Highfurlong School
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% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 0% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
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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
| 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 2.0 | 2.1 |
| 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:
- Boundary Primary School Blackpool
- Moor Park Primary School Blackpool
- Stanley Primary School Blackpool
- Norbreck Primary Academy Thornton-Cleveleys
- The Maple School Blackpool
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.