The Rose School, Burnley
The Rose School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Burnley. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Rose School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Rose School are Broadfield Specialist School (0.2 miles, Outstanding); Holdsworth School (1.4 miles); Holly Grove School (2 miles, Outstanding); and Ridgewood Community High School (2.3 miles, Good).
Broadfield Specialist SchoolHoldsworth SchoolHolly Grove SchoolRidgewood Community High School
What parents say
10 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Rose School (as of September 2025): 80% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 88% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that their child does well at the school (70%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 14 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 57% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 50% to a further education college and 7% into work.
Who goes there
76.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 2.3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at The Rose School has an education, health and care plan (88 of 88 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
The Rose School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs and moderate learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Burnley Manchester Road Rail Station, about 1020 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).
15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cog Lane Stores (by), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Rose 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 529 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.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Rose School issued 3 suspensions, 4.2 for every 100 pupils, and 1 permanent exclusion.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; 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
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils flourish at this calm school. They are well-mannered and they benefit from the respectful relationships that they enjoy with staff, who care for them well. Staff provide pupils with a well-considered transition programme. This ensures that pupils receive the care that they need to make a positive start at the school. Pupils are happy here.
All pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They respond well to the high aspirations that the school has for their achievements and conduct. Most pupils achieve well.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Governors and the school have worked with urgency and precision to address the areas for improvement that were identified at the time of the previous inspection. Governors have an accurate view of the school's performance. They use this information well to assure themselves about the quality of education and care that the pupils receive. Governors carry out their statutory duties effectively.
The school has designed an ambitious curriculum. Pupils study a broad range of subjects. The school takes great care to ensure that pupils make a successful transition at each stage of their education. Typically, pupils gain a suite of qualifications that prepare them well for further study or the world of work.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Requires Improvement at its May 2022 inspection - down from Good.
Rated Good for
Personal development.
Areas Ofsted flagged
Quality of education (Requires Improvement), Behaviour & attitudes (Requires Improvement), Leadership & management (Requires Improvement).
At a Glance
76.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SpLD, Autism, SEMH +1
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
10 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with The Rose School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Rose School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Rose School is in Lancashire; for families living there:
- Lancashire's school travel policy: school transport policies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school transport assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 17
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 17 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 12 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
5 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
124%
Over capacity
88 pupils
71 places
17 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Burnley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Burnley
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(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
88
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Rose School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs and moderate learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
88
Total Pupils
73
Boys
15
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
7.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,457
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
28.5%
Overall absence
56.4%
Persistent absence
78
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 Rose School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about The Rose School
What are GCSE results like at The Rose School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at The Rose School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 3.5. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is The Rose School's Ofsted rating?
The Rose School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for The Rose School?
No fixed boundary. When The Rose School is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Rose School?
The Rose School has around 88 pupils on roll. 76% are eligible for free school meals.
Does The Rose School have specialist SEN provision?
The Rose School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs and moderate learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at The Rose School?
28.5% of sessions were missed at The Rose School in 2024/25. 56.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Rose School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming The Rose 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.
How many road collisions happen near The Rose School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 17 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 12 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 5 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 Rose School?
The Rose School is at Greenock Street, Burnley, Lancashire, BB11 4DT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)