George Hastwell School Special Academy, Barrow-in-Furness
George Hastwell School Special Academy is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 19 in Barrow-in-Furness, part of The Eden Academy. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
George Hastwell School Special Academy in detail
The trust
George Hastwell School Special Academy is one of 9 schools run by The Eden Academy, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 7 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
68.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at George Hastwell School Special Academy has an education, health and care plan (99 of 99 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
George Hastwell School Special Academy has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 90 places, 89 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Station Entrance, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Furness Golf Club (at), 50 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 46 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Westmorland and Furness (11), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
George Hastwell School Special Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE destination measures; 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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
George Hastwell provides a caring, welcoming environment where all pupils feel they belong and are valued members of the community. Staff work hard to help pupils manage their behaviour and emotions, and the school offers excellent support for communication skills. Your child will benefit from a wide range of personal development activities including community visits, trips, work experience and career guidance that prepare them well for life after school.
Key Strengths
- Pupils feel happy, safe and belong at the school with strong, caring relationships with staff
- Excellent focus on communication and language skills with personalised support for each pupil
- Strong reading programme with pupils developing skills at their own level
- Comprehensive personal development opportunities including trips, community visits and career guidance
- Effective safeguarding arrangements in place
Areas for Improvement
- Some teachers lack confidence and expertise to adapt teaching to meet individual pupil needs
- Learning activities are not always closely matched to pupils' needs, causing some to avoid engaging in learning
- School leaders do not have enough oversight of how well the curriculum is being taught across the school
- Early years and post-16 provisions need stronger focus on improving teaching quality
- Inconsistencies in how staff set and review pupil targets
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school has thorough systems in place to keep pupils safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Library visits, supermarket visits, public transport travel, Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, residential experiences, work experience, employer visits, talks from past pupils
George Hastwell School Special Academy is a special school for pupils aged 3-19 with a range of learning needs. The school provides a warm and inclusive environment where pupils feel valued, but there are weaknesses in how well the curriculum is being taught across all year groups.
At a Glance
68.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: SpLD, Vision, Hearing +7
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2024/25 academic year
Keep up with George Hastwell School Special Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to George Hastwell School Special Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. George Hastwell School Special Academy is in Westmorland and Furness; for families living there:
- Westmorland and Furness's school travel policy: Home to School Transport Policy 2027 to 2028 (Reception to Year 11)
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 5
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- 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, 1 serious and 4 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
1 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 Westmorland and Furness is 3 (the median across 161 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
110%
Over capacity
99 pupils
90 places
9 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Barrow-in-Furness
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Barrow-in-Furness
Across Westmorland and Furness council
Places available
2,857
Applications
1,903
Got 1st preference
96.4%
Got preferred school
99.5%
All secondary applications across Westmorland and Furness council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
99
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
George Hastwell School Special Academy has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 90 places, 89 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
99
Total Pupils
66
Boys
33
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
6.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£57,242
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
13.8%
Overall absence
36.5%
Persistent absence
74
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
George Hastwell School Special Academy
Showing 10 of 11 linked schools
Questions parents ask about George Hastwell School Special Academy
What are SATs results like at George Hastwell School Special Academy?
Of the pupils at George Hastwell School Special Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is George Hastwell School Special Academy's Ofsted rating?
George Hastwell School Special Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for George Hastwell School Special Academy?
No fixed boundary. When George Hastwell School Special Academy is oversubscribed, Westmorland and Furness allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to George Hastwell School Special Academy?
George Hastwell School Special Academy has around 99 pupils on roll. 69% are eligible for free school meals.
Does George Hastwell School Special Academy have specialist SEN provision?
George Hastwell School Special Academy has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 90 places, 89 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at George Hastwell School Special Academy?
13.8% of sessions were missed at George Hastwell School Special Academy in 2024/25. 36.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to George Hastwell School Special Academy?
Apply through Westmorland and Furness's coordinated admissions process, naming George Hastwell School Special Academy 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 George Hastwell School Special Academy?
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, 1 serious and 4 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 1 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 Westmorland and Furness is 3 (the median across 161 schools, same distance and years).
Where is George Hastwell School Special Academy?
George Hastwell School Special Academy is at Moor Tarn Lane, Walney Island, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 3LW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)