Mary Hare School is a non-maintained special school, run by a charity in Newbury, West Berkshire, for children and young people aged 4 to 19. It supports hearing.
- Ages 4–19
- 146 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Non-maintained special school
- Ages
- 4 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 146 (places for 240)
- Headteacher
- Mr Robin Askew (Principal)
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Free school meals
- 23.1% of pupils eligible
- Council
- West Berkshire
- School reference (URN)
- 110180
Needs it supports
1 need: hearing
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Sensory and physical
- Hearing impairment Other schools for this in West Berkshire (3)
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 West Berkshire 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, June 2016; standards maintained (May 2025)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in June 2016. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: Standards maintained (ungraded inspection, May 2025).
Contact and getting there
Arlington Manor, Snelsmore Common, Newbury, RG14 3BQ
Loading the map…
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
- The Castle School Special school · Ages 3–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 1.6 miles
- Trinity School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 1.8 miles
- The Winchcombe School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 2.0 miles
All SEND schools in West Berkshire
By need in West Berkshire: Autism (6) · Hearing (4) · SEMH (2) · Moderate learning (2) · Severe learning (2) · PMLD (2) · Dyslexia and SpLD (2) · Physical (2)
Questions about Mary Hare School
How do I get a place at Mary Hare 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 Mary Hare School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Mary Hare School support?
Hearing impairment. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Mary Hare School take?
Aged 4 to 19, boys and girls.
What is Mary Hare School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in May 2025 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 Mary Hare School?
Arlington Manor, Snelsmore Common, Newbury, RG14 3BQ, in West Berkshire.
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.