The Maple School
The Maple School is a free schools special in Blackpool for pupils aged 10 to 16. It has 49 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for The Maple School is Inadequate, from an inspection in November 2022 of its predecessor, Lotus School.
| Type | Special School / Free schools special |
| Age Range | 10-16 |
| Religion | Unknown |
| Address | Langdale Road Blackpool Lancashire FY4 4RR |
| Phone | 01253531415 |
| Reference Number | 151301 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 49 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 91.84%
Girls: 8.16% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 77.6% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 4.1% |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 7 | 9 | 1 | 10 |
| 8 | 8 | Unknown | 8 |
| 9 | 9 | Unknown | 9 |
| 10 | 8 | 1 | 9 |
| 11 | 8 | Unknown | 8 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 93.9% |
| White, Other | 4.1% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 2% |
This school has not been graded since it changed URN, usually on converting to an academy. The rating shown is from its predecessor, Lotus School, inspected in November 2022.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Inadequate |
| Last Report Date | This school has not had an inspection yet. |
| Date | Report |
|---|
In 2024–25 pupils at The Maple School attended 64.1% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 80.0% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 18.5% | 18.4% |
| Unauthorised absence | 24.3% | 17.5% |
| Severely absent pupils | 43.5% | 32.0% |
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, 97.5% of pupils at The Maple School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). 2 pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2025 | |
|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 807.5 |
| Permanent exclusions | 2 |
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 The Maple School had 5.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 28.6% 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 | 3.0 | 2.7 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 28.6% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 60.0% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 11.2 | – |
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 The Maple School had 49 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).
It says it provides for: social, emotional and mental health.
Pupils by main type of need
| EHC plan | |
|---|---|
| Social, emotional and mental health | 44 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 2 |
| Speech, language and communication needs | 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 The Maple School received £42,090 and spent £39,947 for each of its 40 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £6,000 (-£145 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 | -£6,000 |
| per pupil | -£145 |
| In-year balance | £86,000 |
| per pupil | £2,143 |
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 |
|
Mereside Primary Academy
Langdale Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 4RR |
0.18 miles |
|
Stanley Primary School
Wordsworth Avenue, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 9UT |
0.28 miles |
|
Baines' Endowed Church of England Primary Academy
Penrose Avenue, Marton, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 4DJ |
0.65 miles |
|
Marton Primary Academy and Nursery
Whernside, Off Highfield Road, Marton, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 5LY |
0.76 miles |
|
St John Vianney's Catholic Primary School, Blackpool
Glastonbury Avenue, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 6RD |
0.93 miles |
|
Waterloo Primary Academy
Waterloo Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 3AG |
1.13 miles |
|
Hawes Side Academy
Johnsville Avenue, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 3LN |
1.15 miles |
|
Our Lady of The Assumption Catholic Primary School, Blackpool
Common Edge Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 5DF |
1.29 miles |
|
Staining Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Staining Road, Staining, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 0BW |
1.37 miles |
|
Blackpool St Nicholas CofE Primary School
School Road, Marton Moss, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 5DS |
1.51 miles |
|
St Cuthbert's Catholic Academy
Lightwood Avenue, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 2AU |
1.51 miles |
|
Revoe Learning Academy
Grasmere Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 5HP |
1.51 miles |
|
Blackpool Gateway Academy
Seymour Road, Blackpool, FY1 6JH |
1.64 miles |
|
St Kentigern's Catholic Primary School
Newton Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 8BT |
1.68 miles |
|
BFC School
Seasiders Way, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 6JJ |
1.69 miles |
|
Tower Learning Centre Independent School
316 Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 3QE |
1.82 miles |
|
Thames Primary Academy
Severn Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 1EE |
1.84 miles |
|
Roseacre Primary Academy
Stonycroft Avenue, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 2PF |
1.85 miles |
|
Devonshire Primary Academy
Devonshire Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 8AF |
1.92 miles |
|
Christ The King Catholic Academy
Rodwell Walk, Grange Park, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7FG |
1.94 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
St George's School A Church of England Academy
Cherry Tree Road, Marton, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 4PH |
0.33 miles |
|
Spen Brook School
(former Hawes Side Library), Hawes Side Lane, Blackpool, FY4 5AJ |
0.97 miles |
|
Highfield Leadership Academy
Highfield Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 3JZ |
1.22 miles |
|
Park Community Academy
158 Whitegate Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 9HF |
1.25 miles |
|
Woodlands School
Whitegate Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 9HF |
1.28 miles |
|
South Shore Academy
St Annes Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 2AR |
1.49 miles |
|
Armfield Academy
488 Lytham Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 1TL |
1.79 miles |
|
Blackpool Skills Academy
Stanley House, Stanley Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 4QL |
1.87 miles |
|
St Mary's Catholic Academy
St Walburga's Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7EQ |
1.91 miles |
|
Blackpool Aspire Academy
Blackpool Old Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7LS |
2.55 miles |
|
Baines School
Highcross Road, Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, FY6 8BE |
2.55 miles |
|
Highfurlong School
Blackpool Old Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7LS |
2.55 miles |
|
Lancashire Alternative Provision
30 Mowbray Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7UN |
2.58 miles |
|
Norman House Independent School
Norman House, Robson Way, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7PP |
2.72 miles |
|
The Blackpool Sixth Form College
Blackpool Old Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 7LR |
2.77 miles |
|
Unity Academy Blackpool
Warbreck Hill Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY2 0TS |
2.78 miles |
|
Poplar House School
24-26 Lytham St Annes Road East, Lytham St Annes, FY8 1UR |
3.24 miles |
|
Hodgson Academy
Moorland Road, Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, FY6 7EU |
3.45 miles |
|
Red Rose School
28-30 North Promenade, St Annes on Sea, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, FY8 2NQ |
3.53 miles |
|
St Anne's College Grammar School
293 Clifton Drive South, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, FY8 1HN |
3.68 miles |
All schools in Blackpool · Blackpool local authority: places and applications
The Maple School is part of Synergy Education Trust Limited, which runs 6 schools. The nearest others:
- Stanley Primary School Blackpool
- Boundary Primary School Blackpool
- Highfurlong School Blackpool
- Moor Park Primary School Blackpool
- Norbreck Primary Academy Thornton-Cleveleys
What is The Maple School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for The Maple School is Inadequate, from an inspection in November 2022 of its predecessor, Lotus School.
How many pupils does The Maple School have?
The Maple School has 49 pupils on roll.
What age range does The Maple School cover?
The Maple School for pupils aged 10 to 16.
Where is The Maple School?
The Maple School is at Langdale Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 4RR.