Underley Garden School, Carnforth
Underley Garden School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 19 in Carnforth.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Underley Garden School in detail
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Underley Garden School has an education, health and care plan (101 of 101 in 2026).
Underley Garden School is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Underley Garden School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Westmorland and Furness (11).
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASISI Inspection Reports
Independent schools in England are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), not Ofsted. Ofsted last inspected this school in 13 May 2025, before the latest ISI inspection.
Non-Routine Inspection
17 July 2026
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school excels at helping pupils who arrive with negative views of education turn their attitudes around quickly. Staff are experts in their field who break learning into clear steps and personalise teaching for each child's needs. The school places pupils' personal development at its heart, ensuring they are thoroughly prepared for independent adult life through work experience and practical life skills.
Key Strengths
- Highly skilled staff who form strong relationships with pupils and help them develop positive attitudes to learning
- Ambitious, carefully personalised curriculum tailored to three different pathways and individual pupil needs
- Exceptional focus on preparing pupils for adulthood through work experience, college visits, and life skills teaching
- Highly effective approach to teaching reading with strong staff professional development
- Outstanding behaviour and attitudes supported by calm, welcoming school environment
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with meticulous scrutiny of records and an open, honest culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, paired reading time, work experience, college visits, social skills practice in safe environments
Underley Garden School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 19 with various SEND needs including autism and severe learning difficulties. The school has been rated Outstanding across all areas, maintaining its excellent standard from the previous inspection.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Approved
Section 41
No
Special Measures
Latest from Underley Garden School
Celebrating Autistic Pride Across Our School
18 Jun 2026
World Environment Day
5 Jun 2026
Music exploration in Creative Arts!
21 May 2026
Cultural Diversity Day
21 May 2026
St Georges Day at Underley Garden
23 Apr 2026
Illuminating Imaginations @ Underley Garden
25 Mar 2026
From Underley Garden School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Underley Garden School
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Westmorland and Furness is 3 (the median across 161 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
70%
Available places
101 pupils
145 places
44 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Carnforth
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Carnforth
Across Westmorland and Furness council
Places available
2,857
Applications
1,903
Got 1st preference
96.4%
Got preferred school
99.5%
All secondary applications across Westmorland and Furness council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
101
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Underley Garden School is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
101
Total Pupils
77
Boys
24
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Underley Garden School
Questions parents ask about Underley Garden School
What are GCSE results like at Underley Garden School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Underley Garden School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
When was Underley Garden School last inspected?
Underley Garden School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a non-routine inspection in July 2026.
How many pupils go to Underley Garden School?
Underley Garden School has around 101 pupils on roll.
Does Underley Garden School have specialist SEN provision?
Underley Garden School is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
How do I apply to Underley Garden School?
Underley Garden 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 Underley Garden School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Westmorland and Furness is 3 (the median across 161 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Underley Garden School?
Underley Garden School is at Kirkby Lonsdale, Carnforth, Lancashire, LA6 2DZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)