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Highfurlong School

Special School Ages 2-19 146 pupils Blackpool
Ofsted: Outstanding
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Highfurlong School is an academy special converter in Blackpool for pupils aged 2 to 19. It has 146 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Highfurlong School is Outstanding, from an inspection in September 2018 of its predecessor, Highfurlong School. In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Ofsted inspection: April 2024. KS2 results: 2025.

Type Special School / Academy special converter
Age Range 2-19
Religion Does not apply
Address Blackpool Old Road
Blackpool
Lancashire
FY3 7LS
Phone 01253392188
Reference Number 150609

General Makeup

Number of pupils 146
Boy/Girl ratio Boys: 63.01%
Girls: 36.99%
Percentage of students eligible for free school meals 56.6%
Percentage of students where English is not their first language 6.2%

Year Groups

Year Boys Girls Total
1 5 4 9
2 5 5 10
3 7 3 10
4 11 5 16
5 10 3 13
6 5 4 9
7 7 5 12
8 5 5 10
9 5 3 8
10 8 2 10
11 6 6 12
12 4 3 7
13 2 1 3

Ethnicities

Ethnicity Percentage
White, British 86.3%
Asian, Other 4.8%
Unclassified 2.1%
Mixed, Other 1.4%
White, Other 0.7%
White & Black (African) 0.7%

This school has not been graded since it changed URN, usually on converting to an academy. The rating shown is from its predecessor, Highfurlong School, inspected in September 2018.

Overall Ofsted Rating Outstanding
Last Report Date This school has not had an inspection yet.
Date Report
06 Apr 2024 Academy conversion letter

How many students meet the standards

Reading, Writing & Maths School Score Percentile (local) Percentile (nationwide)
Pupils meeting the expected standard 0%
Pupils meeting a higher standard 0%
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In 2024–25 pupils at Highfurlong School attended 85.0% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 44.0% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

2025
Authorised absence 11.1%
Unauthorised absence 3.8%
Severely absent pupils 5.5%

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 Highfurlong School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

2025
Suspensions per 100 pupils 0.0
Permanent exclusions 0

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 Highfurlong School had 8.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

20252026
Pupils per adult 2.02.1
Teachers who left state teaching 5.0%–
Teachers who took any sick leave 61.1%–
Sick days per teacher 3.3–

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 Highfurlong School had 146 pupils, 99.3% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: specific learning difficulty; moderate learning difficulty; severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple 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

EHC plan
Physical disability 47
Autistic spectrum disorder 23
Speech, language and communication needs 17
Moderate learning difficulty 13
Specific learning difficulty 13
Severe learning difficulty 11
Other difficulty or disability 9
Profound and multiple learning difficulty 7
Social, emotional and mental health 2
Hearing impairment 1
Multi-sensory impairment 1
Vision impairment 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 Highfurlong School received £29,655 and spent £27,777 for each of its 124 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £527,000 (£4,246 per pupil).

Across all 6 schools of Synergy Education Trust Limited, income was £9,137 and spending £8,966 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

2025
Revenue reserve £527,000
per pupil £4,246
In-year balance £233,000
per pupil £1,878

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
Boundary Primary School
Dinmore Avenue, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7RW
0.55 miles
Layton Primary School
Meyler Avenue, Layton, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7DX
0.67 miles
Christ The King Catholic Academy
Rodwell Walk, Grange Park, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7FG
0.69 miles
Moor Park Primary School
Moor Park Avenue, Bispham, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY2 0LY
0.92 miles
Poulton-le-Fylde St Chad's CofE Primary School
Hardhorn Road, Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, FY6 7SR
1.11 miles
Carleton St Hilda's Church of England Primary School
Bispham Road, Carleton, Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, FY6 7PE
1.18 miles
Poulton-le-Fylde Carr Head Primary School
Carr Head Lane, Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, FY6 8JB
1.23 miles
Bispham Endowed Church of England Primary School
Bispham Road, Bispham, Bispham Rd, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY2 0HH
1.27 miles
Holy Family Catholic Primary School
Seacrest Avenue, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 2SD
1.31 miles
Devonshire Primary Academy
Devonshire Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 8AF
1.37 miles
Kincraig Primary School
Kincraig Road, Bispham, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY2 0HN
1.42 miles
Westminster Primary Academy
Westminster Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 2QE
1.44 miles
Carleton Green Community Primary School
Arundel Drive, Carleton, Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, FY6 7TF
1.46 miles
St Kentigern's Catholic Primary School
Newton Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 8BT
1.5 miles
St. Bernadette's Catholic Primary School
Devonshire Road, Bispham, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY2 0AJ
1.55 miles
Staining Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Staining Road, Staining, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 0BW
1.59 miles
Tower Learning Centre Independent School
316 Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 3QE
1.61 miles
St John's Catholic Primary School, Poulton-Le-Fylde
Breck Road, Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, FY6 7HT
1.66 miles
Westcliff Primary Academy
Crawford Avenue, Bispham, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY2 9BY
1.74 miles
Poulton-le-Fylde the Breck Primary School
Fouldrey Avenue, Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, FY6 7HE
1.82 miles
Name Distance
Blackpool Aspire Academy
Blackpool Old Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7LS
0.01 miles
Norman House Independent School
Norman House, Robson Way, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7PP
0.19 miles
The Blackpool Sixth Form College
Blackpool Old Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7LR
0.21 miles
Lancashire Alternative Provision
30 Mowbray Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7UN
0.38 miles
St Mary's Catholic Academy
St Walburga's Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7EQ
0.74 miles
Baines School
Highcross Road, Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, FY6 8BE
0.87 miles
Unity Academy Blackpool
Warbreck Hill Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY2 0TS
0.98 miles
Montgomery Academy
All Hallows Road, Bispham, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY2 0AZ
1.57 miles
Hodgson Academy
Moorland Road, Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, FY6 7EU
1.58 miles
Blackpool and the Fylde College
Ashfield Road, Bispham, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY2 0HB
1.6 miles
Brookfield School
Fouldrey Avenue, Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, FY6 7HE
1.82 miles
Woodlands School
Whitegate Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 9HF
1.84 miles
Park Community Academy
158 Whitegate Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 9HF
1.86 miles
Blackpool Skills Academy
Stanley House, Stanley Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 4QL
2.07 miles
Millfield School
Belvedere Road, Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, FY5 5DG
2.1 miles
The Maple School
Langdale Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 4RR
2.55 miles
St George's School A Church of England Academy
Cherry Tree Road, Marton, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 4PH
2.71 miles
Spen Brook School
(former Hawes Side Library), Hawes Side Lane, Blackpool, FY4 5AJ
2.98 miles
Great Arley School
Holly Road, Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, FY5 4HH
3.04 miles
South Shore Academy
St Annes Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 2AR
3.06 miles

All schools in Blackpool · Blackpool local authority: places and applications

Highfurlong School is part of Synergy Education Trust Limited, which runs 6 schools. The nearest others:

What is Highfurlong School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Highfurlong School is Outstanding, from an inspection in September 2018 of its predecessor, Highfurlong School.

When was Highfurlong School last inspected by Ofsted?

Highfurlong School was last inspected in April 2024.

How many pupils does Highfurlong School have?

Highfurlong School has 146 pupils on roll.

What age range does Highfurlong School cover?

Highfurlong School for pupils aged 2 to 19.

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

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

Where is Highfurlong School?

Highfurlong School is at Blackpool Old Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7LS.

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