Minerva May School is an independent special school in Horley, Surrey, for children and young people aged 11 to 17.
- Ages 11–17
- 29 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Independent special school
- Ages
- 11 to 17
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 29 (places for 34)
- Headteacher
- Mr Melvin George
- Opened
- 8 April 2025
- Council
- Surrey
- School reference (URN)
- 151489
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 Surrey 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
Report card, May 2026: Strong standard in 3 of 6 areas
Inspected in May 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionStrong standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- SafeguardingMet
Independent school standards: all standards met.
Contact and getting there
Dovenby Hall, Balcombe Road, Horley, RH6 9UU
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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
- Oakwood School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.4 miles
- Emerald Place Clinic School (EPCS) Independent · Ages 12–18 · Ofsted: Outstanding 1.7 miles
- Aurora Redehall School Independent · Ages 6–19 · Ofsted: Good 2.2 miles
By need in Surrey: Autism (37) · Speech and language (29) · Moderate learning (18) · Severe learning (9) · Hearing (6) · Physical (6) · SEMH (5) · PMLD (5) · Vision (5) · Dyslexia and SpLD (4)
Questions about Minerva May School
How do I get a place at Minerva May 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 Minerva May 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 Minerva May School take?
Aged 11 to 17, boys and girls.
What is Minerva May School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Minerva May School?
Dovenby Hall, Balcombe Road, Horley, RH6 9UU, in Surrey.
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.