Balance Alternative Provision is an independent special school in Knottingley, Wakefield, for children and young people aged 11 to 16.
- Ages 11–16
- 32 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Independent special school
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 32 (places for 24)
- Headteacher
- Andrew Dean
- Opened
- 27 February 2024
- Council
- Wakefield
- School reference (URN)
- 150171
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 Wakefield 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, March 2025
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in March 2025.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Independent school standards: all standards met.
Contact and getting there
The White Building, Lock Hill, Ferrybridge, Knottingley, WF11 8NE
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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
- Airedale Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Requires improvement 1.8 miles
- Oyster Park Primary Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 2.0 miles
- High Well School Special school · Ages 9–16 · Ofsted: Good 2.2 miles
By need in Wakefield: Speech and language (13) · Autism (11) · Severe learning (5) · SEMH (3) · Moderate learning (3) · PMLD (2) · Hearing (2)
Questions about Balance Alternative Provision
How do I get a place at Balance Alternative Provision?
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 Balance Alternative Provision. 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 Balance Alternative Provision take?
Aged 11 to 16, boys and girls.
What is Balance Alternative Provision’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Balance Alternative Provision?
The White Building, Lock Hill, Ferrybridge, Knottingley, WF11 8NE, in Wakefield.
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.