Oliver House School, Chorley
Oliver House School is a special school for pupils aged 6 to 19 in Chorley. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2026, ended in a report card: 7 exceptional. Before that it was rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in October 2023.
- Ofsted report card
- 7 of 7 areas strong or better
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Oliver House School in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 22 September 2026 inspection grades Oliver House School on 7 areas: 7 exceptional. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Achievement - Exceptional. "All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities and an education, health and care plan."
Attendance and behaviour - Exceptional. "Leaders maintain a clear focus on attendance and behaviour through an exceptional culture of care, inclusion and high expectations."
Curriculum and teaching - Exceptional. "Leaders create an ambitious, well-ordered and highly inclusive curriculum."
Inclusion - Exceptional. "An exceptional approach to inclusion shapes every aspect of school life."
Leadership and governance - Exceptional. "Leaders have created a remarkable school that transforms the lives of pupils and their families."
Personal development and wellbeing - Exceptional. "Personal development and wellbeing shape every aspect of school life."
Post-16 provision - Exceptional. "The post-16 curriculum prepares students exceptionally well for life beyond school."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Oliver House School are Chorley Astley Park School (0.5 miles, Outstanding); Mayfield House School (0.9 miles, Inadequate); Waterloo Lodge (1 mile); and Mayfield School (1.3 miles, Good).
Chorley Astley Park SchoolMayfield House SchoolWaterloo LodgeMayfield School
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Oliver House School has an education, health and care plan (55 of 55 in 2026).
Oliver House School is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Chorley Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Village Centre (by), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 189 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.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 month agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at Oliver House School
Oliver House School transforms lives. Many pupils arrive after long periods away from education, often having had traumatic previous experiences, and with little confidence. From the moment they join, they are met with warmth, understanding and an unwavering belief in their potential. Extremely trusting relationships between pupils, staff and families sit at the heart of the school. As a result, pupils feel extremely safe, highly valued and genuinely understood. Pupils flourish in a highly inclusive environment where every pupil matters deeply. Small classes, therapeutic support and highly personalised learning help pupils feel secure, rebuild confidence and experience success. Staff celebrate achievements, talents and everyday milestones, however small. This helps pupils develop self-belief and pride. Pupils who once struggled begin to enjoy learning, attend well and engage in school life. As confidence grows, pupils rediscover a love of learning and thrive in a caring, supportive and unique community. Staff know pupils exceptionally well. They create excellent learning pathways that perfectly reflect pupils' strengths, interests and needs. Pupils develop communication, literacy and numeracy skills, gain qualifications and take part in enriching opportunities, including the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Staff combine high expectations with kindness, encouragement and relentless support. Consequently, pupils achieve exceptionally well and are well prepared for a rewarding and meaningful future. Pupils grow enormously in their personal development. They learn to make positive choices, regulate their behaviour and build healthy relationships. Bullying is extremely rare. If ever it does occur, staff tackle incidents quickly and effectively. Pupils know their voices matter and contribute through the school council, fundraising activities and community projects. A rich range of experiences beyond the classroom helps pupils engage in existing interests and discover new ones. Pupils leave as confident, increasingly capable young people who believe in themselves and look forward to a bright future. They are extremely well prepared for adulthood and their next stage of education, employment or training.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 22 September 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's September 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Oliver House School specialises in supporting pupils with complex autism who have experienced severely disrupted education. Staff combine high expectations with exceptional kindness and patience, creating personalised learning pathways that help pupils re-engage with education and discover their potential. Through this nurturing approach, pupils gain qualifications, develop life skills and move confidently into further education, employment or training.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional progress from individual starting points in communication, literacy and numeracy, with pupils gaining qualifications including GCSEs and ASDAN awards
- Remarkable improvements in attendance and behaviour through a strong culture of care, patience and excellent relationships
- Highly personalised curriculum pathways tailored to each pupil's unique strengths, interests and aspirations
- Exceptional inclusion practice that helps pupils build confidence, independence and resilience
- High-quality professional development and specialist training that enables staff to provide highly effective support
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - the school has created an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are fulfilled and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Fishing, gardening, cooking, outdoor learning, floristry, information technology, animal care, work experience placements, educational visits, volunteering, community projects
Oliver House School is an exceptional special school for pupils with complex autism and significant barriers to learning. Through highly personalised support and ambitious teaching, the school transforms pupils' lives and helps them achieve far more than they ever thought possible.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Approved
Section 41
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Oliver House School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 6 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 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
55 pupils
55 places
No spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Chorley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Chorley
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(8)
Independent School standard inspection
Met all the independent school standards.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
55
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Oliver House School is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
55
Total Pupils
46
Boys
9
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Oliver House School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Oliver House School
What is Oliver House School's Ofsted rating?
Oliver House School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2026, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2023, it was rated Outstanding.
Does Oliver House School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in October 2023, Oliver House School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Oliver House School?
Oliver House School has around 55 pupils on roll.
Does Oliver House School have specialist SEN provision?
Oliver House School is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
How do I apply to Oliver House School?
Oliver House School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Oliver House School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 6 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 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 Oliver House School?
Oliver House School is at Hallgate, Chorley, Lancashire, PR7 1XA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)