Schools with severe learning difficulties provision in Westmorland and Furness

For pupils with significant intellectual disabilities who need support with independence and communication as well as learning. Westmorland and Furness has 4 mainstream schools with a unit or resourced provision for severe learning difficulties and 3 special schools that cater for it.

Mainstream schools with a unit or resourced provision (4)

Pupils have a specialist base and staff inside an ordinary school. Places are separate from the school's main admissions and normally need an EHC plan.

School	Provision	Ages	Town	Places	Ofsted	Score
North Lakes SchoolPrimary school · also autism, physical disability, profound and multiple learning difficulties	Resourced provision	7-11	Penrith	7	Good 2023	11
Vickerstown SchoolPrimary school · also autism, physical disability	Resourced provision	3-11	Barrow-in-Furness	8	Report card 2026	1
The Lakes SchoolSecondary school · also moderate learning difficulties	Resourced provision	11-18	Windermere	3	Good 2019	49
Ullswater Community CollegeSecondary school · also physical disability, profound and multiple learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health	Resourced provision	11-18	Penrith	27	Good 2023	46

Special schools (3)

Special schools take pupils with an education, health and care plan; the council names the school in the plan. Many cater for several needs.

School	Provision	Ages	Town	Places	Ofsted	Score
George Hastwell School Special AcademySpecial school · also autism, hearing impairment, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and more	Special school	3-19	Barrow-in-Furness	99 pupils	No overall grade 2024	–
Sandgate SchoolSpecial school · also autism, physical disability, speech, language and communication, specific learning difficulties and more	Special school	3-19	Kendal	166 pupils	Good 2023	–
Sandside Lodge SchoolSpecial school · also autism, hearing impairment, multi-sensory impairment, other needs and more	Special school	4-19	Ulverston	104 pupils	Good 2024	–

Other councils All schools in Westmorland and Furness

Other needs

Autism Speech, language and communication Social, emotional and mental health Moderate learning difficulties Profound and multiple learning difficulties Hearing impairment Visual impairment Multi-sensory impairment Physical disability Specific learning difficulties Other needs

How to read this

The list comes from the Department for Education's register of schools (Get Information about Schools), which records the type of SEN provision each school has and how many pupils are in a resourced provision or SEN unit. Resourced provision means extra staff and funding for a group of pupils who spend most of their time in ordinary classes. A SEN unit is a separate class within the school. Both need a place agreed by the council through an education, health and care plan; ask the council's SEND team, not the school's admissions office. The register is only as good as what schools report, so check with the school before relying on it.