Opal Education, Congleton
Opal Education is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 17 in Congleton.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Opal Education in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Opal Education are Esland Daven School (under 0.1 miles, Requires improvement); Aidenswood School (1.1 miles, Good); Roaches School (4.4 miles, Inadequate); and Wonder Star School (5.6 miles).
Esland Daven SchoolAidenswood SchoolRoaches SchoolWonder Star School
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Opal Education has an education, health and care plan (8 of 8 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Congleton Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lambs House School (outside), 230 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Opal Education stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 7th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 137 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Cheshire East (61), 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 · 2 years agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Opal Education shows excellent preparation for supporting vulnerable pupils with complex needs. The school has thoughtfully designed its curriculum and environment to help pupils with disrupted education histories rebuild confidence and develop emotional resilience. Staff will be well-trained in SEND support, with typically two adults working with each pupil.
Key Strengths
- Carefully designed curriculum tailored to pupils' needs with focus on emotional development and building trusting relationships
- Strong safeguarding arrangements with designated leads, up-to-date training, and clear policies reflecting recent government guidance
- Well-planned staff recruitment with expertise in SEND support and ongoing professional development programmes
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with designated leads, up-to-date staff training, electronic recording systems for concerns, and policies reflecting government guidance.
Extracurricular Activities
Careers programme with work experience opportunities, physical education in the local community
Opal Education is a proposed independent school for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, typically those with education, health and care plans. The school is likely to meet all independent school standards when it opens.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Opal Education
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 5
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 4 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
1 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 Cheshire East is 6 (the median across 180 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
80%
Available places
8 pupils
10 places
2 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Congleton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Congleton
Across Cheshire East council
Places available
4,404
Applications
4,072
Got 1st preference
93.1%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All secondary applications across Cheshire East council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Opal Education is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
8
Total Pupils
5
Boys
3
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Opal Education
How many pupils go to Opal Education?
Opal Education has around 8 pupils on roll.
Does Opal Education have specialist SEN provision?
Opal Education is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Opal Education?
Opal Education 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 Opal Education?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 4 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 1 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 Cheshire East is 6 (the median across 180 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Opal Education?
Opal Education is at Unit 12, Holland Business Park, Riverdane Road, Congleton, CW12 1PN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)