Fox Wood Special School, Warrington
Fox Wood Special School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 19 in Warrington. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2026, ended in a report card: 2 exceptional and 6 strong standard. Before that it was rated Good at its last graded inspection, in October 2021.
- Ofsted report card
- 8 of 8 areas strong or better
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Fox Wood Special School in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 19 May 2026 inspection grades Fox Wood Special School on 8 areas: 2 exceptional and 6 strong standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Attendance and behaviour - Exceptional. "The school's focus on attendance is resolute."
Inclusion - Exceptional. "A shared commitment to true inclusion is the lifeblood of the school."
Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils achieve consistently well from their varied starting points."
Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders have designed ambitious curriculum pathways for all pupils."
Early years - Strong standard. "Leaders have ensured that children get off to a strong start at 'fox cubs'."
Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders and governors have high expectations of pupils, staff and families."
Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders have established a holistic and personalised approach to pupils' personal development."
Post 16 provision - Strong standard. "Leaders have carefully planned the study programmes so they are well matched to students' developmental needs and aspirations."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders and governors should ensure that governors' systems for supporting and challenging leaders are systematic to support further improvement across all aspects of the school's work".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Fox Wood Special School in its own words
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include dance, drama and forest school.
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Fox Wood Special School are Woolston Brook School (0.1 miles, Good); Green Lane Community Special School (0.1 miles, Outstanding); Birchwood School (1.4 miles, Good); and Chaigeley School (1.6 miles, Good).
Woolston Brook SchoolGreen Lane Community Special SchoolBirchwood SchoolChaigeley School
What parents say
47 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Fox Wood Special School (as of April 2026): 100% would recommend the school, 98% 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 pupils behave well (96%).
Who goes there
45.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 13.8% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Fox Wood Special School has an education, health and care plan (173 of 174 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Fox Wood Special School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Padgate Rail Station, about 860 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Woolston High School (outside), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Fox Wood Special School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
Fox Wood Special 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 · 5 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards met
- Attendance and behaviourExceptional
- InclusionExceptional
- AchievementStrong standard
- Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
- Early yearsStrong standard
- Leadership and governanceStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
- Post 16 provisionStrong standard
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at Fox Wood Special School
Pupils are welcomed to Fox Wood by staff with big smiles and open hearts. Daily, positive interactions help staff and pupils build remarkably strong bonds. This ensures that pupils' experience of school is happy and frequently joyful. Pupils flourish during their time at Fox Wood. From their varied starting points, pupils make small and consistent gains in their learning that amount to giant leaps over time. The progress that they make in their ability to communicate with others is often astonishing. Pupils learn to express their thoughts, wants and needs, which is the bedrock of the school's success. This enables pupils to shine and underpins the transformational impact of the school's work. Staff have created a culture of belonging. Pupils feel safe and know that they matter. Conflict between pupils, including bullying, is exceedingly rare. Pupils' behaviour reflects the school's emphasis on kindness and respect. Some pupils are 'kindness champions' and act as role models to others. Pupils' participation in learning develops impressively over time. High-quality teaching ensures that pupils become absorbed in learning. Pupils are eager to share the things they enjoy most about school, such as reading, drama and swimming. The school's support for pupils' holistic needs is exemplary. Pupils benefit from highly individualised packages of support that meet their educational, health and care needs. Pupils begin preparing for adulthood from the moment they join the school. They gain the skills to be increasingly independent and to advocate for themselves. Pupils value the school's extensive enrichment offer. They enjoy sporting and creative clubs, as well as frequent opportunities to be active within the local community. Pupils are proud to hold positions of responsibility, such as being members of the school council and eco committee.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders and governors should ensure that governors' systems for supporting and challenging leaders are systematic to support further improvement across all aspects of the school's work.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 19 May 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Fox Wood creates a warm, welcoming environment where pupils flourish with strong bonds between staff and students. The school excels at personalised support - using carefully designed systems like the 'ready to learn' routine to help every pupil thrive, regardless of their complex needs. Pupils make remarkable progress in communication, behaviour, independence and preparation for their futures, with many successfully moving into supported living, further education or paid employment.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional attendance rates, especially given the complex medical and additional needs of pupils
- Highly effective behaviour support systems that help pupils develop emotional regulation and communication skills
- Outstanding inclusive approach with seamless collaboration between education, health and care professionals
- Ambitious, personalised curriculum pathways tailored to each pupil's individual needs
- Excellent preparation for adulthood including work experience, enterprise challenges and independent living skills
Areas for Improvement
- Governance scrutiny systems could be more systematic, with clearer feedback mechanisms to the full governing body
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met. The school has established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified and managed, making pupils safer and helping them feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Cooking club, science club, space-themed exploration days, local park visits, school council, eco council, wellbeing champions, work experience, enterprise projects (sandwich delivery service, craft making)
Fox Wood Special School is an exceptional special school that demonstrates transformational impact on pupils with complex and multiple needs. The school maintains exceptionally high attendance and has developed highly effective systems to support pupils' social, emotional, behavioural and learning needs.
At a Glance
45.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
47 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % 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
Keep up with Fox Wood Special School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Fox Wood Special School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Fox Wood Special School is in Warrington; for families living there:
Apply to Warrington for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 6 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
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 Warrington is 11 (the median across 96 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
223%
Over capacity
174 pupils
78 places
96 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Warrington
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Warrington
Across Warrington council
Places available
2,880
Applications
2,620
Got 1st preference
88.9%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All secondary applications across Warrington council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
1
SEN Support
173
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Fox Wood Special School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
174
Total Pupils
122
Boys
52
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
28
Teachers
6.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,354
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.6%
Overall absence
25.4%
Persistent absence
114
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
Fox Wood Special School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Fox Wood Special School
What are SATs results like at Fox Wood Special School?
Of the pupils at Fox Wood Special School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Fox Wood Special School's Ofsted rating?
Fox Wood Special School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2021, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Fox Wood Special School?
No fixed boundary. When Fox Wood Special School is oversubscribed, Warrington allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Fox Wood Special School?
Fox Wood Special School has around 174 pupils on roll. 45% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Fox Wood Special School have specialist SEN provision?
Fox Wood Special School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Fox Wood Special School?
9.6% of sessions were missed at Fox Wood Special School in 2024/25. 25.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Fox Wood Special School?
Apply through Warrington's coordinated admissions process, naming Fox Wood Special 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 Fox Wood Special School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 6 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 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 Warrington is 11 (the median across 96 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Fox Wood Special School?
Fox Wood Special School is at Holes Lane, Woolston, Warrington, Cheshire, WA1 4LS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)