's coordinated admissions process, naming The Waterloo 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 Waterloo School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 35 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 6 serious and 28 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise. 10 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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Waterloo School?
The Waterloo School is at Warfield Avenue, Waterlooville, Hampshire, PO7 7JJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)