School Chooser

Schools with multi-sensory impairment provision in Dorset

Pupils with both hearing and visual impairment. Dorset has 3 mainstream schools with a unit or resourced provision for multi-sensory impairment and 1 special school that caters for it.

Mainstream schools with a unit or resourced provision (3)

Pupils have a specialist base and staff inside an ordinary school. Places are separate from the school's main admissions and normally need an EHC plan.

SchoolProvisionAgesTownPlacesOfstedScore
West Moors Middle SchoolMiddle school · also autism, moderate learning difficulties, other needs and moreResourced provision9-13Ferndown10Report card 202649
Budmouth Academy WeymouthSecondary school · also autism, hearing impairment, moderate learning difficulties and moreSEN unit and resourced provision11-18Weymouth266Requires improvement 202411
The Thomas Hardye SchoolSecondary school · also autism, hearing impairment, moderate learning difficulties and moreSEN unit and resourced provision13-18Dorchester20No overall grade 202560

Special schools (1)

Special schools take pupils with an education, health and care plan; the council names the school in the plan. Many cater for several needs.

SchoolProvisionAgesTownPlacesOfstedScore
Yewstock SchoolSpecial school · also autism, moderate learning difficulties, physical disability, profound and multiple learning difficulties and moreSpecial school2-19Sturminster Newton167 pupilsOutstanding 2023–
Other councilsAll schools in Dorset

Other needs

AutismSpeech, language and communicationSocial, emotional and mental healthModerate learning difficultiesSevere learning difficultiesProfound and multiple learning difficultiesHearing impairmentVisual impairmentPhysical disabilitySpecific learning difficultiesOther needs

How to read this

The list comes from the Department for Education's register of schools (Get Information about Schools), which records the type of SEN provision each school has and how many pupils are in a resourced provision or SEN unit. Resourced provision means extra staff and funding for a group of pupils who spend most of their time in ordinary classes. A SEN unit is a separate class within the school. Both need a place agreed by the council through an education, health and care plan; ask the council's SEND team, not the school's admissions office. The register is only as good as what schools report, so check with the school before relying on it.