Ofsted: Good

INSPIRE Free Special School

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

personMr Daniel Peck

corporate_fareRIVERMEAD INCLUSIVE TRUST

location_onChatham, ME5 0LB

language Visit Website phone 1634827372

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Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2018

groups

Students

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Attainment 8

2.5

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Age Range

11-18

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INSPIRE Free Special School is a Free schools special secondary school in Chatham, serving ages 11-18. Rated Good by Ofsted.

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School Summary

INSPIRE Free Special School is a free schools special in Chatham, Medway, admitting pupils aged 11-18. It is part of RIVERMEAD INCLUSIVE TRUST. The school has approximately 98 pupils on roll, of whom 65% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2026, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 2.5. 0.00% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2018. The school's current overall rating is Good.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 11.1:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there was 1 permanent exclusion. The average suspension rate was 32.6 per 1,000 pupils per term.

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

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

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Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2026

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

2.5

Grade 5+ E&M

0.00%

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

2.9

Grade 5+ E&M

0.00%

Entering EBacc0.00%

EBacc APS0.17

2024

Progress 8 Score

-1.96

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

2.7

Grade 5+ E&M

0.00%

Entering EBacc0.00%

EBacc APS0.15

2023

Progress 8 Score

-2.97

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

3.1

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0%

EBacc APS0.18

2022

Progress 8 Score

-3.48

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

3.8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0%

EBacc APS0.21

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

-2.84

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

0.6

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0%

EBacc APS0.05

2018

Progress 8 Score

-2.71

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

1.6

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc0%

EBacc APS0.13

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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.

2026

Stayed in Education / Employment

61.5%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)53.8%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment7.7%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)15.4%

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

55%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)45%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment9%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)18%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

55%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)27%

Apprenticeships9%

Employment18%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)27%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

33%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)22%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment11%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)44%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

89%

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

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)11%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

70%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)50%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment20%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)30%

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

01 April 2025

Inspection Report

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13 December 2023

Inspection Report

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05 June 2018

Inspection Report

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19 September 2017

Inspection Report

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26 January 2017

Inspection Report

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11 October 2016

Inspection Report

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27 January 2016

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

5 Evaluations

2018-06-05

Schools into Special Measures Visit 4 Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2017-09-19

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2017-01-26

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2016-10-11

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2016-01-27

None Legacy

Inadequate

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Inadequate

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

21.1%per term

warning Above Average

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

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

14.4%(13 pupils)

Spring term 2025

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

Permanent Exclusions

1pupils

gavel Exclusion recorded

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 90 pupils. During this period, there were 19 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 21.1%, which is above 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)	90	19	21.1%	7.3%	1
2024/25 (Autumn term)	86	38	44.2%	7.8%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	72	36	50.0%	7.4%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	68	47	69.1%	7.1%	1
2023/24 (Autumn term)	70	33	47.1%	8.2%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	62	14	22.6%	6.6%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	61	24	39.3%	6.4%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	62	17	27.4%	5.9%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	61	20	32.8%	4.7%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	54	24	44.4%	4.9%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	54	34	63.0%	4.4%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	52	34	65.4%	3.6%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	46	15	32.6%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	44	33	75.0%	3.9%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	49	1	2.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	49	31	63.3%	3.2%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	49	41	83.7%	4.2%	0
2018/19 (Summer term)	50	31	62.0%	3.1%	0
2018/19 (Spring term)	49	39	79.6%	3.8%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	45	31	68.9%	3.8%	0
2017/18 (Summer term)	37	9	24.3%	3.4%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	37	3	8.1%	3.0%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	30	23	76.7%	3.7%	0
2016/17 (Summer term)	23	17	73.9%	3.0%	0
2016/17 (Spring term)	23	17	73.9%	3.3%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	16	13	81.2%	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.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 80 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 3 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 2 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 2 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 1 pupils

Severe Learning Difficulty 1 pupils

Hearing Impairment 1 pupils