Gurnard Primary School is a mainstream primary school in Cowes, Isle of Wight, for children aged 4 to 11. In January 2026, 90 of its 522 pupils (17.2%) were getting SEN support and 10 (1.9%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 4–11
- 522 pupils
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state primary schools across England and in Isle of Wight.
17.2% get SEN support
90 of 522 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
1.9% have an EHC plan
10 of 522 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Speech, language and communication28
- Social, emotional and mental health18
- Moderate learning difficulty14
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia13
- Autism9
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream primary school
- Run as
- Council-run school
- Ages
- 4 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 522 (places for 420)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Clemma Yardley
- Free school meals
- 8.6% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Isle of Wight
- School reference (URN)
- 118160
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Isle of Wight council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Graded by area, February 2025; school remains Good (November 2019)
Inspected in February 2025. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementGood
- Early yearsOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, November 2019).
Contact and getting there
Baring Road, Cowes, PO31 8DS
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Hunnyhill Ormiston Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 3.7 miles
- Medina College Mainstream + base · Ages 11–19 · Ofsted: Requires improvement 3.8 miles
- Medina House School Special school · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 4.4 miles
- New Forest School Independent · Ages 7–18 · Ofsted: Outstanding 4.8 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Cowes Enterprise College, An Ormiston Academy Secondary · Ages 11–19 · SEN support 17.7%, EHC plans 3.5% 0.5 miles
- Lanesend Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 27.5%, EHC plans 9.5% 0.9 miles
- Holy Cross Catholic Primary School Primary · Ages 5–11 · SEN support 18.9%, EHC plans 1.4% 1.7 miles
All mainstream schools in Isle of Wight SEND schools in Isle of Wight
Questions about Gurnard Primary School
How many pupils at Gurnard Primary School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 90 of the 522 pupils (17.2%) were getting SEN support and 10 (1.9%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state primary schools it is 15.4% and 4.1%.
What are the most common needs at Gurnard Primary School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are speech, language and communication needs (28 pupils), social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (18 pupils) and moderate learning difficulties (14 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Gurnard Primary School?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at Gurnard Primary School?
Through Isle of Wight council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to Gurnard Primary School?
You can ask for Gurnard Primary School to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does Gurnard Primary School have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Hunnyhill Ormiston Academy, about 3.7 miles away.
Where is Gurnard Primary School?
Baring Road, Cowes, PO31 8DS, in Isle of Wight.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), 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.