Treetops Free School, Grays
Treetops Free School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 16 in Grays, part of Treetops Learning Community. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Treetops Free School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Treetops Free School are Treetops School (0.1 miles, Outstanding); OA - North View (1.8 miles); Pier View Academy (3.6 miles, Good); and Beacon Hill Academy (3.7 miles, Outstanding).
Treetops SchoolOA - North ViewPier View AcademyBeacon Hill Academy
The trust
Treetops Free School is one of 2 schools run by Treetops Learning Community, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 10 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 70% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 10% to a further education college.
Who goes there
41.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 11% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (58%), Black (15%) and Mixed (10%).
Almost every pupil at Treetops Free School has an education, health and care plan (163 of 163 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Treetops Free School provides for pupils with autism and moderate learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Grays Rail Station, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Heath Road (northbound), 260 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Treetops Free School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Treetops Free School issued 12 suspensions, 7.8 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: 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 · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
41.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Autism, MLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Treetops Free School
Before and after school care
Treetops Free School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Thurrock
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Treetops Free School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Treetops Free School is in Thurrock; for families living there:
- Thurrock's school travel policy: Home to school travel and transport policy
- How to apply: apply for school travel support
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 5
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 5 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 Thurrock is 12 (the median across 58 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
111%
Over capacity
163 pupils
147 places
16 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Grays
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Grays
Across Thurrock council
Places available
2,395
Applications
2,478
Got 1st preference
74.8%
Got preferred school
92.7%
All secondary applications across Thurrock council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
163
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Treetops Free School provides for pupils with autism and moderate learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
163
Total Pupils
124
Boys
39
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
7.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,836
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.2%
Overall absence
17.9%
Persistent absence
156
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
Treetops Free School
Showing 10 of 11 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Treetops Free School
What are SATs results like at Treetops Free School?
Of the pupils at Treetops Free School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Treetops Free School's Ofsted rating?
Treetops Free School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2024.
What is the catchment area for Treetops Free School?
No fixed boundary. When Treetops Free School is oversubscribed, Thurrock allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Treetops Free School?
Treetops Free School has around 163 pupils on roll. 41% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Treetops Free School have specialist SEN provision?
Treetops Free School provides for pupils with autism and moderate learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Treetops Free School?
7.2% of sessions were missed at Treetops Free School in 2024/25. 17.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Treetops Free School?
Apply through Thurrock's coordinated admissions process, naming Treetops Free 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.
Does Treetops Free School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Treetops Free School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Treetops Free School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 5 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Thurrock is 12 (the median across 58 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Treetops Free School?
Treetops Free School is at Treetops Approach, Grays, Essex, RM16 2WU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)