Lancashire Alternative Provision

Lancashire Alternative Provision is an independent alternative provision where most pupils have education, health and care plans and social, emotional and mental health needs. At this standard inspection, the school was graded at the expected standard across achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing. Safeguarding standards are met, and all independent school standards are met. Pupils often arrive with disrupted education and missed learning, but they are well supported to catch up, improve attendance, behave well, and move on to suitable education, employment or training. The proprietor, leaders, and staff provide a safe, welcoming, and ambitious environment, with particular strengths in inclusion, pastoral support, personal development, careers guidance, and support for pupils with SEND. The main areas for development concern consistency. Pupils’ written work and mathematics recording vary in clarity and accuracy, and some pupils do not develop fluency in reading and writing as well as they could, which at times affects achievement across subjects. Teachers do not always identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge as effectively as possible, and sometimes they may assume difficulties are due to SEND rather than missed education. Leaders are aware of the school’s priorities, but workload is not always evenly spread, and some leaders are not as secure as others about their role in maintaining the independent school standards. Overall, this is a school fulfilling the expected standard. It knows its pupils well and has created effective systems to help them overcome significant barriers. The next steps are to sharpen consistency in written and mathematical work, ensure teachers systematically close knowledge gaps, and strengthen leadership clarity around maintaining the independent school standards.

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met and pupils feel safe.
• Pupils catch up on missed learning and typically achieve qualifications for their chosen pathways.
• Pupils are well prepared for adulthood, independence and their next stages of education, employment or training.
• Attendance improves over time due to effective support and encouragement.
• Inappropriate behaviour has reduced considerably, and disruption to learning is rare and brief.
• Pupils are polite, respectful and respond well to staff’s calm and consistent approaches.
• Leaders provide a broad and ambitious curriculum that has recently been strengthened.
• Teachers make effective use of links between subjects to reinforce and embed knowledge.
• Leaders ensure pupils keep up with missed curriculum content, including those accessing education at home.
• Effective support is provided for pupils with SEND and those facing significant life challenges.
• Leaders liaise closely with parents, carers, social workers and specialist services.
• The proprietor is effective and ensures the independent school standards are met and maintained.
• Staff access regular, high-quality professional development and feel well supported.
• Personal development is central to the curriculum, with strong pastoral support.
• Careers advice and work placements are carefully tailored to pupils’ needs and interests.
• Pupils develop confidence, resilience, independence and positive attitudes to learning.
• Pupils learn how to keep themselves and others safe, including recognising harmful relationships.

Areas for Improvement

• Pupils’ written work varies in clarity and accuracy.
• Pupils’ mathematics recording and calculations are not consistently accurate or clear.
• Some pupils do not develop fluency in reading and writing as well as they could.
• Achievement varies across subjects because of inconsistent written and mathematical work.
• Teachers do not consistently identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge.
• Teachers do not always check that pupils have the required knowledge and expertise, including reading and writing fluency.
• Teachers sometimes assume pupils’ difficulties are due to SEND rather than missed education.
• Leaders’ workload is not as evenly spread as it could be.
• Some leaders do not have a secure understanding of their role in maintaining the independent school standards.

In 2025–26, 47.4% of pupils at Lancashire Alternative Provision were on SEN support (nationally 18.4%) and 52.6% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 7.9%).

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 independent school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

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What is Lancashire Alternative Provision's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Lancashire Alternative Provision is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Lancashire Alternative Provision last inspected by Ofsted?

Lancashire Alternative Provision was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Lancashire Alternative Provision have?

Lancashire Alternative Provision has 38 pupils on roll.

What age range does Lancashire Alternative Provision cover?

Lancashire Alternative Provision for pupils aged 11 to 16.

Where is Lancashire Alternative Provision?

Lancashire Alternative Provision is at 30 Mowbray Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7UN.