The Maple School, Blackpool
The Maple School is a special school for pupils aged 10 to 16 in Blackpool, part of Synergy Education Trust Limited.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Maple School in detail
The Maple School in its own words
In its own words: "The Maple School is a specialist secondary provision for pupils with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. We are committed to providing a safe, nurturing and ambitious learning environment where every young person is supported to overcome barriers, develop confidence and achieve success both academically and personally."
From the headteacher's welcome: "As the Head of School, it’s my privilege to introduce you to our community, where we strive to create a nurturing and supportive environment for all our students so that they can Learn and Thrive ."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include multi-sports, drama, gardening, Duke of Edinburgh and forest school.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Maple School are Spen Brook School (1 mile, Good); Park Community Academy (1.3 miles, Outstanding); Woodlands School (1.3 miles, Good); and Blackpool Skills Academy (1.9 miles).
Spen Brook SchoolPark Community AcademyWoodlands SchoolBlackpool Skills Academy
The trust
The Maple School is one of 7 schools run by Synergy Education Trust Limited, an academy trust.
Who goes there
77.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 4.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at The Maple School has an education, health and care plan (49 of 49 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Blackpool South Rail Station, about 1.7 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Clifton Road (by), 50 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Maple School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Maple School issued 323 suspensions, 807.5 for every 100 pupils, and 2 permanent exclusions.
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; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
The Maple School has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in September 2024. Before that, as Lotus School (URN 147845), it was rated Inadequate in November 2022.
At a Glance
77.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from The Maple School
Weekly Update 3rd July 2026
3 Jul 2026
Weekly Update 26th June 2026
26 Jun 2026
Weekly Update 19th June 2026
19 Jun 2026
Weekly Update 12th June 2026
12 Jun 2026
Weekly Update 5th June 2026
5 Jun 2026
Weekly update 15th May 2026
15 May 2026
From The Maple School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with The Maple School
Before and after school care
The Maple School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Blackpool
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Maple School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Maple School is in Blackpool; for families living there:
Apply to Blackpool for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 34
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 7
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 34 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 27 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 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 Blackpool is 39 (the median across 51 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
102%
Over capacity
49 pupils
48 places
1 pupil over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Blackpool
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Blackpool
Across Blackpool council
Places available
1,545
Applications
1,503
Got 1st preference
84.9%
Got preferred school
94.7%
All secondary applications across Blackpool council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
49
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
49
Total Pupils
45
Boys
4
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
4.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£59,681
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
35.9%
Overall absence
80.0%
Persistent absence
50
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
The Maple School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about The Maple School
What are GCSE results like at The Maple School?
In the 2025 results, pupils at The Maple School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 1.1. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is The Maple School's Ofsted rating?
The Maple School has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in September 2024. Before that, as Lotus School (URN 147845), it was rated Inadequate in November 2022.
What is the catchment area for The Maple School?
No fixed boundary. When The Maple School is oversubscribed, Blackpool allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Maple School?
The Maple School has around 49 pupils on roll. 78% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Maple School?
35.9% of sessions were missed at The Maple School in 2024/25. 80% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Maple School?
Apply through Blackpool's coordinated admissions process, naming The Maple 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.
Does The Maple School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
The Maple School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near The Maple School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 34 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 27 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 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 Blackpool is 39 (the median across 51 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Maple School?
The Maple School is at Langdale Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 4RR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)