Yew Tree Farm School, Sittingbourne
Yew Tree Farm School is a special school for pupils aged 7 to 16 in Sittingbourne. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2025. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2026 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Yew Tree Farm School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Yew Tree Farm School are ALP Sittingbourne (3.2 miles, Good); Earley Springs (3.8 miles); Aspire School (3.8 miles, Requires improvement); and Infiniti School (3.9 miles, Good).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Yew Tree Farm School has an education, health and care plan (6 of 6 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hollingbourne Rail Station, about 3.3 miles away in a straight line.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
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 Insights
From Ofsted's June 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Yew Tree Farm School excels at providing individualised support for pupils with SEND through high staff ratios and tailored one-to-one teaching in English and maths. The school has created a safe, secure environment where pupils develop strong relationships with staff and feel confident to share worries. Leaders have thoughtfully planned the expansion to secondary age provision while maintaining quality, including creating additional classroom spaces and carefully considering safeguarding risks for mixed-age groups.
Key Strengths
- Effective leadership with relevant expertise and strong connections to professional networks
- High staff ratios and tailored support help pupils develop positive relationships and feel safe
- Well-planned curriculum designed to meet the specific needs of pupils with SEND, including one-to-one English and maths teaching
- Robust safeguarding practices with regular staff training and clear policies
- Thorough health and safety systems, including comprehensive risk assessments for site activities and off-site visits
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective - staff receive regular and comprehensive training, leaders are appropriately trained, and pupils feel safe with confidence to share concerns.
Extracurricular Activities
Physical education at local leisure centre, fire-pit activities, outdoor learning areas (the copse)
Yew Tree Farm School is an independent school that has applied to expand its age range to include secondary pupils and increase overall capacity. The inspection found the school is likely to meet all relevant independent school standards if the material changes are approved.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Yew Tree Farm School
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 Kent is 11 (the median across 711 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
25%
Available places
6 pupils
24 places
18 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Sittingbourne
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sittingbourne
Across Kent council
Places available
19,539
Applications
18,644
Got 1st preference
78.9%
Got preferred school
96.2%
All secondary applications across Kent council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Yew Tree Farm School 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
6
Total Pupils
5
Boys
1
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Yew Tree Farm School
Questions parents ask about Yew Tree Farm School
What is Yew Tree Farm School's Ofsted rating?
Yew Tree Farm School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2025, it was rated Good.
Does Yew Tree Farm School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in January 2025, Yew Tree Farm School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Yew Tree Farm School?
Yew Tree Farm School has around 6 pupils on roll.
Does Yew Tree Farm School have specialist SEN provision?
Yew Tree Farm School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Yew Tree Farm School?
Yew Tree Farm School 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 Yew Tree Farm School?
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 Kent is 11 (the median across 711 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Yew Tree Farm School?
Yew Tree Farm School is at Swanton Street, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8AT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)