Winchelsea School is a council-run special school in Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, for children and young people aged 4 to 19. It supports dyslexia and SpLD, vision, hearing and 6 other needs.
- Ages 4–19
- 248 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Council special school
- Ages
- 4 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 248 (places for 250)
- Headteacher
- Mr Geoff Cherrill (Head Teacher)
- Free school meals
- 34.9% of pupils eligible
- School reference (URN)
- 113955
Needs it supports
10 needs: dyslexia and SpLD, vision and 8 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (12)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (5)
Cognition and learning
- Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) Other schools for this in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (1)
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (2)
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (4)
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (6)
Sensory and physical
- Hearing impairment
- Visual impairment
- Multi-sensory impairment
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 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 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
Report card, June 2026: Strong standard in 5 of 8 areas
Inspected in June 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionStrong standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
- Early yearsStrong standard
- Post-16Expected standard
- Leadership and governanceStrong standard
- SafeguardingMet
Since then: School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, October 2019).
Contact and getting there
Guernsey Road, Parkstone, Poole, BH12 4LL
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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
- Manorside Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 0.3 miles
- The Lion Works School Independent · Ages 11–18 0.4 miles
- The Quay School Alternative provision · Ages 5–18 0.7 miles
All SEND schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
By need in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole: Autism (13) · SEMH (7) · Speech and language (6) · Severe learning (5) · Moderate learning (3) · PMLD (2) · Dyslexia and SpLD (2) · Physical (2)
Questions about Winchelsea School
How do I get a place at Winchelsea 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 Winchelsea School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Winchelsea School support?
Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication, autism, social, emotional and mental health, multi-sensory impairment, moderate learning difficulty and severe learning difficulty. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Winchelsea School take?
Aged 4 to 19, boys and girls.
What is Winchelsea School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in June 2022 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 Winchelsea School?
Guernsey Road, Parkstone, Poole, BH12 4LL, in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
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.