The Orchards, Stretford
The Orchards is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Stretford, part of Bright Futures Educational Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Orchards in detail
The Orchards in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "It is my pleasure to welcome you to The Orchards Specialist School. We are proud to be a part of Bright Futures Education Trust which link us with other inspirational and innovative schools across Trafford. At The Orchards we are passionate about providing our children with meaningful learning experiences which promote their development through a holistic curriculum."
Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 18 November 2026, an open day on Wednesday 20 January 2027, an open day on Wednesday 17 March 2027 and an open day on Wednesday 19 May 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Trafford
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Orchards are Egerton High School (0.4 miles, Good); Longford Park School (1.8 miles, Requires improvement); Woodlands (1.8 miles, Requires improvement); and Thompsons Academy trading as Navigators (2.1 miles).
Egerton High SchoolLongford Park SchoolWoodlandsThompsons Academy trading as Navigators
The trust
The Orchards is one of 11 schools run by Bright Futures Educational Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
13 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Orchards (as of September 2025): 62% would recommend the school, 85% say their child is happy there and 40% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (85%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (40%).
Who goes there
52.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 37.8% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (32%), Asian (25%) and Mixed (20%).
In 2026, 10 pupils (6.8%) received SEN support and 138 (93.2%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Humphrey Park Rail Station, about 720 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lostock Circle (near), 120 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Orchards issued 4 suspensions, 2.8 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from July 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school has improved significantly.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Orchards truly champions every child in a supportive, compassionate environment where pupils arrive full of joy each morning. Staff are exceptionally skilled at helping pupils manage their behaviour and emotions, leading to improved learning and attendance over time. The school delivers a carefully personalised education that builds independence and prepares pupils brilliantly for their future, whether that's secondary school or adult life.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional pupil behaviour supported by highly skilled staff and strong relationships between staff and pupils
- Highly personalised curriculum tailored to individual needs with impressive focus on communication and reading skills
- Outstanding attendance improvement through understanding pupils' individual circumstances and working with families
- Comprehensive wider development including sports partnerships, healthy relationships education, and pupil representation on trust youth board
- Strong staff support and professional development, with staff feeling valued and workload managed effectively
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with school leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Theatre visits, football match visits, local amenities visits, sporting opportunities with local sports team including competitive sport, breakfast club, trust youth board participation
The Orchards is a special school for pupils aged 3-11 with complex SEND needs. Evidence suggests the school's work has improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection in 2019.
At a Glance
52.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
13 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 0% to 7% (2024 to 2025), while maths has improved from 0% to 7% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with The Orchards
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Orchards from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Orchards is in Trafford; for families living there:
Apply to Trafford for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 22
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 20 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
6 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 Trafford is 11 (the median across 103 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
99%
Near capacity
148 pupils
149 places
1 spare place
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Stretford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Stretford
Across Trafford council
Places available
3,679
Applications
3,221
Got 1st preference
81.0%
Got preferred school
98.4%
All secondary applications across Trafford council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
10
SEN Support
138
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
148
Total Pupils
112
Boys
36
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
7.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£45,804
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.8%
Overall absence
18.2%
Persistent absence
121
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Questions parents ask about The Orchards
What are SATs results like at The Orchards?
Of the pupils at The Orchards who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 7% reached the expected standard in reading and 7% did so in maths.
What is The Orchards's Ofsted rating?
The Orchards's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Orchards?
No fixed boundary. When The Orchards is oversubscribed, Trafford allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Orchards?
The Orchards has around 148 pupils on roll. 53% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Orchards?
6.8% of sessions were missed at The Orchards in 2024/25. 18.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Orchards?
Apply through Trafford's coordinated admissions process, naming The Orchards 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 The Orchards?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 20 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 6 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 Trafford is 11 (the median across 103 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Orchards?
The Orchards is at Audley Avenue, Stretford, Greater Manchester, M32 9TG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)