Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School, Blackpool
Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in Blackpool. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2015)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School in detail
Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am very proud to be the headteacher of a school which Ofsted described as, As a school we pride ourselves on striving to provide high quality teaching in an inclusive environment where all learners are cared for, valued and respected."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School are Great Arley School (under 0.1 miles, Good); Brookfield School (2.2 miles, Good); Norman House Independent School (2.9 miles); and Highfurlong School (3.1 miles).
Great Arley SchoolBrookfield SchoolNorman House Independent SchoolHighfurlong School
Who goes there
49.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 2.8% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School has an education, health and care plan (141 of 141 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is West Drive (Blackpool Tramway), about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Trunnah Road (by), 240 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from January 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its January 2015 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
49.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SpLD, Vision, Other +9
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh 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
- 14
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 8 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
2 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
Area Demand Pressure - Blackpool
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Blackpool
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(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
141
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
141
Total Pupils
103
Boys
38
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
8.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,447
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.9%
Overall absence
17.0%
Persistent absence
106
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
Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School
Showing 10 of 12 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School
What are SATs results like at Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School?
Of the pupils at Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School's Ofsted rating?
Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2015, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School?
No fixed boundary. When Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School?
Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School has around 141 pupils on roll. 50% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School have specialist SEN provision?
Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School?
7.9% of sessions were missed at Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School in 2024/25. 17% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh 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 Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 8 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 2 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 Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School?
Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School is at Holly Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY5 4HH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)