Sir Tom Finney Community High School, Preston
Sir Tom Finney Community High School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Preston. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2017)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Sir Tom Finney Community High School in detail
Sir Tom Finney Community High School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "We are a nurturing and inclusive community dedicated to providing a safe, supportive environment where every child is valued and empowered to thrive. Our school is committed to meeting the unique needs of students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), offering personalised learning and opportunities for growth in a caring atmosphere."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Sir Tom Finney Community High School are Acorns Primary School (1.6 miles, Good); Walney House Independent School (2 miles); Moorbrook School (2.4 miles, Good); and The Coppice School (3 miles, Good).
Acorns Primary SchoolWalney House Independent SchoolMoorbrook SchoolThe Coppice School
Where pupils go next
Of the 27 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 4% to a further education college.
Who goes there
47.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 14.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Sir Tom Finney Community High School has an education, health and care plan (255 of 255 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Sir Tom Finney Community High School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Preston Rail Station, about 2.5 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sir Tom Finney School (outside), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Sir Tom Finney Community High School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 265 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, Sir Tom Finney Community High School issued 3 suspensions, 1.3 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
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 · 4 years agoThis judgement is from November 2017, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its November 2017 inspection - down from Outstanding.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
47.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SpLD, Vision, Other +9
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Sir Tom Finney Community High School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Sir Tom Finney Community High School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Sir Tom Finney Community High 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
- 12
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 10 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
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 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
104%
Over capacity
255 pupils
245 places
10 pupils over capacity
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(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
255
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Sir Tom Finney Community High School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, 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
255
Total Pupils
162
Boys
93
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
33
Teachers
7.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,548
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.5%
Overall absence
28.7%
Persistent absence
157
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
Sir Tom Finney Community High School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Sir Tom Finney Community High School
What are GCSE results like at Sir Tom Finney Community High School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Sir Tom Finney Community High School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 0.6. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Sir Tom Finney Community High School's Ofsted rating?
Sir Tom Finney Community High School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2017, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Sir Tom Finney Community High School?
No fixed boundary. When Sir Tom Finney Community High School is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Sir Tom Finney Community High School?
Sir Tom Finney Community High School has around 255 pupils on roll. 48% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Sir Tom Finney Community High School have specialist SEN provision?
Sir Tom Finney Community High School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Sir Tom Finney Community High School?
10.5% of sessions were missed at Sir Tom Finney Community High School in 2024/25. 28.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Sir Tom Finney Community High School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Sir Tom Finney Community High 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 Sir Tom Finney Community High School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 10 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 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 Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Sir Tom Finney Community High School?
Sir Tom Finney Community High School is at Ribbleton Hall Drive, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 6EE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)