Wolverdene Special School, Andover
Wolverdene Special School is a special school for pupils aged 6 to 11 in Andover. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2022.
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Wolverdene Special School in detail
Wolverdene Special School in its own words
In its own words: "Wolverdene Special School is a great school where children are given the opportunity to learn and develop within a supportive and nurturing environment."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Wolverdene is a special school and meets the needs of children with SEMH (Social, Emotional, and Mental Health) needs. All children who attend the school have an EHCP (Education and health care plan) and will have gained attendance through the SEMH primary panel meetings. These are run by Hampshire County Council."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Wolverdene Special School are The Mark Way School (0.5 miles, Outstanding); Norman Gate School (0.6 miles, Good); and Icknield School (1.1 miles, Outstanding).
Who goes there
72.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 5.5% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Wolverdene Special School has an education, health and care plan (55 of 55 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Wolverdene Special School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Andover Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Vincent Drive (adjacent), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Wolverdene Special School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 249 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, Wolverdene Special School issued 25 suspensions, 44.6 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: 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 · 5 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2022 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
72.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 4 nearby schools
Keep up with Wolverdene Special School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Wolverdene Special School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Wolverdene Special 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
- 20
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 15 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
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 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
100%
Full
55 pupils
55 places
No spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Andover
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Andover
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(10)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
55
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Wolverdene Special 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
55
Total Pupils
48
Boys
7
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
5.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,060
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
15.8%
Overall absence
42.3%
Persistent absence
52
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Wolverdene Special School
What are SATs results like at Wolverdene Special School?
Of the pupils at Wolverdene Special School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Wolverdene Special School's Ofsted rating?
Wolverdene Special School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2022. At its previous graded inspection in 2016 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Wolverdene Special School?
No fixed boundary. When Wolverdene Special School is oversubscribed, Hampshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Wolverdene Special School?
Wolverdene Special School has around 55 pupils on roll. 73% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Wolverdene Special School have specialist SEN provision?
Wolverdene Special School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
What is attendance like at Wolverdene Special School?
15.8% of sessions were missed at Wolverdene Special School in 2024/25. 42.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Wolverdene Special School?
Apply through Hampshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Wolverdene Special 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 Wolverdene Special School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 15 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Wolverdene Special School?
Wolverdene Special School is at 22 Love Lane, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 2AF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)