Three Chestnuts, Spalding
Three Chestnuts is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Spalding. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, ended in a report card: 1 strong standard and 5 expected standard.
- Ofsted report card
- 1 of 6 areas strong or better
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Three Chestnuts in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 2 June 2026 inspection grades Three Chestnuts on 6 areas: 1 strong standard and 5 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The personal development programme and the support the school provides for pupils' wellbeing are significant strengths."
Achievement - Expected standard. "When pupils arrive at the school, they have often missed education or had negative experiences previously."
Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Attendance is a high priority for the school."
Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The curriculum is centred around ‘3 Cs': creativity, challenge and careers."
Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders make every effort to get to know pupils well before, and during, their transition to the school."
Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "School leaders and the proprietor have a good understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that their priorities and planned strategies are communicated effectively with staff so that staff are clear about what is expected of them"; "Leaders should make sure that teaching is consistently focused on the important knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to know so that pupils gain knowledge securely and remember what they have learned"; "Leaders should ensure that information about pupils' progress and wellbeing is collected and monitored rigorously to assure themselves that planning precisely meets pupils' needs".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Three Chestnuts has an education, health and care plan (11 of 11 in 2026).
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Three Chestnuts.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since January 2026 for independent schools)
Safeguarding standards met
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- InclusionExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
Safeguarding standards: met
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at Three Chestnuts
Pupils receive a warm welcome from staff when they arrive at Three Chestnuts each morning. They are happy in the calm and nurturing environment that the school provides. Pupils feel well cared for by staff who take the time to get to know them as individuals. The majority of pupils attend school well. Some are keen to stay longer at the end of the school day. All pupils benefit from a thoughtfully planned transition programme that gives them time to settle in at the school. This helps to build pupils' confidence and overcome their anxiety of attending school after disrupted or negative experiences of education previously. Pupils have a variety of special educational needs and/or disabilities, supported by an education, health and care plan. The school's broad and ambitious curriculum is tailored carefully for each individual pupil to reflect their starting points and meet their needs. This ensures that pupils make good progress and enjoy learning. The school sets clear expectations for pupils' behaviour. Bullying and discrimination are never tolerated. When things go wrong, staff respond calmly and give pupils time and space to reflect. Trusted adults help pupils to manage their emotions so that they can engage positively with learning and other activities. The school provides a wealth of experiences designed to prepare pupils for their next stages in education, training or employment and for adulthood. In afternoon careers sessions, pupils gain life skills and learn about the world of work through a range of interesting activities. These include visits to local businesses and school-based sessions that teach pupils skills such as cooking, baking, upcycling and tiling. Staff listen carefully to pupils' ideas and interests and design activities accordingly.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should ensure that their priorities and planned strategies are communicated effectively with staff so that staff are clear about what is expected of them.
- Leaders should make sure that teaching is consistently focused on the important knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to know so that pupils gain knowledge securely and remember what they have learned.
- Leaders should ensure that information about pupils' progress and wellbeing is collected and monitored rigorously to assure themselves that planning precisely meets pupils' needs.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 2 June 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Three Chestnuts excels at rebuilding confidence in pupils who have had difficult experiences with education. The school's nurturing approach, combined with its broad curriculum and strong focus on preparing pupils for their future careers and adult life, creates a supportive environment where pupils thrive. Staff know pupils as individuals and adapt learning carefully to meet each child's specific needs.
Key Strengths
- Strong personal development and wellbeing programme with daily lessons on global affairs, British values and life skills
- Afternoon careers sessions offering varied work experience and skill development opportunities
- Individualised curriculum pathways that build self-esteem and address literacy and numeracy gaps
- Calm, nurturing environment with trusted adults supporting each pupil's emotional wellbeing
- Consistent behaviour management using restorative approaches
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching not always sharply focused on important knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to learn
- Staff communication from leaders could be more effective and clearer about expectations
- Need for increased rigour in how pupil progress data is used and shared as the school grows
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met with leaders creating an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Careers sessions with local business visits, cooking, baking, upcycling, tiling, alternative provision including construction, vehicle maintenance and agriculture
Three Chestnuts is an alternative provision school that provides personalised education for pupils with disrupted schooling or negative previous experiences. The school prioritises building pupils' confidence and wellbeing within a nurturing environment.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby schools
Keep up with Three Chestnuts
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Lincolnshire is 6 (the median across 401 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
31%
Available places
11 pupils
36 places
25 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Spalding
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Spalding
Across Lincolnshire council
Places available
9,247
Applications
7,828
Got 1st preference
84.7%
Got preferred school
96.4%
All secondary applications across Lincolnshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
11
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Three Chestnuts 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
11
Total Pupils
8
Boys
3
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Three Chestnuts
Does Three Chestnuts meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in June 2026, Three Chestnuts met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Three Chestnuts?
Three Chestnuts has around 11 pupils on roll.
Does Three Chestnuts have specialist SEN provision?
Three Chestnuts is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Three Chestnuts?
Three Chestnuts 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 Three Chestnuts?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Lincolnshire is 6 (the median across 401 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Three Chestnuts?
Three Chestnuts is at Fen Road, Holbeach, Spalding, PE12 8QD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)