Unified Academy, Dorking
Unified Academy is a special school for boys aged 9 to 16 in Dorking, part of Orchard Hill College Academy Trust. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Unified Academy in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Unified Academy are Papillon House (3.7 miles, Good); Moon Hall School, Reigate (3.8 miles); Leith Hill School (4.4 miles); and Merrywood House Independent Special School (4.8 miles).
Papillon HouseMoon Hall School, ReigateLeith Hill SchoolMerrywood House Independent Special School
The trust
Unified Academy is one of 13 schools run by Orchard Hill College Academy Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
19 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Unified Academy (as of September 2025): 79% would recommend the school, 84% say their child is happy there and 58% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (95%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (58%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 17 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 59% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 35% to a further education college.
Who goes there
76.8% 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 Unified Academy has an education, health and care plan (82 of 82 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Unified Academy has a SEN unit for autism and social, emotional and mental health needs: 105 places, 84 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Dorking Deepdene Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Chart Lane South (nw-bound), 100 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Unified Academy issued 82 suspensions, 98.8 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); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Unified Academy excels at building strong relationships with pupils and creating an inclusive environment where students feel valued and safe. The school has developed an ambitious curriculum offering a broad range of subjects and qualifications, alongside a strong personal development programme. Staff are dedicated to helping each pupil succeed, using tailored support strategies and giving students a genuine fresh start when they struggle.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on building relationships and creating a culture of belonging that helps pupils feel safe and valued
- Well-structured, ambitious curriculum with opportunities to gain varied qualifications including GCSEs, boxing and sports leadership
- Effective safeguarding arrangements with vigilant staff and clear prioritization of pupil welfare
- Strong personal development programme and careers guidance to help pupils plan their next steps
- Emphasis on reading throughout the school day with support for pupils who need it
Areas for Improvement
- Many pupils have unidentified gaps in their learning which are not addressed by staff, limiting their progress
- Pupils' individual targets are sometimes not precise enough, meaning they don't always get the specific help they need
- Low attendance for some pupils continues to impact learning despite school efforts to improve it
- Staff do not always check that pupils have secured intended knowledge before moving learning on
- Curriculum implementation is inconsistent across the school despite clear planning
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective, with strong relationships between staff and pupils, clear vision for pupil safety and support, and staff demonstrating vigilance in their day-to-day interactions.
Extracurricular Activities
Boxing, sports leadership qualifications, reading activities, tutor-time activities, assemblies, personal and social health education, careers guidance, school dog (Maui)
Unified Academy is a special school for boys aged 9-16 with social, emotional and mental health difficulties. The school has developed an ambitious curriculum and prioritizes safeguarding and inclusion, though the quality of education and pupil behaviour require improvement.
At a Glance
76.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Autism, SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
19 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Unified Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Unified Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Unified Academy is in Surrey; for families living there:
- Surrey's school travel policy: Travel Assistance Policy for under 16s
- How to apply: Apply online for under 16 travel help
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 14
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 11 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
3 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 Surrey is 13 (the median across 521 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
68%
Available places
82 pupils
120 places
38 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Dorking
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Dorking
Across Surrey council
Places available
12,569
Applications
11,986
Got 1st preference
81.3%
Got preferred school
96.2%
All secondary applications across Surrey council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
82
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Unified Academy has a SEN unit for autism and social, emotional and mental health needs: 105 places, 84 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
82
Total Pupils
82
Boys
0
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
5.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£56,137
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
40.8%
Overall absence
85.2%
Persistent absence
88
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
Questions parents ask about Unified Academy
What are GCSE results like at Unified Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Unified Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 4.1. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Unified Academy's Ofsted rating?
Unified Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Unified Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Unified Academy is oversubscribed, Surrey allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Unified Academy?
Unified Academy has around 82 pupils on roll. 77% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Unified Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Unified Academy has a SEN unit for autism and social, emotional and mental health needs: 105 places, 84 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Unified Academy?
40.8% of sessions were missed at Unified Academy in 2024/25. 85.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Unified Academy?
Apply through Surrey's coordinated admissions process, naming Unified Academy 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 Unified Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 11 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 3 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 Surrey is 13 (the median across 521 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Unified Academy?
Unified Academy is at Chart Lane South, Dorking, RH5 4DB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)