Woolston Brook School
Woolston Brook School is a council special school in Warrington for boys and girls aged 7 to 16. It has 73 pupils and room for 80. About 77 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.
Green Lane, Padgate, Green Lane, Padgate, Warrington, WA1 4JL01925 818549woolstonbrookschool.co.ukMs Catherine Fowler headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 29 April 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.
Earlier inspections (1)
| Date | Type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 6 March 2024 | Ungraded | School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next |
Results
GCSE results, summer 2025
10 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.
All GCSE measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 | Warrington | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 10 | 10 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 19 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 10.1 | 3.5 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 8.2 | 7.1 | 47.0 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | -3.16 | -2.19 | -3.43 | -1.97 | -2.72 | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 5% | 45% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 20% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 5% | 66% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 0.60 | 0.18 | 0.16 | 0.05 | 0.45 | 0.40 | 4.21 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 47% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged | – | 3.5 | – | – | 9.0 | – | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged | – | – | – | – | 7.2 | – | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | – | 4.3 | 3.3 | 7.7 | 6.9 | – | – |
Subjects
Results came out for 3 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.
The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.
Every subject against England, 2025
| Subject | Entries | Grades 9 to 7 | Grades 9 to 5 | Grades 9 to 4 | England 9 to 5 | Rank in England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 13 | 0% | 0% | 39% | 53% | – |
| English Language | 10 | 0% | 20% | 20% | 54% | – |
| Biology | 9 | 0% | 0% | 22% | 82% | – |
In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
3 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Warrington | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 3 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 5 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | – | 0% | – | 0% | 0% | – | 68% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | – | 0% | – | 0% | 0% | – | 9% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | – | – | – | 93.0 | 91.0 | – | 106.8 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | – | – | – | 88.0 | 89.0 | – | 105.9 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | – | – | – | 96.0 | 90.0 | – | 106.4 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | – | 0% | – | 13% | 14% | – | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | – | 0% | – | 0% | 0% | – | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | – | 0% | – | 25% | 0% | – | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | – | -8.4 | – | – | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | – | -12.3 | – | – | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | – | – | – | – | 0% | – | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
Getting a place
Admissions policy not published.
Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Warrington council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
Who goes here
Who the school teaches, from the latest school census.
Specialist SEND provision. A special school for pupils with autism, social, emotional and mental health.
To get a place in the unit or resourced provision, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school. Other schools in Warrington with autism provision.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (51), Autistic spectrum disorder (7), language and communications needs (5), Moderate learning difficulty (3), Other difficulty or disability (3), Specific learning difficulty (3).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 73 | 69 | 66 | 58 | 71 | 67 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 77% | 67% | 68% | 78% | 72% | 64% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 0% | 1% | 2% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 2% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 99% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 68.2% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 31.8% | 35.1% | 34.2% | 38.1% | 32.8% | 15.3% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 18.6% | 24.6% | 18.6% | 19.2% | 21.8% | 6.7% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 13.2% | 10.5% | 15.7% | 18.9% | 11.0% | 8.7% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 68.9% | 71.0% | 71.2% | 77.6% | 76.3% | 50.0% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 87.0 | 122.7 | 196.6 | 180.3 | 146.3 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
What pupils do next
After GCSEs
Where the 15 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 33% | 35% | 67% | 86% |
| Education | 27% | 24% | 60% | 86% |
| Apprenticeship | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Work | 7% | 12% | 7% | 0% |
| Not in education, work or training | 40% | 29% | 13% | 14% |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other special schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Lane Community Special School | Council | 10 m | 229 | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| Fox Wood Special School | Council | 210 m | 174 | Report card 2026 | – | Compare |
| Bruche Academy | Academy | 320 m | 243 | Good 2022 | 95 | Compare |
| King's Leadership Academy Warrington | Free school | 540 m | 804 | Not inspected | 89 | Compare |
| Woolston Community Primary School | Academy | 630 m | 230 | Good 2023 | 33 | Compare |
| Kassia Academy and Support Services | Academy alternative provision converter | 760 m | 18 | Good 2024 | – | Compare |
| Christ Church CofE Primary School Padgate | Church of England | 790 m | 307 | Good 2023 | 73 | Compare |
| St Peter's Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 800 m | 211 | Outstanding 2024 | 95 | Compare |
Questions parents ask
Is Woolston Brook School a good school?
Woolston Brook School doesn't have a score yet. Ofsted rated it not judged at its last inspection in April 2025.
What is Woolston Brook School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Woolston Brook School not judged at its last full inspection on 29 April 2025.
How good are Woolston Brook School's GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 0% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 10.1, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished well over a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How many pupils does Woolston Brook School have?
73 pupils aged 7 to 16 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 80 places, so it is 91% full.
What is attendance like at Woolston Brook School?
Pupils were in school 68.2% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 69% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
Does Woolston Brook School have specialist SEND provision?
Yes. It is a special school for autism, social, emotional and mental health. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.
Does Woolston Brook School have a breakfast club?
Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Green Lane, Padgate, Green Lane, Padgate, Warrington, WA1 4JL
- Telephone
- 01925 818549
- Website
- www.woolstonbrookschool.co.uk
- Headteacher
- Ms Catherine Fowler
- Free breakfast club
- Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
- Type of school
- Council special school (Community special school, special schools)
- Phase
- Special school, ages 7-16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Local authority
- Warrington
- Ward
- Rixton and Woolston
- Constituency
- Warrington North
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- URN
- 111501 · LAESTAB 8777103 · UKPRN 10015593
Recent changes
- New KS4 results for 2024/25
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- GCSE results: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25 final.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, consistent financial reporting 2024/25.
- Breakfast club: DfE list of schools on the free breakfast club programme.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.