Chesnut Lodge Special School
Chesnut Lodge Special School is a community special school in Widnes for pupils aged 2 to 16. It has 85 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Chesnut Lodge Special School is Good, from an inspection in June 2023.
Ofsted inspection: June 2023.
| Type | Special School / Community special school |
| Age Range | 2-16 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Green Lane Ditton Widnes Cheshire WA8 7HF |
| Phone | 01514240679 |
| Reference Number | 111514 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 85 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 57.65%
Girls: 42.35% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 63.5% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 3.5% |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Unknown | 5 |
| 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 3 | 5 | 6 | 11 |
| 4 | 6 | 5 | 11 |
| 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 6 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| 7 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
| 8 | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| 9 | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| 10 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 11 | 9 | 2 | 11 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 90.6% |
| Mixed, Other | 3.5% |
| White, Other | 1.2% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 1.2% |
| White & Asian | 1.2% |
| Caribbean | 1.2% |
| Asian, Other | 1.2% |
Chesnut Lodge Special School continues to perform well, maintaining its status as a good school since its last inspection. The pupils demonstrate a strong sense of happiness and safety, benefiting from a nurturing environment that values each individual's needs. The curricular offerings are broad and aligned with pupils' requirements, leading many to exceed their academic targets, while staff effectively employ diverse teaching strategies to meet the varying abilities within the student body.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Last Report Date | 19 Apr 2023 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 19 Apr 2023 | School inspection |
| 18 Jul 2017 | Short inspection |
| 20 Nov 2013 | Full inspection: |
| 22 Sep 2010 | Full inspection: |
| 28 Jan 2008 | Full inspection: |
| 07 Feb 2005 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Pupils are happy and feel safe at school.
- The school promotes a caring and welcoming atmosphere.
- Teachers use creative resources for multi-sensory learning.
- Pupils' communication skills are effectively supported.
- Strong emphasis on safeguarding and well-being for all pupils.
- Pupils influence school improvements and their aspirations are raised.
- Staff are well-supported and foster a positive community.
Areas for Improvement
- Governors rely too heavily on local authority for updating statutory policies.
Destinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > Further Education | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > School Sixth Form | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > Sixth Form College | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > Other Education | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Apprenticeships | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Employment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Not in education or employment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Unknown | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
In 2024–25 pupils at Chesnut Lodge Special School attended 83.8% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 36.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 10.4% | 11.1% | 10.7% | 9.1% | 8.3% | 8.6% | 21.9% | 9.1% | 10.7% | 11.8% | 9.8% |
| Unauthorised absence | 0.6% | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.2% | 2.0% | 3.6% | 3.1% | 7.3% | 7.0% | 6.8% | 6.5% |
| Severely absent pupils | 3.7% | 7.7% | 5.5% | 3.6% | 3.4% | 6.7% | 11.8% | 9.9% | 9.2% | 9.8% | 8.5% |
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, 1.2% of pupils at Chesnut Lodge Special School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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 Chesnut Lodge Special School had 7.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.1% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 2.0 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.9 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 5.0% | 0.0% | 22.0% | 17.4% | 27.5% | 9.1% | 4.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 21.4% | 15.4% | 8.3% | 31.7% | 14.1% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 75.0% | 66.7% | 64.3% | 69.2% | 35.7% | 50.0% | 66.7% | 75.0% | 64.3% | – | 66.7% | 61.5% | 100.0% | 73.3% | 46.2% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 6.5 | 10.9 | 4.6 | 12.0 | 9.8 | 2.6 | 5.3 | 5.5 | 2.9 | – | 7.8 | 8.2 | 11.3 | 14.7 | 4.0 | – |
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 Chesnut Lodge Special School had 85 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).
It says it provides for: profound and multiple learning difficulty; physical disability.
Pupils by main type of need
| EHC plan | |
|---|---|
| Profound and multiple learning difficulty | 20 |
| Severe learning difficulty | 17 |
| Physical disability | 11 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 10 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 8 |
| Speech, language and communication needs | 8 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 4 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 3 |
| Down's syndrome | 1 |
| Multi-sensory impairment | 1 |
| Other difficulty or disability | 1 |
| Vision impairment | 1 |
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 Chesnut Lodge Special School received £32,203 and spent £33,434 for each of its 85 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £254,000 (£2,984 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £204,000 | £243,000 | £207,000 | £313,000 | £367,000 | £416,000 | £358,000 | £254,000 |
| per pupil | £2,725 | £2,925 | £2,437 | £3,685 | £4,121 | £4,777 | £4,166 | £2,984 |
| In-year balance | £8,000 | £38,000 | -£36,000 | £106,000 | £54,000 | £49,000 | -£57,000 | -£105,000 |
| per pupil | £100 | £462 | -£419 | £1,248 | £602 | £561 | -£667 | -£1,231 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).
| Name | Distance |
|
Ditton Primary School
Liverpool Road, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 7HD |
0.1 miles |
|
Aspiring Foundations Federated Nursery Schools - Ditton Nursery School
Dundalk Road, Widnes, WA8 8DF |
0.11 miles |
|
St Michaels Catholic Primary & Nursery School
St Michael's Road, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 8TD |
0.8 miles |
|
St Bede's Catholic Junior School
Appleton Village, St Bede's Junior School, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 6EL |
0.81 miles |
|
Kingsway Primary Academy School
Kingsway, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 7QS |
0.81 miles |
|
St Bede's Catholic Infant School
Leigh Avenue, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 6EL |
0.83 miles |
|
Birchfield Nursery School
Victoria Avenue, widnes, WA8 7TH |
0.87 miles |
|
Oakfield Community Primary School
Edinburgh Road, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 8BQ |
0.96 miles |
|
All Saints Upton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Hough Green Road, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 4PG |
1.02 miles |
|
St Gerard's Catholic Primary and Nursery School
Lugsdale Road, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 6DD |
1.1 miles |
|
Fairfield Primary School
Peelhouse Lane, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 6TH |
1.11 miles |
|
St Basil's Catholic Primary School
Hough Green Road, Hough Green, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 4SZ |
1.18 miles |
|
St Michael with St Thomas CE Primary School
Spinney Avenue, Hough Green, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 8LD |
1.2 miles |
|
Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Catholic Primary School
Clincton View, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 8JN |
1.22 miles |
|
Farnworth Church of England Controlled Primary School
Pit Lane, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 9HS |
1.34 miles |
|
Holy Family Catholic Primary School & Nursery
Hall Lane, Cronton, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 5DW |
1.5 miles |
|
Lunts Heath Primary School
Wedgewood Drive, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 9RJ |
1.52 miles |
|
Widnes Academy
Cholmondeley Street, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 0EL |
1.53 miles |
|
Cronton Church of England Primary Academy
Smithy Lane, Cronton, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 5DF |
1.55 miles |
|
Aspiring Foundations Federated Nursery Schools - Warrington Road Nursery School
Naylor Road, Widnes, WA8 0BS |
1.56 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Ashley High School
Cawfield Avenue, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 7HG |
0.08 miles |
|
Ormiston Chadwick Academy
Liverpool Road, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 7HU |
0.37 miles |
|
Saints Peter and Paul Catholic High School
Highfield Road, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 7DW |
0.52 miles |
|
Wade Deacon High School
Birchfield Road, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 7TD |
0.78 miles |
|
Riverside College Halton
Kingsway, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 7QQ |
0.79 miles |
|
Poppy Field School
18 Lugsdale Road, Widnes, WA8 6DH |
1.05 miles |
|
The Raise Academy
Naylor Road, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 0BS |
1.63 miles |
|
Weston Point College
Picow Farm Road, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 4UN |
2.41 miles |
|
Tower College
Mill Lane, Prescot, L35 6NE |
2.59 miles |
|
The Grange School
Latham Avenue, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 5DX |
2.85 miles |
|
Rainhill High School
Warrington Road, Rainhill, Prescot, Merseyside, L35 6NY |
2.88 miles |
|
Finch Woods Academy
Bailey's Lane, Halewood, Liverpool, Merseyside, L26 0TY |
2.93 miles |
|
The Heath School
Clifton Road, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 4SY |
3.26 miles |
|
Rivacre Brook
Westways, Hooton Park Lane, Hooton, Ellesmere Port, CH65 1AN |
3.36 miles |
|
Ash Meadow School
Jubits Lane, St Helens, WA9 4RT |
3.43 miles |
|
Blessed Carlo Acutis Catholic and Church of England Academy
Grangeway, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 5YH |
3.45 miles |
|
Hope Corner School
70 Clifton Road, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 4TD |
3.47 miles |
|
Saint Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic Academy
Cumber Lane, Whiston, Prescot, Merseyside, L35 2XG |
3.5 miles |
|
Halewood Academy
The Avenue, Wood Road, Halewood, Knowsley, Merseyside, L26 1UU |
3.63 miles |
|
The Cavendish High Academy
Lincoln Close, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 4YX |
3.72 miles |
All schools in Widnes · Halton local authority: places and applications
What is Chesnut Lodge Special School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for Chesnut Lodge Special School is Good, from an inspection in June 2023.
When was Chesnut Lodge Special School last inspected by Ofsted?
Chesnut Lodge Special School was last inspected in June 2023.
How many pupils does Chesnut Lodge Special School have?
Chesnut Lodge Special School has 85 pupils on roll.
What age range does Chesnut Lodge Special School cover?
Chesnut Lodge Special School for pupils aged 2 to 16.
Where is Chesnut Lodge Special School?
Chesnut Lodge Special School is at Green Lane, Ditton, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 7HF.