The Nook School, Colne
The Nook School is a special school for girls aged 11 to 18 in Colne. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2024. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
The Nook School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Nook School are Pendle View Primary School (0.9 miles, Outstanding); Pendle Community High School & College (1 mile, Outstanding); Grow Independent School (2.1 miles); and Silver Birch School (2.9 miles).
Pendle View Primary SchoolPendle Community High School & CollegeGrow Independent SchoolSilver Birch School
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at The Nook School has an education, health and care plan (14 of 14 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Colne Rail Station, about 1090 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).
1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is Woolpack (by), 330 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 Nook School demonstrates strong commitment to pupil safety and welfare, with rigorous safeguarding procedures and well-maintained facilities. The school knows each pupil well and tailors support to their individual needs. Leadership is proactive in planning for growth, with careful consideration of staffing and resources to support the proposed increase in pupil numbers.
Key Strengths
- Detailed safeguarding policy with regular staff training and updates to keep staff vigilant
- Comprehensive risk assessments and health and safety measures in place, including regular maintenance of emergency equipment and fire safety systems
- Well-maintained premises being refurbished to high standards with adequate space and facilities for increased pupil numbers
- Effective staff recruitment strategy with appropriate safeguarding checks completed before staff start
- Strong leadership with detailed self-evaluation and quality assurance procedures
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective - the designated safeguarding lead has ensured a detailed policy is in place with clear guidance for staff, regular training updates, and policy that reflects recent statutory guidance.
The Nook School is an independent girls school for pupils aged 11-18 with special educational needs and disabilities. The inspection assessed whether the school is likely to meet standards if approved to increase pupil numbers from 12 to 16.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with The Nook School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 3 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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
88%
Available places
14 pupils
16 places
2 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Colne
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Colne
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(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
14
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Nook 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
14
Total Pupils
0
Boys
14
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
The Nook School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about The Nook School
What is The Nook School's Ofsted rating?
The Nook School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2024, it was rated Good.
Does The Nook School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in January 2024, The Nook School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to The Nook School?
The Nook School has around 14 pupils on roll.
Does The Nook School have specialist SEN provision?
The Nook School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to The Nook School?
The Nook 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 The Nook School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 3 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Nook School?
The Nook School is at Knotts Lane, Colne, Colne, BB8 8HH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)