John Watson School is a special academy in Oxford, Oxfordshire, for children and young people aged 2 to 19. It supports dyslexia and SpLD, speech and language, autism and 4 other needs.
- Ages 2–19
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 2 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Headteacher
- Mr Chris Slatter (Headteacher)
- Part of
- The Propeller Academy Trust
- Opened
- 1 April 2026
- Council
- Oxfordshire
- School reference (URN)
- 152382
Needs it supports
8 needs: dyslexia and SpLD, speech and language and 6 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in Oxfordshire (19)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Oxfordshire (13)
Cognition and learning
- Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) Other schools for this in Oxfordshire (5)
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in Oxfordshire (8)
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Oxfordshire (9)
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties Other schools for this in Oxfordshire (9)
Sensory and physical
- Physical disability Other schools for this in Oxfordshire (6)
It also lists other needs. Ask the school what these are.
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 Good, last graded October 2022
Rated Good.
Contact and getting there
Littleworth Road, Wheatley, Oxford, OX33 1NN
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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
- Endeavour Academy, Oxford Special school · Ages 8–19 · Ofsted: Good 2.2 miles
- Chilworth House Upper School Independent · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 2.7 miles
- Chilworth House School Independent · Ages 5–12 · Ofsted: Outstanding 2.7 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 John Watson School
How do I get a place at John Watson 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 John Watson School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does John Watson School support?
Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), speech, language and communication, autism, 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 John Watson School take?
Aged 2 to 19, boys and girls.
What is John Watson School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in October 2022 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 John Watson School?
Littleworth Road, Wheatley, Oxford, OX33 1NN, 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.