Highfield School is a foundation special school in Ossett, Wakefield, for children and young people aged 11 to 19. It supports autism and severe learning.
- Ages 11–19
- 210 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Foundation special school
- Ages
- 11 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 210 (places for 210)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Rebecca Thompson (Headteacher)
- Part of
- Education Ossett - Community Trust
- Free school meals
- 55.1% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Wakefield
- School reference (URN)
- 108311
Needs it supports
2 needs: autism, severe learning
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
Cognition and learning
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Wakefield (4)
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Wakefield council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Rated Good, May 2018; school remains Good (November 2023)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in May 2018. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, November 2023).
Contact and getting there
Gawthorpe Lane, Ossett, WF5 9BS
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Hall Cliffe Primary School Independent · Ages 5–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 2.2 miles
- Engage Academy Alternative provision · Ages 5–11 · Ofsted: Good 2.3 miles
- Reach Academy Alternative provision · Ages 11–14 · Ofsted: Good 2.5 miles
By need in Wakefield: Speech and language (13) · Autism (11) · Severe learning (5) · SEMH (3) · Moderate learning (3) · PMLD (2) · Hearing (2)
Questions about Highfield School
How do I get a place at Highfield School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult Highfield School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Highfield School support?
Autism and severe learning difficulty. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Highfield School take?
Aged 11 to 19, boys and girls.
What is Highfield School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in November 2023 at its last graded inspection. Newer inspections no longer give a single overall grade, so read the latest report for the full picture.
Where is Highfield School?
Gawthorpe Lane, Ossett, WF5 9BS, in Wakefield.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.