Cloughside College, Manchester
Cloughside College is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Manchester. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Cloughside College in detail
Cloughside College in its own words
In its own words: "We work with young people who are receiving care through CAMHS inpatient services, including those admitted informally and those detained under the Mental Health Act. We also work with young people through the Aspire & Achieve Hub, supporting learners who need a highly personalised community-based pathway to help them re-engage with education."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Cloughside College is a specialist hospital school for young people aged 11 to 19 with mental health needs. We are proud to support students at a crucial point in their lives, helping them stay connected to education, build confidence and look ahead to the future."
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 Cloughside College are Elms Bank (1.5 miles, Outstanding); Brookhaven School (1.9 miles); Manchester Jewish School for Special Education (1.9 miles, Good); and Edintervention School (2.2 miles).
Elms BankBrookhaven SchoolManchester Jewish School for Special EducationEdintervention School
Who goes there
5.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 29.4% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (65%), Black (29%) and other ethnic groups (6%).
In 2026, 9 pupils (52.9%) received SEN support and 8 (47.1%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Cloughside College provides for pupils with hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, social, emotional and mental health needs and moderate learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Besses o'th'barn (Manchester Metrolink), about 630 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Tesco Prestwich (outside), 110 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Cloughside College recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from June 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2014 inspection - up from Inadequate.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
5.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Hearing, Speech and language, SEMH +1
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Cloughside College
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Cloughside College from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Cloughside College is in Bury; for families living there:
Apply to Bury for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 27
- Fatal
- 2
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 27 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 3 serious and 22 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt.
6 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 Bury is 10 (the median across 92 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
27%
Available places
17 pupils
62 places
45 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Manchester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Manchester
Across Bury council
Places available
2,444
Applications
2,233
Got 1st preference
90.7%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All secondary applications across Bury council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(10)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
9
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Cloughside College provides for pupils with hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, social, emotional and mental health needs and moderate learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
17
Total Pupils
10
Boys
7
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
1.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£59,016
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
55.4%
Overall absence
95.3%
Persistent absence
43
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
Cloughside College
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Cloughside College
What is Cloughside College's Ofsted rating?
Cloughside College's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Cloughside College?
No fixed boundary. When Cloughside College is oversubscribed, Bury allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Cloughside College?
Cloughside College has around 17 pupils on roll. 6% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Cloughside College have specialist SEN provision?
Cloughside College provides for pupils with hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, social, emotional and mental health needs and moderate learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Cloughside College?
55.4% of sessions were missed at Cloughside College in 2024/25. 95.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Cloughside College?
Apply through Bury's coordinated admissions process, naming Cloughside College 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 Cloughside College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 27 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 3 serious and 22 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt. 6 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 Bury is 10 (the median across 92 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Cloughside College?
Cloughside College is at Bury New Road, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 3BL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)