Aurora Hanley School is an independent special school approved under Section 41 in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, for children and young people aged 6 to 19.
- Ages 6–19
- 84 pupils
- Ofsted: Outstanding
School details
- Type
- Independent special school (Section 41)
- Ages
- 6 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 84 (places for 90)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Tracy Whitehurst
- Opened
- 11 July 2017
- Council
- Staffordshire
- School reference (URN)
- 143839
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 Staffordshire 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, July 2025
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in July 2025.
- Quality of educationOutstanding
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- Sixth formOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Independent school standards: all standards met.
Contact and getting there
Cambrian Way, off Eaves Lane, Stoke on Trent, ST2 8PQ
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
- Kingsland CofE Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.1 miles
- Manor Abbey School Special school · Ages 11–16 0.3 miles
- Newfriars College Independent · Ages 16–25 0.3 miles
All SEND schools in Staffordshire
By need in Staffordshire: Autism (20) · Speech and language (18) · Severe learning (18) · Moderate learning (16) · SEMH (15) · PMLD (14) · Physical (11) · Dyslexia and SpLD (10) · Vision (10) · Hearing (9) · Multi-sensory (7)
Questions about Aurora Hanley School
How do I get a place at Aurora Hanley 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 Aurora Hanley School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What ages does Aurora Hanley School take?
Aged 6 to 19, boys and girls.
What is Aurora Hanley School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Aurora Hanley School?
Cambrian Way, off Eaves Lane, Stoke on Trent, ST2 8PQ, in Staffordshire.
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.