Ofsted: Outstanding

Linwood School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMrs Gemma Talbot

location_onBournemouth, BH9 1AJ

language Visit Website phone 1202525107

verified

Ofsted

Outstanding

Inspected 2025

groups

Students

395

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Age Range

2-19

summarize

Linwood School is a Community special school school in Bournemouth, serving ages 2-19. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted — the highest possible grade.

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School Summary

Linwood School is a community special school in Bournemouth, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, admitting pupils aged 2-19. The school has approximately 411 pupils on roll, of whom 43% are eligible for free school meals.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2025. The school's current overall rating is Outstanding. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Outstanding, behaviour and attitudes Outstanding, personal development Outstanding, and leadership and management Outstanding.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 4.9:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 0.6 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

analytics

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

2024

Progress 8 Score

-1.73

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

1.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0.00%

EBacc APS0.16

2023

Progress 8 Score

-1.47

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

1.1

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0%

EBacc APS0.11

2022

Progress 8 Score

-1.89

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

1.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0%

EBacc APS0.13

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

-1.84

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

0.1

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0%

EBacc APS0

2018

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

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Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

97%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)97%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)0%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

93%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)89%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment4%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)0%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

96%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)96%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)4%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

100%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)100%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)0%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

100%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)100%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)0%

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Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 59%

Reading0% LA 72%

Writing0% LA 70%

Maths0% LA 70%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 58%England 61%

Reading0% LA 69% · Eng 74%

Writing0% LA 70% · Eng 72%

Maths0% LA 68% · Eng 73%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 57%England 60%

Reading0% LA 69% · Eng 73%

Writing0% LA 68% · Eng 71%

Maths0% LA 68% · Eng 73%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

-9.0

Read

LA -0.8

-11.6 to -6.4

-7.8

Write

LA -0.6

-10.3 to -5.3

-8.3

Maths

LA -0.7

-10.7 to -5.9

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 61%England 65%

Reading0% LA 69% · Eng 73%

Writing0% LA 74% · Eng 78%

Maths0% LA 75% · Eng 79%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

-8.2

Read

LA -0.7

-10.6 to -5.8

-8.7

Write

LA -0.4

-10.9 to -6.6

-10.0

Maths

LA -0.5

-12.1 to -7.8

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 59%

Reading0% LA 68%

Writing0% LA 74%

Maths0% LA 71%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

-8.4

Read

LA -1.3

-10.8 to -6

-7.6

Write

LA -0.4

-9.9 to -5.3

-7.9

Maths

LA -0.9

-10.1 to -5.7

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

28 January 2025

Inspection Report

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29 November 2023

Inspection Report

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11 January 2018

Inspection Report

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19 March 2013

Inspection Report

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08 July 2008

Inspection Report

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21 June 2005

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

4 Evaluations

2025-01-28

S5 Inspection EIF

Not Judged

info

Why no overall grade?

From autumn 2024, Ofsted stopped issuing a single headline grade (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate). Instead, each inspection area is graded individually. This follows a major review after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. The overall effectiveness field is left as "Not judged" in the published data.

Education

Outstanding

Behaviour

Outstanding

Development

Outstanding

Leadership

Outstanding

2018-01-11

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2013-03-19

S5 Inspection Legacy

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

2008-07-08

None EIF

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

0.5%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.5%(2 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 411 pupils. During this period, there were 2 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 0.5%, which is below the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	411	2	0.5%	7.3%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	390	3	0.8%	7.8%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	381	1	0.3%	7.4%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	386	8	2.1%	7.1%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	387	4	1.0%	8.2%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	399	14	3.5%	6.6%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	395	10	2.5%	6.4%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	399	20	5.0%	5.9%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	385	9	2.3%	4.7%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	387	2	0.5%	4.9%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	390	6	1.5%	4.4%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	372	3	0.8%	3.6%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	369	3	0.8%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	360	5	1.4%	3.9%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	352	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	352	4	1.1%	3.2%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	345	6	1.7%	4.2%	0
2018/19 (Summer term)	323	0	0.0%	3.1%	0
2018/19 (Spring term)	323	0	0.0%	3.8%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	325	2	0.6%	3.8%	0
2017/18 (Summer term)	318	6	1.9%	3.4%	1
2017/18 (Spring term)	318	5	1.6%	3.0%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	317	5	1.6%	3.7%	0
2016/17 (Summer term)	285	2	0.7%	3.0%	0
2016/17 (Spring term)	283	4	1.4%	3.3%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	283	2	0.7%	3.1%	0

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 188 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 59 pupils

Severe Learning Difficulty 42 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 35 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 30 pupils

Profound & Multiple Learning 23 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 11 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 8 pupils

Physical Disability 4 pupils

Linwood School

School Summary

Academic Performance

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Funding & Staffing

Staffing

Teacher Turnover