Watermill School is a special academy in Stoke-on-Trent for children and young people aged 2 to 16. It supports vision, hearing, speech and language and 6 other needs.
- Ages 2–16
- 254 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 2 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 254 (places for 140)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Jennifer Lomas (Headteacher)
- Part of
- Orchard Community Trust
- Opened
- 1 July 2019
- Free school meals
- 51.6% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Stoke-on-Trent
- School reference (URN)
- 146503
Needs it supports
9 needs: vision, hearing 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 Stoke-on-Trent (12)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Stoke-on-Trent (11)
Cognition and learning
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in Stoke-on-Trent (7)
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Stoke-on-Trent (2)
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties Other schools for this in Stoke-on-Trent (1)
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Stoke-on-Trent (5)
Sensory and physical
- Hearing impairment Other schools for this in Stoke-on-Trent (3)
- Visual impairment Other schools for this in Stoke-on-Trent (2)
- Physical disability Other schools for this in Stoke-on-Trent (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 Stoke-on-Trent 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 Good, May 2013; school remains Good (November 2023)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in May 2013. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, November 2023).
Contact and getting there
Turnhurst Road, Chell, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 6JZ
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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
- The Oaks Independent · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.0 mile
- Ball Green Primary Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.2 miles
- The Nest Independent · Ages 7–17 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.3 miles
All SEND schools in Stoke-on-Trent
By need in Stoke-on-Trent: Autism (13) · Speech and language (12) · Moderate learning (8) · SEMH (6) · Dyslexia and SpLD (5) · Hearing (4) · Severe learning (3) · Vision (3) · Physical (3) · PMLD (2)
Questions about Watermill School
How do I get a place at Watermill 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 Watermill School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Watermill School support?
Visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication, autism, social, emotional and mental health, 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 Watermill School take?
Aged 2 to 16, boys and girls.
What is Watermill School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good 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 Watermill School?
Turnhurst Road, Chell, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 6JZ, in Stoke-on-Trent.
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.