Guidance

Residential special schools: national minimum standards

Guidance for special schools providing residential accommodation for any child.

• From: Department for Education
• Published: 1 November 2012
• Last updated: 6 August 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 6 August 2026

     Updated 'National minimum standards for residential special schools' to include standard 23 that was unintentionally omitted in the last update. There is no change to policy.

  2. 18 May 2026

     Updated 'National minimum standards for residential special schools', details in document history.

  3. 5 September 2022

     Removed 'National minimum standards for residential special schools: in force until 5 September 2022' and replaced with current 'National minimum standards for residential special schools'.

  4. 23 August 2022

     Updated 'National minimum standards for residential special schools: in force from 5 September 2022' document – para 12.2 and footnote 21 – to ensure employers are following guidance from relevant professional organisations.

  5. 20 May 2022

     Added 'National Minimum Standards for residential special schools: in force from 5 September 2022'.

  6. 24 March 2015

     Updated document as a result of Ofsted inspections against the standards, and revisions to the independent school standards.

  7. 1 November 2012

     First published.

Applies to England

Documents

National minimum standards for residential special schools

PDF, 575 KB, 46 pages

Details

Guidance for:

• school leaders
• school staff

It applies to:

• state-funded special schools
• independent residential special schools

It contains a statement of national minimum standards.

Special schools support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

The boarding schools national minimum standards apply to all other schools that provide accommodation for children.