Firwood High School
Firwood High School is an academy special converter in Bolton for pupils aged 11 to 19. It has 261 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Firwood High School is Good, from an inspection in January 2018 of its predecessor, Firwood High School.
Ofsted inspection: May 2023.
| Type | Special School / Academy special converter |
| Age Range | 11-19 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Stitch-MI Lane Bolton Lancashire BL2 4HU |
| Phone | 01204333044 |
| Reference Number | 146410 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 261 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 63.6%
Girls: 36.4% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 55.6% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 31% |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 32 | 18 | 50 |
| 8 | 25 | 9 | 34 |
| 9 | 22 | 11 | 33 |
| 10 | 18 | 14 | 32 |
| 11 | 20 | 12 | 32 |
| 12 | 24 | 9 | 33 |
| 13 | 19 | 12 | 31 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 48.3% |
| Pakistani | 18.4% |
| Indian | 6.9% |
| African | 6.9% |
| Asian, Other | 3.1% |
| White, Other | 2.3% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.5% |
| Mixed, Other | 1.1% |
| Caribbean | 1.1% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 0.8% |
| Chinese | 0.8% |
| White & Asian | 0.8% |
| Unclassified | 0.8% |
| Irish | 0.4% |
This school has not been graded since it changed URN, usually on converting to an academy. The rating shown is from its predecessor, Firwood High School, inspected in January 2018.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Last Report Date | 07 Mar 2023 – no overall grade published for this inspection |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 07 Mar 2023 | School inspection |
| 11 Oct 2018 | Academy conversion letter |
| 30 Jan 2018 | Short inspection |
| Previously as Firwood High School | |
| 28 Nov 2012 | Full inspection: |
| 19 Apr 2010 | Full inspection: |
| 11 Jul 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 08 Dec 2003 | Full inspection |
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 Firwood High School attended 86.1% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 37.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 12.6% | 18.2% | 14.9% | 11.7% | 13.1% | 12.5% |
| Unauthorised absence | 0.7% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 1.3% | 1.5% |
| Severely absent pupils | 7.2% | 5.9% | 9.2% | 3.6% | 7.1% | 11.2% |
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, 3.5% of pupils at Firwood High School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). One pupil was permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 3.0 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 6.5 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
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 Firwood High School had 6.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 25.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.9 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 4.1% | 9.0% | 9.7% | 12.6% | 5.9% | 13.4% | 23.9% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 72.7% | – | 52.4% | 81.5% | 75.9% | 51.4% | 67.6% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 6.3 | – | 5.6 | 5.9 | 8.6 | 3.1 | 13.6 | – |
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 Firwood High School had 261 pupils, 99.2% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).
It says it provides for: severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; autistic spectrum disorder.
Pupils by main type of need
| EHC plan | |
|---|---|
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 104 |
| Severe learning difficulty | 76 |
| Profound and multiple learning difficulty | 50 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 7 |
| Speech, language and communication needs | 7 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 5 |
| Physical disability | 4 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 3 |
| Vision impairment | 2 |
| Other difficulty or disability | 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 2024–25 Firwood High School received £33,351 and spent £32,713 for each of its 230 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £991,000 (£4,307 per pupil).
Across all 2 schools of Woodbridge Trust, income was £34,122 and spending £32,596 per pupil.
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £254,000 | £471,000 | £689,000 | £1,034,000 | £1,144,000 | £991,000 |
| per pupil | £1,671 | £2,872 | £3,682 | £5,196 | £5,397 | £4,307 |
| In-year balance | £311,000 | £228,000 | £272,000 | £322,000 | £68,000 | £147,000 |
| per pupil | £2,043 | £1,388 | £1,455 | £1,616 | £322 | £638 |
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.
| Name | Distance |
|
Harwood Meadows Primary School
Orchard Gardens, Harwood, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 3PS |
0.26 miles |
|
Red Lane Primary School
Red Lane, Breightmet, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 5HP |
0.45 miles |
|
Hardy Mill Primary School
Hardy Mill Road, Harwood, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 4EF |
0.51 miles |
|
St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton
Brookfold Lane, Harwood, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 4DZ |
0.72 miles |
|
Leverhulme Community Primary School
Breightmet Drive, Breightmet, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 6EE |
0.99 miles |
|
Christ Church Ainsworth Church of England Primary School
Tommy Lane, Ainsworth, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 5SQ |
1.1 miles |
|
Tonge Moor Primary Academy
Brierwood, Bolton, BL2 2PF |
1.1 miles |
|
Moorgate Primary School
Entwistle Street, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 2RH |
1.11 miles |
|
St Maxentius CofE Primary School
New Heys Way, Bradshaw, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 4AE |
1.12 miles |
|
St Columba's RC Primary School
Ripley Street, Tonge Moor, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 3AR |
1.13 miles |
|
Castle Hill Primary School
Castle Hill Street, Tonge Moor, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 2JT |
1.13 miles |
|
SS Osmund and Andrew's R.C. Primary School
Falkirk Drive, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 6NW |
1.25 miles |
|
Blackshaw Primary School
Bideford Drive, Breightmet, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 6TE |
1.37 miles |
|
St Stephen and All Martyrs' CofE School, Lever Bridge
Radcliffe Road, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 1NZ |
1.69 miles |
|
Bolton Parish Church, Church of England Primary School
Chadwick Street, Bolton, BL2 1JN |
1.7 miles |
|
Sharples Primary School
Hugh Lupus Street, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1 8RU |
1.73 miles |
|
The Valley Community Primary School
Hibbert Street, Off Blackburn Road, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 8JG |
1.78 miles |
|
Lowercroft Primary School
Ashington Drive, Bury, Lancashire, BL8 2TS |
1.87 miles |
|
St Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley Bridge
Newnham Street, Astley Bridge, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 8QA |
1.89 miles |
|
The Oaks Primary School
Sharples Hall Drive, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 7HS |
2 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Bolton St Catherine's Academy
Stitch MI Lane, Bolton, BL2 4HU |
0.13 miles |
|
Breightmet School
Milnthorpe Road, Breightmet, Bolton, BL2 6PD |
0.81 miles |
|
Canon Slade School
Bradshaw Brow, Bradshaw, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 3BP |
1.12 miles |
|
Birtenshaw School Bolton
Darwen Road, Bromley Cross, Bolton, Lancashire, BL7 9AB |
1.66 miles |
|
Madrasatul Imam Muhammad Zakariya
Keswick Street, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 8LX |
1.77 miles |
|
Turton School
Bromley Cross Road, Bromley Cross, Bolton, Lancashire, BL7 9LT |
1.8 miles |
|
Sharples School
Hill Cot Road, Sharples, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 8SN |
1.84 miles |
|
EdStart Schools Bolton
Castle Hill Young Peoples Centre, Castleton Street, Off Tongue Moor Road, Bolton, BL2 2JW |
2.05 miles |
|
Eden Boys' School, Bolton
Wolfenden Street, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1 3QE |
2.05 miles |
|
Lake House School
Waterside Business Park, Smiths Road, Bolton, BL3 2QJ |
2.14 miles |
|
Little Lever School
Church Street, Little Lever, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL3 1BT |
2.18 miles |
|
Tottington High School
Laurel Street, Tottington, Bury, Lancashire, BL8 3LY |
2.38 miles |
|
Bolton Sixth Form College
Town Centre Campus, Deane Road, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 5BU |
2.39 miles |
|
The Elton High School
Walshaw Road, Bury, Lancashire, BL8 1RN |
2.41 miles |
|
Thornleigh Salesian College
Sharples Park, Astley Bridge, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 6PQ |
2.43 miles |
|
Bolton Islamic Girls School
Weston House, Weston Street, Bolton, BL3 2AW |
2.47 miles |
|
University Collegiate School
85 Deane Road, The Stoller Building, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL3 5AG |
2.6 miles |
|
Bolton College
Deane Road, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 5BG |
2.6 miles |
|
Lord's School
Brooklyn, Green Lane, Bolton, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 2EF |
2.78 miles |
|
Bolton School Boys' Division
Chorley New Road, Bolton, BL1 4PA |
2.79 miles |
All schools in Bolton · Bolton local authority: places and applications
Firwood High School is part of Woodbridge Trust, which runs 2 schools. The nearest others:
- Ladywood School Bolton
What is Firwood High School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for Firwood High School is Good, from an inspection in January 2018 of its predecessor, Firwood High School.
When was Firwood High School last inspected by Ofsted?
Firwood High School was last inspected in May 2023.
How many pupils does Firwood High School have?
Firwood High School has 261 pupils on roll.
What age range does Firwood High School cover?
Firwood High School for pupils aged 11 to 19.
Where is Firwood High School?
Firwood High School is at Stitch-MI Lane, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 4HU.