Applebee Wood School, Preston
Applebee Wood School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 16 in Preston, part of The Sea View Trust.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Applebee Wood School in detail
Applebee Wood School in its own words
In its own words: "Our vision and aims are at the core of everything we do. They underpin our teaching and learning, and provide an environment which prepares our pupils as confident, happy citizens. Applebee Wood School has been offering specialist provision in teaching pupils with Educational Health Care Plans for almost 60 years."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Applebee Wood is a generic learning difficulties school. All of our children have an Education Health and Care Plan, we work closely with numerous professionals to ensure that we provide the appropriate provision for each individual child."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Applebee Wood School are The Ribble Autism School (0.3 miles, Good); Bridgeway School (1.5 miles, Outstanding); The Coppice School (1.7 miles, Good); and Roselyn House School (2.4 miles, Good).
The Ribble Autism SchoolBridgeway SchoolThe Coppice SchoolRoselyn House School
The trust
Applebee Wood School is one of 6 schools run by The Sea View Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
46.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 10.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (75%), Asian (12%) and Mixed (6%).
Almost every pupil at Applebee Wood School has an education, health and care plan (179 of 179 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Lostock Hall Rail Station, about 900 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Fir Trees Road (by), 200 metres away.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Applebee Wood School has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in September 2025. Before that, as Applebee Wood Community Specialist School (URN 119880), it was rated Good in January 2013.
At a Glance
46.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Applebee Wood School
Summer Fair, July 2026
17 Jul 2026
Steel Signing Ceremony 2026
28 Apr 2026
A Momentous Day: Construction Officially Begins on the New Applebee Wood School
22 Jan 2026
Planning for the new build has been submitted
3 Dec 2024
Applebee Wood New School Build
21 Aug 2024
School Games GOLD mark Award
15 Jul 2024
From Applebee Wood School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Applebee Wood School
Before and after school care
Applebee Wood School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Lancashire
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Applebee Wood School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Applebee Wood 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
- 20
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 16 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 4 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
106%
Over capacity
179 pupils
169 places
10 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.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
179
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
179
Total Pupils
133
Boys
46
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
21
Teachers
8.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,914
Mean salary
2026 data
Absence at Applebee Wood Community Specialist School before it took its current form in 20252024/25
Published for Applebee Wood Community Specialist School (URN 119880), the school Applebee Wood School replaced. There are no figures for Applebee Wood School yet, so these are shown separately.
8.4%
Overall absence
18.1%
Persistent absence
166
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Applebee Wood School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Applebee Wood School
What are GCSE results like at Applebee Wood School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Applebee Wood School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 1.7. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Applebee Wood School's Ofsted rating?
Applebee Wood School has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in September 2025. Before that, as Applebee Wood Community Specialist School (URN 119880), it was rated Good in January 2013.
What is the catchment area for Applebee Wood School?
No fixed boundary. When Applebee Wood School is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Applebee Wood School?
Applebee Wood School has around 179 pupils on roll. 47% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Applebee Wood School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Applebee Wood 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.
Does Applebee Wood School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Applebee Wood School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Applebee Wood School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 20 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 16 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 4 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 Applebee Wood School?
Applebee Wood School is at Far Croft, Lostock Hall, Preston, Lancashire, PR5 5SS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)