Acorns Primary School, Preston
Acorns Primary School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Preston. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2012)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Acorns Primary School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Acorns Primary School are Walney House Independent School (0.4 miles); Moorbrook School (0.8 miles, Good); Sir Tom Finney Community High School (1.6 miles, Good); and Cedar Lodge School (1.7 miles, Outstanding).
Walney House Independent SchoolMoorbrook SchoolSir Tom Finney Community High SchoolCedar Lodge School
What parents say
23 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Acorns Primary School (as of September 2025): 91% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that they would recommend the school (91%).
Who goes there
39.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 24.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Acorns Primary School has an education, health and care plan (93 of 93 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Acorns Primary School provides for pupils with visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Preston Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Football Ground (opposite), 240 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Acorns Primary School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 630 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Acorns Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from November 2012, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Acorns Primary excels at creating a warm, welcoming space where every child feels valued and supported. The school combines ambitious academic learning with exceptional personal development, using expert approaches tailored to each pupil's individual needs - from specialist communication systems to carefully planned reading instruction. Pupils leave the school confident and ready for their next steps, having thrived both academically and personally.
Key Strengths
- Tailored curriculum that balances academic learning with emotional, personal and social growth - carefully structured and regularly checked to match each pupil's individual needs
- Expert phonics programme with frequent checks and personalised interventions to support pupils becoming confident, fluent readers
- Staff expertise in supporting pupils with complex communication needs using personalised systems including vocal cues, technology and voice output aids
- Calm, sensory-friendly learning environment with strong routines that help pupils manage emotions and stay engaged
- Rich enrichment activities including overnight trips, sports competitions and school council that build confidence, character and social skills
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with strong policies and procedures in place that prioritise pupil safety and wellbeing.
Extracurricular Activities
Overnight educational trips, sports competitions, school council
Acorns Primary School is a community special school that supports every pupil to shine through a caring, welcoming community with high expectations for achievement. All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school has been judged Outstanding across all areas.
At a Glance
39.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Vision, Hearing, Speech and language +5
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
23 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Acorns Primary School
Newsletter W/E 25/09/26
25 Sep 2026
Newsletter W/E 18/07/26
18 Jul 2026
Newsletter W/E 03/07/26
3 Jul 2026
Newsletter W/E 12/06/26
12 Jun 2026
Newsletter W/E 05/06/26
5 Jun 2026
Newsletter W/E 22/05/26
22 May 2026
From Acorns Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Acorns Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Acorns Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Acorns Primary School is in Lancashire; for families living there:
- Lancashire's school travel policy: school transport policies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school transport assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 33
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 9
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 33 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 24 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
133%
Over capacity
93 pupils
70 places
23 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Preston
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Preston
Across Lancashire council
Places available
14,702
Applications
13,782
Got 1st preference
87.1%
Got preferred school
97.2%
All secondary applications across Lancashire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
93
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Acorns Primary School provides for pupils with visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
93
Total Pupils
59
Boys
34
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
13
Teachers
7.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,215
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
12.4%
Overall absence
41.0%
Persistent absence
83
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Questions parents ask about Acorns Primary School
What are SATs results like at Acorns Primary School?
Of the pupils at Acorns Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Acorns Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Acorns Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2012, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Acorns Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Acorns Primary School is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Acorns Primary School?
Acorns Primary School has around 93 pupils on roll. 40% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Acorns Primary School have specialist SEN provision?
Acorns Primary School provides for pupils with visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Acorns Primary School?
12.4% of sessions were missed at Acorns Primary School in 2024/25. 41% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Acorns Primary School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Acorns Primary School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Acorns Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 33 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 24 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 3 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Acorns Primary School?
Acorns Primary School is at Moor Park, Blackpool Road, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 6AU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)