The Alternative School, Accrington
The Alternative School is an independent school for pupils aged 6 to 18 in Accrington. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in November 2024.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Alternative School in detail
The Alternative School in its own words
In its own words: "The Alternative School offers a holistic and flexible full-time school experience that has been designed to respond to the needs of young people who are unable to remain in mainstream education."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for The Alternative School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to The Alternative School are Rawdhatul Ilm Wal Huda (3.9 miles, Good); Jamiatul-Ilm Wal-Huda UK School (3.9 miles, Good); Rawdhatul Uloom Islamic Primary School (4.1 miles, Good); and Al Islah Girls' High School (4.2 miles, Good).
Rawdhatul Ilm Wal HudaJamiatul-Ilm Wal-Huda UK SchoolRawdhatul Uloom Islamic Primary SchoolAl Islah Girls' High School
Who goes there
In 2026, 37 pupils (21.5%) received SEN support and 135 (78.5%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Accrington Rail Station, about 130 metres away (roughly a 2-minute walk).
31 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Inspire (by), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Alternative 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 507 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 performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); 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 GIASISI Inspection Reports
Independent schools in England are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), not Ofsted. Ofsted last inspected this school in 17 June 2014, before the latest ISI inspection.
Routine Inspection
5 November 2024
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
23 November 2021
Regulatory Compliance
22 November 2017
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for The Alternative School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
GCSE Subjects Offered
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 3 nearby all-through schools
Keep up with The Alternative School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Alternative School.
- Funda Sports, Physical Activity Holiday Camps & Childcare770m away · Not yet graded
- PALS-Accrington Benjamin Hargreaves Church of England Primary School780m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 111
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 31
- Children hurt
- 21
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 111 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 31 serious and 79 slight.
21 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 12 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 7 in a vehicle or otherwise.
23 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
66%
Available places
172 pupils
260 places
88 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Accrington
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Accrington
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.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
37
SEN Support
135
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
172
Total Pupils
132
Boys
40
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
The Alternative School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about The Alternative School
What are GCSE results like at The Alternative School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for The Alternative School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
When was The Alternative School last inspected?
The Alternative School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in November 2024.
How many pupils go to The Alternative School?
The Alternative School has around 172 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to The Alternative School?
The Alternative 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.
Does The Alternative School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of The Alternative School: Funda Sports, Physical Activity Holiday Camps & Childcare (770m away, registered, not yet graded) and PALS-Accrington Benjamin Hargreaves Church of England Primary School (780m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near The Alternative School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 111 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 31 serious and 79 slight. 21 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 12 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 7 in a vehicle or otherwise. 23 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 The Alternative School?
The Alternative School is at 30 St. James Street, Accrington, Lancashire, BB5 1NT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)