Courtlands School is a special academy in Plymouth for children and young people aged 4 to 11. It supports SEMH and moderate learning.
- Ages 4–11
- 101 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 4 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 101 (places for 100)
- Headteacher
- Ms Sarah Dodds (Headteacher)
- Part of
- Reach South Academy Trust
- Opened
- 1 February 2017
- Free school meals
- 58.4% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Plymouth
- School reference (URN)
- 144009
Needs it supports
2 needs: SEMH, moderate learning
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Cognition and learning
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in Plymouth (4)
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Plymouth (2)
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 Plymouth 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: Needs attention in 4 of 6 areas
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 teachingNeeds attention
- AchievementNeeds attention
- Attendance and behaviourNeeds attention
- Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceNeeds attention
- SafeguardingMet
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, December 2019).
Contact and getting there
Widey Lane, Crownhill, Plymouth, PL6 5JS
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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
- Eggbuckland Vale Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 0.3 miles
- Eggbuckland Community College Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Requires improvement 0.5 miles
- Cann Bridge School Special school · Ages 3–19 1.2 miles
By need in Plymouth: Moderate learning (5) · Autism (4) · Speech and language (4) · Severe learning (4) · Hearing (4) · SEMH (3) · PMLD (3) · Vision (2) · Multi-sensory (2) · Physical (2)
Questions about Courtlands School
How do I get a place at Courtlands 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 Courtlands School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Courtlands School support?
Social, emotional and mental health and moderate learning difficulty. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Courtlands School take?
Aged 4 to 11, boys and girls.
What is Courtlands School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Inadequate 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 Courtlands School?
Widey Lane, Crownhill, Plymouth, PL6 5JS, in Plymouth.
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.