Lancasterian School

Lancasterian School has effectively maintained the high standards established in its previous inspection and provides an enriching and supportive environment for its pupils. The school excels in offering a nurturing atmosphere where students, all of whom have complex special educational needs and/or disabilities, feel valued and engaged in their learning. They achieve well from their varied starting points and participate in numerous activities that promote personal development, social skills, and emotional health. With strong relationships between staff and pupils, the school aims to prepare pupils for their futures, ensuring they have ample opportunities for work experience and personal growth. This inspection marks the first ungraded review since the school was last determined to be good in 2019, reflecting its ongoing commitment to quality education.

Strengths

• Nurturing and stimulating environment for pupils
• High expectations leading to good pupil achievement
• Strong staff-pupil relationships fostering a caring atmosphere
• Proactive identification of students' needs and tailored support
• Effective collaborations with health and therapy professionals
• Rich opportunities for personal development and extracurricular activities
• Improved attendance rates through supportive strategies

Areas for Improvement

• Some subjects have newly refined curriculums that are not fully embedded
• Gaps in pupils' prior learning affect new content acquisition
• Inconsistent assessment strategies in a few subjects hinder knowledge retention

In 2024–25 pupils at Lancasterian School attended 84.2% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 47.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Lancasterian School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Lancasterian School had 8.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 18.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26 Lancasterian School had 196 pupils, 99.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: moderate learning difficulty; severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; hearing impairment; vision impairment; multi-sensory impairment; autistic spectrum disorder.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Lancasterian School received £27,906 and spent £27,805 for each of its 196 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £242,000 (£1,235 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Manchester · Manchester local authority: places and applications

What is Lancasterian School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Lancasterian School is Good, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was Lancasterian School last inspected by Ofsted?

Lancasterian School was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does Lancasterian School have?

Lancasterian School has 196 pupils on roll.

What age range does Lancasterian School cover?

Lancasterian School for pupils aged 3 to 16.

What are Lancasterian School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Lancasterian School?

Lancasterian School is at Elizabeth Slinger Road, West Didsbury, Manchester, M20 2XA.