Orion Academy is a special academy in Oxford, Oxfordshire, for children and young people aged 10 to 18. It supports autism and SEMH.
- Ages 10–18
- 74 pupils
- Ofsted: Requires improvement
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 10 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 74 (places for 94)
- Headteacher
- Headteacher Julia Hyde
- Part of
- The Gallery Trust
- Opened
- 1 February 2020
- Free school meals
- 65.3% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Oxfordshire
- School reference (URN)
- 147728
Needs it supports
2 needs: autism, SEMH
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Oxfordshire (9)
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 Oxfordshire 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 Requires improvement, June 2024
Rated Requires improvement at its last graded inspection, in June 2024.
- Quality of educationRequires improvement
- Behaviour and attitudesRequires improvement
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementRequires improvement
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Knights Road, Blackbird Leys, Oxford, OX4 6DQ
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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
- Mabel Prichard School Special school · Ages 2–19 0.5 miles
- Oxfordshire Hospital School Special school · Ages 5–18 · Ofsted: Outstanding 0.5 miles
- The Iffley Academy Special school · Ages 5–18 · Ofsted: Outstanding 1.5 miles
All SEND schools in Oxfordshire
By need in Oxfordshire: Autism (20) · Speech and language (14) · SEMH (10) · Severe learning (10) · PMLD (10) · Moderate learning (9) · Hearing (7) · Physical (7) · Dyslexia and SpLD (6) · Vision (5) · Multi-sensory (4)
Questions about Orion Academy
How do I get a place at Orion Academy?
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 Orion Academy. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Orion Academy support?
Autism and social, emotional and mental health. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Orion Academy take?
Aged 10 to 18, boys and girls.
What is Orion Academy’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Requires improvement by Ofsted in June 2024 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 Orion Academy?
Knights Road, Blackbird Leys, Oxford, OX4 6DQ, in Oxfordshire.
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.