Poplar Adolescent Unit
Rochford Community Hospital, Union Lane, Rochford, SS4 1RBOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Poplar Adolescent Unit is an alternative provision school in Rochford for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the 604 schools in Essex. Its latest Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, graded each key judgement and gave no overall Ofsted rating.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 24 June 2025, report published 15 July 2025
This inspection graded each key judgement and gave no overall effectiveness grade.
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Outstanding
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Sixth form provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 24 June 2025
This is a school where kindness shapes daily life. Pupils learn in a homely setting where they feel safe and valued. Even with the challenges they face, pupils find reasons to smile again. They enjoy calm, sociable moments. They chat over a cup of tea, play cards with friends and win or lose at board games with good grace. Each week, they also look forward to playing 'The One', a school-devised game at the local badminton court. It brings fun, connection and a shared sense of joy. Warm, trusting relationships are at the heart of this school's community. When pupils struggle with their feelings, staff respond with calm confidence. They speak gently and offer steady reassurance. Staff know each pupil well. They spot even small signs of distress and help pupils return to a calm, safe place. The school has high expectations for every pupil. It acts quickly to establish the right pathway for each one. As a new exam centre, it offers the opportunity for pupils to earn relevant qualifications. This helps pupils as they return to their home school or college, or move to a new one. Pupils engage well in their education. They make positive strides towards fulfilling their potential during their time here.
What the school should improve
- Staff do not always adapt their teaching or change their explanations when pupils make repeated errors or have misconceptions. This means that some gaps in knowledge are not filled quickly enough, and chances to stretch pupils' thinking are missed. The school should ensure that teachers adapt their lessons and explanations effectively, so all pupils receive the right support and challenge to help them learn more and remember more.
- Although the school monitors pupils' reading skills, this information is not yet used consistently to guide a clear, responsive reading programme. Also, some pupils do not enjoy reading, which limits their access to the wider benefits reading brings for learning, well-being and future success. The school should strengthen its reading programme to support reading progress and foster a lasting love of reading.
Pupil numbers and mix
0 pupils on roll, with places for 16
Schools near Poplar Adolescent Unit
| School | Distance | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|
| Victory Park Academy | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good |
| Southend YMCA Community School | 2 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding |
| Children's Support Service | 8 miles | Ofsted: Good |
| Mid Essex Co-Operative Academy | 11 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good |
| Will Adams Academy | 15 miles | Ofsted: Good |
School details
- School type
- Pupil referral unit
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Headteacher
- Miss Charlotte Baulch
- Phone
- 01702538138
- Address
- Rochford Community Hospital, Union Lane, Rochford, SS4 1RB
- Local authority
- Essex
- URN
- 135778
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.