The Meadows School is a council-run special school in Oldbury, Sandwell, for children and young people aged 11 to 19. It supports dyslexia and SpLD, vision, hearing and 8 other needs.
- Ages 11–19
- 262 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Council special school
- Ages
- 11 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 262 (places for 215)
- Headteacher
- Mr James Horspool (Headteacher)
- Opened
- 1 September 2000
- Free school meals
- 57.8% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Sandwell
- School reference (URN)
- 132231
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 Sandwell (10)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Sandwell (2)
Cognition and learning
- Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) Other schools for this in Sandwell (1)
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in Sandwell (3)
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Sandwell (2)
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties Other schools for this in Sandwell (1)
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Sandwell (4)
Sensory and physical
- Hearing impairment Other schools for this in Sandwell (3)
- Visual impairment Other schools for this in Sandwell (1)
- Multi-sensory impairment Other schools for this in Sandwell (1)
- Physical disability Other schools for this in Sandwell (3)
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 Sandwell 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, February 2026: Expected standard in every area
Inspected in February 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
- Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
- Post-16Expected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- SafeguardingMet
Contact and getting there
The Meadows School, Dudley Road East, Sandwell, Oldbury, B69 3BU
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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
- Christ Church Church of England Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 0.9 miles
- Grace Mary Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Outstanding 0.9 miles
- Dudley Port School Independent · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Requires improvement 1.2 miles
By need in Sandwell: Autism (11) · SEMH (5) · Moderate learning (4) · Hearing (4) · Physical (4) · Speech and language (3) · Severe learning (3) · PMLD (2) · Dyslexia and SpLD (2) · Vision (2) · Multi-sensory (2)
Questions about The Meadows School
How do I get a place at The Meadows 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 The Meadows School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does The Meadows 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, 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 The Meadows School take?
Aged 11 to 19, boys and girls.
What is The Meadows School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Requires improvement by Ofsted in February 2026 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 The Meadows School?
The Meadows School, Dudley Road East, Sandwell, Oldbury, B69 3BU, in Sandwell.
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.