Forest School, Altrincham
Forest School is an independent school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Altrincham. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in December 2025.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Forest School in detail
Forest School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Our intention is to provide both current and prospective parents with information regarding the many aspects of school life and the opportunities we can offer every individual child. At Forest Prep we believe that we have found a perfect balance in pursuing academic excellence whilst at the same time maintaining strong pastoral care standards."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, cricket, tennis, gymnastics, karate, dance, drama, chess, coding and robotics.
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Forest School are Hale Preparatory School (1.2 miles), Bowdon Preparatory School (1.3 miles), Altrincham Preparatory School (1.6 miles) and Forest Park Preparatory School (1.9 miles).
Hale Preparatory SchoolBowdon Preparatory SchoolAltrincham Preparatory SchoolForest Park Preparatory School
Who goes there
In 2026, 30 pupils (14.2%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Navigation Road (Manchester Metrolink), about 580 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Moss Lane (near), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Forest School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASISI Inspection Reports
Independent schools in England are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), not Ofsted.
Routine Inspection
2 December 2025
Non-Routine Inspection
25 June 2024
Non-Routine Inspection
5 October 2023
Regulatory Compliance
28 September 2022
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
1 May 2018
Intermediate (EYFS)
12 May 2015
Integrated
1 May 2012
Fees for 2026/27
Day fees, per year
£8,940 to £10,200
depending on year group
| Reception | £8,940 a year |
| Year 1 & Year 2 | £9,480 a year |
| Year 3 - Year 6 | £10,200 a year |
Including VAT. From the school's own fee schedule; check with the school before you rely on it.
Private school fees in Trafford - 4 schools' published fees side by side
At a Glance
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Forest School
A Great Start to Year 3 at Forest
2 Oct 2026
Year 1 Hit the Ground Running in their First Week of Key Stage 1
18 Sep 2026
A Fond Farewell to the Class of 2026
13 Jul 2026
Sweet Success with Maths in Year 3
10 Jul 2026
Buddy Scheme Brings Learning and Lasting Friendship
10 Jul 2026
Developing Character Beyond the Classroom
1 Jul 2026
From Forest School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Forest School
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 5
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 3 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
4 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 Trafford is 11 (the median across 103 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
97%
Near capacity
212 pupils
218 places
6 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Altrincham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Altrincham
Across Trafford council
Places available
3,679
Applications
3,221
Got 1st preference
81.0%
Got preferred school
98.4%
All secondary applications across Trafford council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
30
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
14.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
212
Total Pupils
115
Boys
97
Girls
2026 academic year
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Questions parents ask about Forest School
When was Forest School last inspected?
Forest School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in December 2025.
How many pupils go to Forest School?
Forest School has around 212 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Forest School?
Forest School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Forest School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 3 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 4 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 Trafford is 11 (the median across 103 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Forest School?
Forest School is at Moss Lane, Timperley, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA15 6LJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)