Brookfields School

Brookfields School is a special academy for pupils aged 4–11 in the Shaw Education Trust, and all pupils have EHC plans. Inspectors found it performing at an exceptional level: every key judgement—quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years—was outstanding. This was its first section 5 graded inspection; under the current framework no overall effectiveness grade is given. Leaders, the trust and the academy council share an ambitious vision, and staff are well supported and expertly trained. The curriculum is meticulously planned and sequenced from early years to Year 6, with a strong focus on communication, reading and life skills. Staff tailor teaching to pupils’ individual SEND needs, and pupils achieve impressively from their starting points. Behaviour is commendable, relationships are exceptional, and pupils’ wider development is prioritised through visits, clubs, theatre work and mental health support. Safeguarding is effective. The main area the school continues to address is attendance: most pupils attend regularly, but a small minority do not attend as often as leaders would like. The school is working relentlessly with families and this is proving effective, with attendance improving for those pupils.

Strengths

• Exceptional leadership across the school, trust and academy council
• Meticulously constructed, well-sequenced curriculum from early years to Year 6
• Expert teaching tailored to pupils’ individual SEND needs
• Strong focus on communication and reading, with impressive progress
• Commendable pupil behaviour and exceptional staff-pupil relationships
• Rich personal development, including life skills, clubs and community experiences
• Highly effective early years provision
• Strong staff development and attention to workload and wellbeing
• Effective safeguarding arrangements

Areas for Improvement

• A small minority of pupils do not attend as regularly as leaders would like, although the school’s work with families is improving this

In 2024–25 pupils at Brookfields School attended 93.0% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 20.2% 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 Brookfields 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 Brookfields School had 8.8 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 Brookfields School had 141 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: severe learning difficulty; social, emotional and mental health; speech, language and communication needs; 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 2024–25 Brookfields School received £28,678 and spent £26,780 for each of its 131 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £617,000 (£4,712 per pupil).

Across all 30 schools of The Shaw Education Trust, income was £11,108 and spending £10,954 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Widnes · Halton local authority: places and applications

Brookfields School is part of The Shaw Education Trust, which runs 30 schools. The nearest others:

• Hallwood Park Primary School and Nursery Runcorn
• The Russett School Northwich
• The Westleigh School Leigh
• Brookhaven School Bury
• Unsworth Academy Bury
• Tottington High School Bury
• Woodhey High School Bury
• Kidsgrove Secondary School Stoke-On-Trent
• Kidsgrove Primary School Stoke-On-Trent
• The Meadows Primary School Crewe

What is Brookfields School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Brookfields School is Outstanding, from an inspection in October 2024.

When was Brookfields School last inspected by Ofsted?

Brookfields School was last inspected in October 2024.

How many pupils does Brookfields School have?

Brookfields School has 141 pupils on roll.

What age range does Brookfields School cover?

Brookfields School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

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

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

Where is Brookfields School?

Brookfields School is at Moorfield Road, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 3JA.