Moorbrook School

Moorbrook School is a community special school for 76 pupils aged 11 to 16, all of whom have education, health and care plans and special educational needs and/or disabilities, including social, emotional and mental health needs. Inspectors found a welcoming, caring school where pupils are happy, settle quickly and are well supported to develop confidence and positive attitudes to learning. The school has high aspirations, and most pupils achieve well and gain qualifications that prepare them for further study or work. The quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management are all good, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. This was a graded inspection, so no overall effectiveness grade is given. The curriculum has improved since the previous inspection, with key knowledge and subject-specific skills identified. Reading support is strong, and pupils with SEND are accurately identified and given specialist support. Attendance support, personal development, careers education and outdoor learning are notable strengths, and staff feel well supported by leaders and governors. There are still areas to improve. In a small number of subjects the curriculum is relatively new, and teachers are less adept at checking pupils' prior learning before introducing new content, so some activities do not match pupils' needs as well as they could. In a small number of subjects, leaders do not evaluate curriculum delivery effectively enough, meaning some weaknesses are not identified and addressed promptly.

Strengths

• Welcoming school where pupils are happy and settle quickly
• High aspirations support most pupils to achieve well
• Strong support for pupils' social, emotional and mental health needs
• Pupils develop positive attitudes to learning and manage their emotions well
• Curriculum has improved since the last inspection, with key knowledge identified
• Effective reading support helps pupils become confident and fluent readers
• Accurate identification of SEND and specialist support help pupils learn successfully
• High expectations and effective family support help improve attendance
• Personal development prepares pupils well for adulthood, including careers and outdoor learning
• Staff feel supported, and governors provide effective support and challenge
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Areas for Improvement

• In a small number of subjects, staff do not consistently check pupils' prior knowledge before introducing new learning
• Some activities do not match pupils' needs because prior learning is not checked well enough
• Curriculum evaluation is not consistently effective in a small number of subjects
• Some curriculum weaknesses are not identified and addressed promptly

In 2024–25 pupils at Moorbrook School attended 63.1% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 73.4% 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, 30.6% of pupils at Moorbrook School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). One pupil was 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 Moorbrook School had 5.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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 Moorbrook School had 84 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: social, emotional and mental health; other difficulty or disability.

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 Moorbrook School received £36,929 and spent £36,886 for each of its 84 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £76,000 (£900 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

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What is Moorbrook School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Moorbrook School is Good, from an inspection in March 2025.

When was Moorbrook School last inspected by Ofsted?

Moorbrook School was last inspected in March 2025.

How many pupils does Moorbrook School have?

Moorbrook School has 84 pupils on roll.

What age range does Moorbrook School cover?

Moorbrook School for pupils aged 11 to 16.

Where is Moorbrook School?

Moorbrook School is at Ainslie Road, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 3DB.