Oakdale School, Dukinfield
Oakdale School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Dukinfield, part of Kingfisher Learning Trust.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Oakdale School in detail
Oakdale School in its own words
In its own words: "At Oakdale, we pride ourselves on our individual and creative approach to planning each child’s learning pathway. We adjust the curriculum and our teaching and learning strategies to meet the needs of every child rather than expecting the children to fit a standard curriculum model."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Oakdale School are Cromwell High School (0.1 miles); Thomas Ashton School (0.7 miles); Tame Bank (1.2 miles); and Arnfield Independent School (1.2 miles, Good).
Cromwell High SchoolThomas Ashton SchoolTame BankArnfield Independent School
The trust
Oakdale School is one of 7 schools run by Kingfisher Learning Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
64.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 15% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Oakdale School has an education, health and care plan (167 of 167 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Oakdale School provides for pupils with autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hyde North Rail Station, about 880 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Moravian Church (outside), 70 metres away.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Oakdale School has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in June 2025. Before that, as Oakdale School (URN 106281), it was rated Good in February 2013.
At a Glance
64.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Autism, SLD, PMLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Oakdale School
Parent Letter - 16th September 2026
22 Sep 2026
Parent Letter - 24th July 2026
28 Jul 2026
Parent Letter - 22nd May 2026
22 May 2026
Jim McMahon OBE MP shares his thoughts on the Kingfisher Learning Trust’s Festival of Learning!
2 May 2026
Parent Letter - 27th April 2026
28 Apr 2026
School Newsletter - Term 2 2026
4 Jun 2024
From Oakdale School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Oakdale School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Oakdale School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Oakdale School is in Tameside; for families living there:
Apply to Tameside for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 12
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 5 serious and 6 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
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 Tameside is 12 (the median across 111 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
101%
Over capacity
167 pupils
166 places
1 pupil over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Dukinfield
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Dukinfield
Across Tameside council
Places available
3,293
Applications
2,719
Got 1st preference
86.7%
Got preferred school
96.3%
All secondary applications across Tameside council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
167
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Oakdale School provides for pupils with autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
167
Total Pupils
118
Boys
49
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
9.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,088
Mean salary
2026 data
Absence at Oakdale School before it took its current form in 20252024/25
Published under the school's previous registration (URN 106281). There are no figures for it in its current form yet, so these are shown separately.
8.9%
Overall absence
30.9%
Persistent absence
152
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Oakdale School
Questions parents ask about Oakdale School
What is Oakdale School's Ofsted rating?
Oakdale School has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in June 2025. Before that, as Oakdale School (URN 106281), it was rated Good in February 2013.
What is the catchment area for Oakdale School?
No fixed boundary. When Oakdale School is oversubscribed, Tameside allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Oakdale School?
Oakdale School has around 167 pupils on roll. 64% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Oakdale School have specialist SEN provision?
Oakdale School provides for pupils with autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
How do I apply to Oakdale School?
Apply through Tameside's coordinated admissions process, naming Oakdale 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 Oakdale School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 5 serious and 6 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 Tameside is 12 (the median across 111 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Oakdale School?
Oakdale School is at Cheetham Hill Road, Dukinfield, Cheshire, SK16 5LD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)