The Orchard School is an independent special school in Potters Bar, Somerset, for children and young people aged 11 to 18.
- Ages 11–18
- 4 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Independent special school
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 4 (places for 20)
- Headteacher
- Ms Karen Green
- Opened
- 30 November 2017
- Council
- Somerset
- School reference (URN)
- 145293
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 Somerset council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- An offer, and the council’s agreement
As an independent school not approved under Section 41, it doesn’t have to accept a place: the school has to offer one, and the council has to agree to name it in the plan.
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 Good, January 2023
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in January 2023.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Independent school standards: all standards met.
Contact and getting there
Orchard School, C/O Metropolitan House, Potters Bar, EN6 1AG
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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
- The Mews Independent · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.0 miles
- Fenton Grange School Independent · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 0.0 miles
- Chase House School Independent · Ages 7–16 · Ofsted: Good 0.0 miles
By need in Somerset: Autism (17) · Moderate learning (14) · Severe learning (10) · Speech and language (8) · PMLD (7) · SEMH (6) · Dyslexia and SpLD (4) · Hearing (4) · Vision (4) · Multi-sensory (3) · Physical (2)
Questions about The Orchard School
How do I get a place at The Orchard 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 Orchard School. As an independent school not approved under Section 41, it has to offer a place and the council has to agree to name it.
What ages does The Orchard School take?
Aged 11 to 18, boys and girls.
What is The Orchard School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is The Orchard School?
Orchard School, C/O Metropolitan House, Potters Bar, EN6 1AG, in Somerset.
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.