Ivel Valley School & College is a council-run special school in Biggleswade, Central Bedfordshire, for children and young people aged 3 to 19. It supports dyslexia and SpLD, vision, hearing and 8 other needs.
- Ages 3–19
- 261 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Council special school
- Ages
- 3 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 261 (places for 264)
- Headteacher
- Mr Joe Creswick (Principal)
- Free school meals
- 43.1% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Central Bedfordshire
- School reference (URN)
- 109739
Needs it supports
12 needs: dyslexia and SpLD, vision and 10 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in Central Bedfordshire (9)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Central Bedfordshire (3)
Cognition and learning
- Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia)
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in Central Bedfordshire (1)
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Central Bedfordshire (1)
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties Other schools for this in Central Bedfordshire (1)
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Central Bedfordshire (4)
Sensory and physical
- Hearing impairment Other schools for this in Central Bedfordshire (3)
- Visual impairment
- Multi-sensory impairment Other schools for this in Central Bedfordshire (1)
- Physical disability Other schools for this in Central Bedfordshire (1)
It also lists other needs. Ask the school what these are.
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 Central Bedfordshire 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, September 2014; school remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next (September 2023)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in September 2014. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
- Early yearsGood
- Sixth formGood
Since then: School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, September 2023).
Contact and getting there
Hitchmead Road, Biggleswade, SG18 0NL
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Stratton School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 0.2 miles
- St Andrew's CofE VC Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.7 miles
- St Swithun's Church of England VC Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 2.9 miles
All SEND schools in Central Bedfordshire
By need in Central Bedfordshire: Autism (10) · SEMH (5) · Speech and language (4) · Hearing (4) · Moderate learning (2) · Severe learning (2) · PMLD (2) · Multi-sensory (2) · Physical (2)
Questions about Ivel Valley School & College
How do I get a place at Ivel Valley School & College?
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 Ivel Valley School & College. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Ivel Valley School & College support?
Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication, autism, social, emotional and mental health, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulty, severe learning difficulty and profound and multiple learning difficulties. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Ivel Valley School & College take?
Aged 3 to 19, boys and girls.
What is Ivel Valley School & College’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in September 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 Ivel Valley School & College?
Hitchmead Road, Biggleswade, SG18 0NL, in Central Bedfordshire.
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.