Wargrave House School, Newton-le-Willows
Wargrave House School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 16 in Newton-le-Willows. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, ended in a report card: 6 expected standard. Before that it was rated Good at its last graded inspection, in May 2022.
- Ofsted report card
- 0 of 6 areas strong or better
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Wargrave House School in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 9 June 2026 inspection grades Wargrave House School on 6 areas: 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, typically make secure progress from their starting points across a range of subjects."
Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Many pupils have had limited engagement with education prior to starting at this school."
Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths and priorities for developing the curriculum and how it is taught."
Inclusion - Expected standard. "Inclusion lies at the heart of leaders' work."
Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the key strengths of the school and what needs to improve."
Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders provide a comprehensive programme of personal development that is accessible to all pupils."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is appropriately aspirational for older pupils so that it support them to develop the detailed knowledge and skills needed to achieve all that they can"; "Leaders should ensure that staff consistently promote pupils' independence by allowing them time to process information and decide on their responses to questions"; "Leaders and governors should strengthen their strategic oversight of some areas of the school's work, such as the evaluation of the impact of pupil premium funding, in order to make more precise and informed decisions that will support them in making further improvements".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Wargrave House School in its own words
In its own words: "We redefine what’s possible every day, pushing boundaries and always striving to do things differently and better. We respond with compassion, energy and adaptability, always learning and always focused on creating a legacy of lasting happiness. We keep our promises and aren’t afraid to stand up and be counted honestly, openly, and always with pride."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Wargrave House School are Willow Bank School (1.4 miles, Good); Ascent Autism Specialist College (2.5 miles, Good); Lansbury Bridge School (3.1 miles, Good); and Mill Green School (3.1 miles, Outstanding).
Willow Bank SchoolAscent Autism Specialist CollegeLansbury Bridge SchoolMill Green School
Where pupils go next
Of the 8 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
4.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 4.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Wargrave House School has an education, health and care plan (74 of 74 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Wargrave House School provides for pupils with autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Earlestown Rail Station, about 920 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Church Drive (near), 90 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Wargrave House School issued 1 suspension, 1.3 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards met
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- InclusionExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at Wargrave House School
Wargave House School is a nurturing and friendly school that embraces each pupil as an individual. Many pupils arrive having experienced disruption to their schooling. They are warmly welcomed by caring staff. Pupils are supported to understand their autism and to see it as part of who they are. They receive personalised support that removes or reduces their barriers to learning so that they can thrive. Pupils develop positive and trusting relationships with staff. This helps pupils to feel safe and valued. Pupils' voices are heard and respected. They play a meaningful role in shaping school decisions. This deepens their sense of belonging in the school community. Pupils are typically calm and well behaved. They follow routines consistently well. Pupils show respect to each other and to staff. Pupils benefit from a range of therapeutic approaches that enable their behaviour and attendance to improve over time. Bullying is not tolerated. Pupils enjoy learning. Their independence grows as they move up the school. They achieve well from their individual starting points. Pupils enjoy a rich variety of experiences that broaden their understanding of the world around them. Visits to local parks and museums bring learning to life. Activities, such as dance, sports and board games, nurture their talents and interests. Pupils embrace opportunities to take on responsibilities, such as working in the school's shop and café. These opportunities develop their practical and social skills. Leaders have invested in a radio studio. This enables pupils to explore the world of broadcasting and develop their technology and communication skills. Pupils develop confidence and resilience through a wide range of outdoor activities, including rock climbing and cycling. Other experiences, such as using public transport to get to the supermarket, are carefully planned and equip pupils with the skills they need to lead independent lives.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is appropriately aspirational for older pupils so that it support them to develop the detailed knowledge and skills needed to achieve all that they can.
- Leaders should ensure that staff consistently promote pupils' independence by allowing them time to process information and decide on their responses to questions.
- Leaders and governors should strengthen their strategic oversight of some areas of the school's work, such as the evaluation of the impact of pupil premium funding, in order to make more precise and informed decisions that will support them in making further improvements.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 9 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
Wargrave House School excels at welcoming and supporting pupils who have experienced disrupted schooling, helping them rebuild trust and confidence. Staff create warm, respectful relationships that make pupils feel valued and safe, while providing personalised support tailored to each child's individual needs. The school offers a rich curriculum with outdoor learning, enrichment activities, and therapeutic approaches that help pupils thrive and achieve well from their starting points.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on communication and reading skills with well-chosen strategies like visual aids and verbal reinforcement
- Skilled staff trained in de-escalation techniques who create a settled, orderly environment where pupils feel safe
- Personalised therapeutic support and close work with professionals (occupational therapists, speech and language therapists) to help pupils overcome barriers to learning
- High-quality careers programme that prepares all pupils for appropriate progression to further education, employment or training
- Comprehensive personal development programme including enrichment activities, sports clubs, dance, and outdoor learning experiences
Areas for Improvement
- For a small number of older pupils, the curriculum is not as ambitious as it could be, which can limit progress
- Some staff occasionally intervene too quickly before pupils have time to think through responses, limiting independence and resilience
- Impact of pupil premium funding on disadvantaged pupils' attendance and behaviour is not monitored closely enough, making it harder to adjust strategies in a timely way
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - the school has established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils are made safer and feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports clubs, dance (Bollywood and Chinese dance), school pantomime, bowling, school council, pool table, outdoor activities (rock climbing, cycling), radio studio, school shop and cafe, visits to colleges, parks and museums, enterprise activities
Wargrave House School is a nurturing specialist school that supports pupils with autism and complex needs, many of whom have experienced disrupted education. The school creates a calm, inclusive environment where pupils develop positive relationships with staff and make secure progress from their individual starting points.
At a Glance
4.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Wargrave House School
Summer Newsletter 2026: Celebrating Progress, Creativity and Community at Wargrave House School
23 Jul 2026
Wargrave Achieves Green Schools Gold Award
27 May 2026
Wargrave Celebrates Double Success at the ‘Engage in Their Future’ Awards
8 Mar 2026
Winter Newsletter 2025: Celebrating Progress, Creativity and Community at Wargrave House School
23 Dec 2025
Students at specialist school sit GCSEs for the very first time
17 Jun 2025
Specialist school scoops up six accolades at national award ceremony
25 May 2025
From Wargrave House School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Wargrave House School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Wargrave House School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Wargrave House School is in St. Helens; for families living there:
Apply to St. Helens for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 8
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 7 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot.
1 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 St. Helens is 11.5 (the median across 80 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
82%
Available places
74 pupils
90 places
16 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Newton-le-Willows
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Newton-le-Willows
Across St. Helens council
Places available
2,109
Applications
1,849
Got 1st preference
93.3%
Got preferred school
98.4%
All secondary applications across St. Helens council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
74
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Wargrave House School provides for pupils with autism.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
74
Total Pupils
57
Boys
17
Girls
2026 academic year
Pupil Absence2024/25
11.8%
Overall absence
26.0%
Persistent absence
77
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 Wargrave House School
What are GCSE results like at Wargrave House School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Wargrave House School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 2.1. 8% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Wargrave House School's Ofsted rating?
Wargrave House School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2022, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Wargrave House School?
No fixed boundary. When Wargrave House School is oversubscribed, St. Helens allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Wargrave House School?
Wargrave House School has around 74 pupils on roll. 4% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Wargrave House School have specialist SEN provision?
Wargrave House School provides for pupils with autism.
What is attendance like at Wargrave House School?
11.8% of sessions were missed at Wargrave House School in 2024/25. 26% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Wargrave House School?
Apply through St. Helens's coordinated admissions process, naming Wargrave House 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 Wargrave House School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 7 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot. 1 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 St. Helens is 11.5 (the median across 80 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Wargrave House School?
Wargrave House School is at 449 Wargrave Road, Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, WA12 8RS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)