SMS Changing Lives School, Oldham
SMS Changing Lives School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Oldham. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2025.
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
SMS Changing Lives School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to SMS Changing Lives School are IncludEd Learning (0.5 miles, Good); St John Vianney RC School (0.7 miles, Good); Thompsons Academy trading as Navigators (1.2 miles); and Pinc College (1.4 miles, Good).
IncludEd LearningSt John Vianney RC SchoolThompsons Academy trading as NavigatorsPinc College
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at SMS Changing Lives School has an education, health and care plan (35 of 35 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Trafford Bar (Manchester Metrolink), about 850 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Upper Chorlton Road (near), 280 metres away.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
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 Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school excels at rebuilding pupils' confidence and positive attitudes towards education after difficult previous experiences. Staff create a supportive community where pupils develop trusting relationships and typically attend much more regularly. The school offers a broad curriculum including vocational courses and provides excellent preparation for pupils' next steps through careers guidance and college visits.
Key Strengths
- Staff develop positive relationships with pupils, resulting in good behaviour and improved attitudes to education
- Pupils receive high-quality pastoral support and effective careers guidance to prepare them for life beyond school
- The school successfully helps pupils become more confident readers through a well-stocked library and tailored support
- Pupils engage in enriching experiences such as theatre visits and have opportunities to develop life skills like cooking
- Staff work effectively as a team across all three sites and feel well supported
Areas for Improvement
- Some staff lack subject-specific knowledge to deliver the curriculum consistently well across all subjects
- Checks on pupils' learning are not always effective, so pupils sometimes move on before understanding previous content or are held back from deepening their learning
- Adaptation strategies identified to support pupils' individual needs are not always put into practice
- School oversight of curriculum quality in some subjects is not sharp enough to drive swift improvements
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school working with multiple agencies to ensure pupils are safeguarded and appropriate staff checks in place.
Extracurricular Activities
Theatre visits, fashion show visits, cooking lessons, vocational courses (including hair and beauty)
SMS Changing Lives School is a small independent special school for pupils aged 11-16 with social, emotional and mental health needs. The school requires improvement overall, though pupils benefit from strong pastoral support and improved attendance.
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 SMS Changing Lives School
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 30
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 30 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 24 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
5 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 Oldham is 14 (the median across 129 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
44%
Available places
35 pupils
80 places
45 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Oldham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Oldham
Across Oldham council
Places available
4,034
Applications
3,190
Got 1st preference
75.2%
Got preferred school
95.4%
All secondary applications across Oldham council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
35
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
SMS Changing Lives School 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
35
Total Pupils
30
Boys
5
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
SMS Changing Lives School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about SMS Changing Lives School
What is SMS Changing Lives School's Ofsted rating?
SMS Changing Lives School was rated Requires Improvement at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2025.
Does SMS Changing Lives School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in June 2025, SMS Changing Lives School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to SMS Changing Lives School?
SMS Changing Lives School has around 35 pupils on roll.
Does SMS Changing Lives School have specialist SEN provision?
SMS Changing Lives School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to SMS Changing Lives School?
SMS Changing Lives 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 SMS Changing Lives School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 30 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 24 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 5 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 Oldham is 14 (the median across 129 schools, same distance and years).
Where is SMS Changing Lives School?
SMS Changing Lives School is at Unit 2, Aniseed Park, Oldham Broadway Business Park, Oldham, Greater Manchester, OL9 9XA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)