Hospital and Outreach Education

  • Alternative provision
  • Academy
  • Ages 3 to 18
Ofsted: Good

Delapre Learning Centre, Alton St, Off Main Rd, Far Cotton, Northampton, NN4 8ENOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Hospital and Outreach Education is an alternative provision school in Northampton for ages 3 to 18. It is one of the 204 schools in West Northamptonshire. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in September 2023.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 13 September 2023, report published 15 October 2023

Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 September 2023

The school's values of hope, resilience, trust, compassion, cooperation, respect and honesty underpin all the work at Hospital and Outreach Education. Depending on their medical needs, pupils may be at the school for short or long periods of time. When pupils are in school, they enjoy being there and are keen to learn. Pupils know that the staff really care. One pupil said: 'I am no longer invisible; I can be me.' The school takes care to understand each pupil's personality, interests, talents and future goals. Pupils say there is no bullying. There are many adults to help support pupils with their learning and their everyday lives. This care and help are a real strength and, as a result, pupils feel safe. The school has high expectations of pupils. Clear routines are in place and behaviour at the school is exemplary. Relationships between pupils and staff are warm and trusting. Communication between school and hospital staff is strong. Parents and carers have positive views about the school. A parent of a pupil said: 'They have all made some tough times a whole lot easier to manage. Without the school, our child would not have been able to achieve what they have.'

What the school should improve

  • While there is swift liaison with home schools so that leaders understand the learning pathways of pupils, the targets from pupils' EHC plans are not always precisely reflected in pupils' learning plans. This means that pupils may not always be getting the precise support they need. Leaders need to refine the individual learning plans for pupils so that they meet the bespoke needs of all pupils, across all sites within the provision, including precise targets from EHC plans.
  • Pupils enjoy reading texts in lessons and the youngest pupils in the general hospital education receive bedside phonics lessons using their home school resources and programmes. However, the provision for phonics teaching and/or catch-up reading tuition is at an early stage of development for older pupils. Leaders need to ensure that they further develop phonics, and that staff are adequately trained in its delivery.

Pupil numbers and mix

7 pupils on roll, with places for 150

Eligible for free school meals0%

0%, 26.5 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language0%

0%, 21.6 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support42.9%

42.9%, 28.1 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan57.1%

57.1%, 51.1 percentage points above the England average of 6%.

Schools near Hospital and Outreach Education

SchoolDistanceOfsted
New Horizons Academy1 mileOfsted: Inadequate
The CE Academy1 mileOfsted judgements: Good
Greys Education Centre19 milesOfsted: Good
Coventry Alternative Provision Academy26 milesOfsted: Requires improvement
The Academy of Central Bedfordshire28 milesOfsted: Good

School details

School type
Academy alternative provision converter
Sector
Academy
Trust
THE SKYLARK TRUST
Age range
3 to 18
Gender
Mixed
Headteacher
Mr James Shryane
Address
Delapre Learning Centre, Alton St, Off Main Rd, Far Cotton, Northampton, NN4 8EN
Local authority
West Northamptonshire
URN
144685

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.