Great Oaks School is a special academy in Southampton for children and young people aged 11 to 19. It supports dyslexia and SpLD, speech and language, autism and 5 other needs.
- Ages 11–19
- 369 pupils
- Ofsted: Outstanding
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 11 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 369 (places for 280)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Geraldine Lindsay (Headteacher)
- Part of
- Specialist Schools Trust LTD
- Opened
- 1 September 2017
- Free school meals
- 70.9% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Southampton
- School reference (URN)
- 144205
Needs it supports
9 needs: dyslexia and SpLD, speech and language and 7 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in Southampton (8)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Southampton (4)
Cognition and learning
- Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) Other schools for this in Southampton (4)
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Southampton (3)
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties Other schools for this in Southampton (3)
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Southampton (7)
Sensory and physical
- Multi-sensory impairment Other schools for this in Southampton (5)
- Physical disability Other schools for this in Southampton (4)
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 Southampton 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, November 2023; school remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next (November 2021)
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in November 2023.
- Quality of educationOutstanding
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- Sixth formOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, November 2021).
Contact and getting there
Vermont Close, Off Winchester Road, Southampton, SO16 7LT
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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
- Vermont School Special school · Ages 5–11 0.0 miles
- Cantell School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Outstanding 0.6 miles
- Rosewood Free School Special school · Ages 2–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 0.9 miles
All SEND schools in Southampton
By need in Southampton: Autism (9) · SEMH (8) · Moderate learning (7) · Multi-sensory (6) · Speech and language (5) · Dyslexia and SpLD (5) · Physical (5) · Severe learning (4) · PMLD (4) · Hearing (4) · Vision (2)
Questions about Great Oaks School
How do I get a place at Great Oaks 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 Great Oaks School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Great Oaks School support?
Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), speech, language and communication, autism, social, emotional and mental health, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, 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 Great Oaks School take?
Aged 11 to 19, boys and girls.
What is Great Oaks School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in November 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 Great Oaks School?
Vermont Close, Off Winchester Road, Southampton, SO16 7LT, in Southampton.
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.