Green Lane Community Special School, Warrington
Green Lane Community Special School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 16 in Warrington. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2015)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Green Lane Community Special School in detail
Green Lane Community Special School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Our aim is to help our children become responsible citizens who can make a positive contribution to society. Staff at Green Lane work together with our children to encourage them to become as independent as possible, to achieve a range of qualifications / awards / certificates and be prepared for transfer to the next phase of their lives."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Green Lane Community Special School are Woolston Brook School (under 0.1 miles, Good); Fox Wood Special School (0.1 miles, Good); Birchwood School (1.3 miles, Good); and Chaigeley School (1.7 miles, Good).
Woolston Brook SchoolFox Wood Special SchoolBirchwood SchoolChaigeley School
What parents say
61 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Green Lane Community Special School (as of September 2025): 98% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 60% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child does well at the school (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (60%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 22 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 46% to a further education college.
Of the 6 students who left the sixth form in 2022/23, 0% went on to university or other higher education.
Who goes there
44.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 5.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (83%) and Asian (7%).
Almost every pupil at Green Lane Community Special School has an education, health and care plan (229 of 229 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Green Lane Community Special School provides for pupils with autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Padgate Rail Station, about 700 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Woolston High School (opposite), 90 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Green Lane Community 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
In 2024/25, Green Lane Community Special School issued 1 suspension, 0.4 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; 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 agoThis judgement is from May 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Green Lane is a genuinely welcoming school where pupils feel happy, safe and cared for. Staff have exceptional expertise in supporting children with complex needs and truly believe there are no limits to what your child can achieve. The school expertly prepares pupils for independence and adult life through a mix of ambitious academics and real-world experiences like work placements and managing money.
Key Strengths
- Staff are highly skilled, caring, and ambitious for all pupils with complex needs
- Curriculum is exceptionally well-designed and aspirational, preparing pupils excellently for their next steps
- Communication is a core strength, with staff expertly supporting pupils' language and social interaction needs
- Reading is prioritised and pupils are encouraged to develop a love of books from early years
- Personal development is woven throughout school life, building pupils' confidence, independence and resilience
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Trips and visits, lunchtime clubs, enterprise activities (budget management and product design), work experience at local colleges, life skills activities (using washing machines, shopping at supermarket, cooking in school cafe)
Green Lane Community Special School is a welcoming special school that has maintained outstanding standards since its previous inspection. Pupils with complex needs including autism and severe learning difficulties thrive in an environment where staff show deep care and ambition for every child.
At a Glance
44.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Autism, SEMH, MLD +1
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
61 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Green Lane Community Special School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Green Lane Community Special School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Green Lane Community 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
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 3 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
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 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
95%
Near capacity
229 pupils
240 places
11 spare places
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
0
SEN Support
229
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Green Lane Community Special School provides for pupils with autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
229
Total Pupils
163
Boys
66
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
35
Teachers
6.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,040
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.2%
Overall absence
23.0%
Persistent absence
196
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
Green Lane Community Special School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Green Lane Community Special School
What are GCSE results like at Green Lane Community Special School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Green Lane Community Special School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 1.5. 5% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Green Lane Community Special School's Ofsted rating?
Green Lane Community Special School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2015, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Green Lane Community Special School?
No fixed boundary. When Green Lane Community Special School is oversubscribed, Warrington allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Green Lane Community Special School?
Green Lane Community Special School has around 229 pupils on roll. 44% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Green Lane Community Special School have specialist SEN provision?
Green Lane Community Special School provides for pupils with autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Green Lane Community Special School?
7.2% of sessions were missed at Green Lane Community Special School in 2024/25. 23% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Green Lane Community Special School?
Apply through Warrington's coordinated admissions process, naming Green Lane Community 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 Green Lane Community Special School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 3 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 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 Warrington is 11 (the median across 96 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Green Lane Community Special School?
Green Lane Community Special School is at Woolston Learning Village, Holes Lane, Warrington, Cheshire, WA1 4LS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)