Moorbrook School, Preston
Moorbrook School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Preston. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Moorbrook School in detail
Moorbrook School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "We are a specialist provision for pupil's age 11 - 16 yrs with social emotional and mental health needs. Pupils at Moorbrook benefit from a well-balanced and personalised education delivered by an experienced and passionate team. There is a broad and engaging curriculum, which offers pupils a good range of opportunities to develop their academic, vocational and social skills."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Moorbrook School are Walney House Independent School (0.5 miles); Acorns Primary School (0.8 miles, Good); New Focus Education (1.1 miles); and Cedar Lodge School (1.2 miles, Outstanding).
Walney House Independent SchoolAcorns Primary SchoolNew Focus EducationCedar Lodge School
Where pupils go next
Of the 15 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 60% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 33% to a further education college.
Who goes there
63.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (87%) and Mixed (7%).
Almost every pupil at Moorbrook School has an education, health and care plan (84 of 84 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Moorbrook School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Preston Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Symonds Road (by), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 337 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Moorbrook School issued 51 suspensions, 70.8 for every 100 pupils, and 1 permanent exclusion.
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 agoThis judgement is from May 2018, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Moorbrook School creates a warm, welcoming environment where pupils with complex needs thrive. Staff are highly skilled at supporting emotional wellbeing, helping pupils manage their feelings and make positive choices. The school has ambitious expectations for all pupils and backs this up with excellent experiences like outdoor learning, museum visits and sports competitions that build confidence and uncover hidden talents.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on pupils' social and emotional development, helping them build resilience and confidence
- Effective support for reading, with many pupils catching up quickly in phonics
- Well-planned personal development programme preparing pupils for adulthood, including careers education
- Exciting trips and visits that develop new interests and talents
- High expectations for attendance with effective family support to reduce absences
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers in some subjects not always checking pupils' prior knowledge before introducing new content, which can lead to gaps in learning
- Inconsistent evaluation of curriculum delivery in a small number of subjects, meaning some weaknesses are not identified quickly enough
- Some activities not always matched to pupils' individual needs due to unfamiliarity with newly introduced subject curriculums
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff properly trained and a clear culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Climbing, hill walking, beach visits, sports competitions, theatre trips, museum visits, outdoor learning
Moorbrook School is a special school for pupils aged 11-16 with social, emotional and mental health needs and other disabilities. The school provides a welcoming environment where pupils are happy, settle quickly, and develop positive attitudes to learning.
At a Glance
63.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Moorbrook School
From Moorbrook School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Moorbrook School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Moorbrook School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Moorbrook 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
- 66
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 26
- Children hurt
- 10
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 66 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 26 serious and 40 slight.
10 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise.
18 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
90%
Near capacity
84 pupils
93 places
9 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Preston
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Preston
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(17)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
84
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Moorbrook School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
84
Total Pupils
75
Boys
9
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
15
Teachers
5.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,895
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
36.9%
Overall absence
73.4%
Persistent absence
79
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
Moorbrook School
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Moorbrook School
What are GCSE results like at Moorbrook School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Moorbrook School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 4.7. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Moorbrook School's Ofsted rating?
Moorbrook School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2018, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Moorbrook School?
No fixed boundary. When Moorbrook School is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Moorbrook School?
Moorbrook School has around 84 pupils on roll. 63% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Moorbrook School have specialist SEN provision?
Moorbrook School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
What is attendance like at Moorbrook School?
36.9% of sessions were missed at Moorbrook School in 2024/25. 73.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Moorbrook School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Moorbrook 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 Moorbrook School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 66 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 26 serious and 40 slight. 10 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise. 18 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 Moorbrook School?
Moorbrook School is at Ainslie Road, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 3DB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)