Yewstock School is a council-run special school in Sturminster Newton, Dorset, for children and young people aged 2 to 19. It supports speech and language, autism, multi-sensory and 4 other needs.
- Ages 2–19
- 167 pupils
- Ofsted: Outstanding
School details
- Type
- Council special school
- Ages
- 2 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 167 (places for 149)
- Headteacher
- Mr Clive Padgett (Headteacher)
- Free school meals
- 46.8% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Dorset
- School reference (URN)
- 113965
Needs it supports
7 needs: speech and language, autism and 5 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in Dorset (12)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Dorset (10)
Cognition and learning
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in Dorset (8)
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Dorset (3)
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties Other schools for this in Dorset (1)
Sensory and physical
- Multi-sensory impairment Other schools for this in Dorset (3)
- Physical disability Other schools for this in Dorset (6)
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 Dorset 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 Outstanding, June 2013; school remains Outstanding (March 2023)
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in June 2013. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
Since then: School remains Outstanding (ungraded inspection, March 2023).
Contact and getting there
Honeymead Lane, Sturminster Newton, DT10 1EW
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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
- The Forum School Independent · Ages 7–19 · Ofsted: Requires improvement 2.9 miles
- Gillingham Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 7.3 miles
- Coombe House School Independent · Ages 5–19 · Ofsted: Good 7.8 miles
By need in Dorset: Autism (13) · Speech and language (11) · Moderate learning (9) · Physical (7) · SEMH (6) · Dyslexia and SpLD (5) · Severe learning (4) · Multi-sensory (4) · Hearing (3) · Vision (3) · PMLD (2)
Questions about Yewstock School
How do I get a place at Yewstock 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 Yewstock School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Yewstock School support?
Speech, language and communication, autism, 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 Yewstock School take?
Aged 2 to 19, boys and girls.
What is Yewstock School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in March 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 Yewstock School?
Honeymead Lane, Sturminster Newton, DT10 1EW, in Dorset.
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.