Crosshill Special School

Crosshill Special School has demonstrated a strong overall performance, earning a 'Good' rating in key areas such as the quality of education and leadership. The school has not been inspected before, having converted to academy status prior to this inspection. Pupils exhibit exceptional behavior and are eager learners, contributing to a positive and safe environment. The leadership effectively prepares students for adulthood, particularly within the sixth form, where bespoke educational paths have been thoughtfully developed to cater to students' needs. Nevertheless, some aspects of the curriculum sequencing in key stages 3 and 4 require further clarity to enhance knowledge retention.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate exceptional behavior and attitudes.
• Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that meets pupil needs.
• The sixth-form provision effectively prepares students for adult life.
• High-quality careers education supports informed choices about future learning.
• Strong support systems are in place for staff well-being and workload management.

Areas for Improvement

• The curriculum content and sequencing in key stages 3 and 4 are not sufficiently clear, impacting knowledge retention.

In 2024–25 pupils at Crosshill Special School attended 90.1% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 33.3% 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, 4.0% of pupils at Crosshill Special 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 Crosshill Special School had 7.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.6% 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 Crosshill Special School had 183 pupils, 99.5% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: specific learning difficulty; moderate learning difficulty; social, emotional and mental health; speech, language and communication needs; hearing impairment; vision impairment; multi-sensory impairment; physical disability; autistic spectrum disorder; 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 2024–25 Crosshill Special School received £22,807 and spent £20,791 for each of its 175 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £587,000 (£3,355 per pupil).

Across all 6 schools of Oak Learning Partnership, income was £11,583 and spending £11,291 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 Darwen · Blackburn with Darwen local authority: places and applications

Crosshill Special School is part of Oak Learning Partnership, which runs 8 schools. The nearest others:

• Blackburn Central High School Blackburn
• Holcombe Brook Primary School Bury
• Hazel Wood High School Bury
• Fairfield Community Primary School Bury
• Elms Bank Bury
• Unsworth Primary School Bury
• Philips High School Manchester

What is Crosshill Special School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Crosshill Special School is Good, from an inspection in February 2022.

When was Crosshill Special School last inspected by Ofsted?

Crosshill Special School was last inspected in February 2022.

How many pupils does Crosshill Special School have?

Crosshill Special School has 183 pupils on roll.

What age range does Crosshill Special School cover?

Crosshill Special School for pupils aged 5 to 18.

Where is Crosshill Special School?

Crosshill Special School is at Salisbury Road, Darwen, BB3 1HZ.