The Ribble Autism School, Preston
The Ribble Autism School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Preston. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
The Ribble Autism School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Ribble Autism School are Applebee Wood School (0.3 miles); Bridgeway School (1.3 miles, Outstanding); The Coppice School (1.7 miles, Good); and Roselyn House School (2.1 miles, Good).
Applebee Wood SchoolBridgeway SchoolThe Coppice SchoolRoselyn House School
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at The Ribble Autism School has an education, health and care plan (10 of 10 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Lostock Hall Rail Station, about 510 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Pleasant Retreat (by), 150 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Ribble Autism School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
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
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 July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school excels at creating a warm, caring environment where pupils with autism feel safe and excited to learn. Staff are highly attuned to each child's needs and work closely with therapists to create personalised learning plans. Pupils show real progress in managing their emotions, building confidence and developing communication skills.
Key Strengths
- Staff understand pupils' autism and special needs, responding with compassion and providing tailored support
- Pupils develop positive strategies to manage emotions and show improved confidence and communication
- In-house therapists and staff work effectively together to embed targets into personalised learning pathways
- School fosters a love of reading through daily rhymes, songs and stories
- Strong emphasis on building pupils' independence in personal care, communication and social skills
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent curriculum delivery across the school - staff need clearer guidance on breaking down long-term goals into manageable learning steps
- Some curriculum areas lack consistent understanding of how to help pupils build knowledge in a logical, secure way
- Parents do not receive enough information and guidance about their child's learning and development to support them at home
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with detailed risk assessments that account for pupils' individual needs and a secure, well-maintained site.
Extracurricular Activities
Swimming sessions, visits to the local library, walks in the community
The Ribble Autism School is a new independent special school for children with autism aged 4-11 that has made a strong start in establishing its culture, curriculum and systems. Pupils are happy, settled and achieving well with strong relationships between staff and pupils.
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 The Ribble Autism School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 30
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 11
- Children hurt
- 5
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, 11 serious and 19 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
7 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
100%
Full
10 pupils
10 places
No spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Preston
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Preston
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(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Ribble Autism 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
10
Total Pupils
6
Boys
4
Girls
2026 academic year
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
The Ribble Autism School
Questions parents ask about The Ribble Autism School
What is The Ribble Autism School's Ofsted rating?
The Ribble Autism School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2025.
Does The Ribble Autism School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in July 2025, The Ribble Autism School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to The Ribble Autism School?
The Ribble Autism School has around 10 pupils on roll.
Does The Ribble Autism School have specialist SEN provision?
The Ribble Autism School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to The Ribble Autism School?
The Ribble Autism 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 Ribble Autism 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, 11 serious and 19 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 7 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 Ribble Autism School?
The Ribble Autism School is at Emily Street, Lostock Hall, Preston, PR5 5SZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)