Woolston Brook School, Warrington
Woolston Brook School is a special school for pupils aged 7 to 16 in Warrington. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Woolston Brook School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Woolston Brook School are Green Lane Community Special School (under 0.1 miles, Outstanding); Fox Wood Special School (0.1 miles, Good); Birchwood School (1.3 miles, Good); and Chaigeley School (1.7 miles, Good).
Green Lane Community Special SchoolFox Wood Special SchoolBirchwood SchoolChaigeley School
Where pupils go next
Of the 10 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 50% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 40% to a further education college.
Who goes there
76.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (90%) and Mixed (7%).
Almost every pupil at Woolston Brook School has an education, health and care plan (73 of 73 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Woolston Brook School provides for pupils with autism and social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Padgate Rail Station, about 700 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Woolston High School (opposite), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Woolston Brook School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Woolston Brook School issued 60 suspensions, 87 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: 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 agoThis judgement is from January 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Woolston Brook School creates a nurturing environment where pupils feel safe, secure and happy. Staff know children extremely well and support their social and emotional needs with sensitivity. The school offers an exciting, broad curriculum with vocational options, outdoor adventures, and a strong careers programme that prepares pupils for life after school.
Key Strengths
- Broad, ambitious curriculum with expanded vocational courses and national qualifications (GCSEs, functional skills, entry levels)
- Strong focus on reading with targeted support helping struggling readers become confident, fluent readers
- Excellent pupil behaviour and positive attitudes to learning, with staff skilled at supporting emotional regulation
- Well-developed careers programme preparing pupils for their next stage of education
- Pupils enjoy outdoor activities including annual camp and Duke of Edinburgh's Award expeditions
Areas for Improvement
- In a small number of subjects, pupils don't have enough opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge or express their own ideas, limiting depth of learning
- New subject leaders are in early stages of using data to drive improvement and demonstrate the impact of their work
- School should provide more support to help new leaders develop their roles further
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school creates an open, positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Football, basketball, fishing trips, annual camp, adventurous activities, Duke of Edinburgh's Award expeditions, computer games
Woolston Brook School has improved significantly since the previous inspection, offering a broad curriculum with expanded vocational opportunities at key stage 4. Pupils benefit from strong staff relationships, positive behaviour, and high expectations that help them achieve well.
At a Glance
76.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Autism, SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Woolston Brook School
Before and after school care
Woolston Brook School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Warrington
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Woolston Brook School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Woolston Brook School is in Warrington; for families living there:
Apply to Warrington for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 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 Warrington is 11 (the median across 96 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
91%
Near capacity
73 pupils
80 places
7 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Warrington
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Warrington
Across Warrington council
Places available
2,880
Applications
2,620
Got 1st preference
88.9%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All secondary applications across Warrington council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(9)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
73
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Woolston Brook School provides for pupils with autism and social, emotional and mental health needs.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
73
Total Pupils
63
Boys
10
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
15
Teachers
4.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,594
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
31.8%
Overall absence
68.9%
Persistent absence
74
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
Woolston Brook School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Woolston Brook School
What are GCSE results like at Woolston Brook School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Woolston Brook School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 11.4. 6% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Woolston Brook School's Ofsted rating?
Woolston Brook School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Woolston Brook School?
No fixed boundary. When Woolston Brook School is oversubscribed, Warrington allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Woolston Brook School?
Woolston Brook School has around 73 pupils on roll. 77% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Woolston Brook School have specialist SEN provision?
Woolston Brook School provides for pupils with autism and social, emotional and mental health needs.
What is attendance like at Woolston Brook School?
31.8% of sessions were missed at Woolston Brook School in 2024/25. 68.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Woolston Brook School?
Apply through Warrington's coordinated admissions process, naming Woolston Brook 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.
Does Woolston Brook School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Woolston Brook School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Woolston Brook School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 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 Warrington is 11 (the median across 96 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Woolston Brook School?
Woolston Brook School is at Green Lane, Padgate, Warrington, Cheshire, WA1 4JL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)