Great Arley School, Thornton-Cleveleys
Great Arley School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 16 in Thornton-Cleveleys. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Great Arley School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Great Arley School are Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School (under 0.1 miles, Outstanding); Brookfield School (2.1 miles, Good); Norman House Independent School (2.9 miles); and Highfurlong School (3 miles).
Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh SchoolBrookfield SchoolNorman House Independent SchoolHighfurlong School
Where pupils go next
Of the 14 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 64% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 21% to a further education college and 7% into work.
Who goes there
58.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Great Arley School has an education, health and care plan (99 of 99 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Great Arley School provides for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is West Drive (Blackpool Tramway), about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Trunnah Road (by), 180 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Great Arley School issued 8 suspensions, 7.5 for every 100 pupils, and 1 permanent exclusion.
Sources: DfE destination measures; 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 October 2013, 13 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 October 2013 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
58.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
MLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2023/24KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2023/24 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Great Arley School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Great Arley School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Great Arley 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
- 15
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 9 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
2 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
100%
Full
99 pupils
99 places
No spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Thornton-Cleveleys
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Thornton-Cleveleys
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.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
99
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Great Arley School provides for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
99
Total Pupils
65
Boys
34
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
6.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,158
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.4%
Overall absence
12.3%
Persistent absence
106
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
Great Arley School
Showing 10 of 12 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Great Arley School
What are SATs results like at Great Arley School?
Of the pupils at Great Arley School who took the 2024 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Great Arley School's Ofsted rating?
Great Arley School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Great Arley School?
No fixed boundary. When Great Arley School is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Great Arley School?
Great Arley School has around 99 pupils on roll. 59% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Great Arley School have specialist SEN provision?
Great Arley School provides for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Great Arley School?
5.4% of sessions were missed at Great Arley School in 2024/25. 12.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Great Arley School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Great Arley 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 Great Arley School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 9 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 2 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 Great Arley School?
Great Arley School is at Holly Road, Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, FY5 4HH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)