Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School is a mainstream nursery school with an SEN unit in Warrington for children and young people aged 2 to 4. Its SEN unit has 22 places for specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), visual impairment, hearing impairment and speech, language and communication.
- Ages 2–4
- 102 pupils
- Ofsted: Outstanding
School details
- Type
- Mainstream school with an SEN unit
- Ages
- 2 to 4
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Specialist base
- An SEN unit, 22 places, 22 pupils
- Pupils
- 102
- Headteacher
- Miss Marcia Atherton (Headteacher)
- Council
- Warrington
- School reference (URN)
- 110956
Needs its base supports
12 needs: dyslexia and SpLD, vision and 10 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in Warrington (10)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Warrington (3)
Cognition and learning
- Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) Other schools for this in Warrington (2)
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in Warrington (5)
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Warrington (3)
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Warrington (8)
Sensory and physical
- Hearing impairment Other schools for this in Warrington (2)
- Visual impairment Other schools for this in Warrington (2)
- Multi-sensory impairment Other schools for this in Warrington (1)
- Physical disability Other schools for this in Warrington (1)
It also lists other needs. Ask the school what these are.
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places in an SEN unit or resourced provision are usually for children with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask about the base
See the school and its specialist base, and ask how children split their time between the base and mainstream classes.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Warrington council) that you want this school and its base, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Places in the base itself are agreed between the council and the school, so ask how they decide.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Rated Outstanding, November 2012; school remains Outstanding (March 2023)
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in November 2012. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
Since then: School remains Outstanding (ungraded inspection, March 2023).
Contact and getting there
Sandy Lane, Orford, Warrington, WA2 9HY
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Meadowside Community Primary and Nursery School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.3 miles
- Dallam Community Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.8 miles
- The Empower Academy Independent · Ages 11–16 1.3 miles
All SEND schools in Warrington
By need in Warrington: Autism (11) · SEMH (9) · Moderate learning (6) · Speech and language (4) · Severe learning (4) · Dyslexia and SpLD (3) · Hearing (3) · Vision (3) · Multi-sensory (2) · Physical (2)
Questions about Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School
How do I get a place in Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School’s specialist base?
Places in an SEN unit or resourced provision usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult the school about its base. If the school is named in the plan it must admit your child; places in the base itself are agreed between the council and the school.
What needs does Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School support?
Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication, autism, social, emotional and mental health, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulty, severe learning difficulty and profound and multiple learning difficulties. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School take?
Aged 2 to 4, boys and girls.
What is Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in March 2023 at its last graded inspection. Newer inspections no longer give a single overall grade, so read the latest report for the full picture.
Where is Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School?
Sandy Lane, Orford, Warrington, WA2 9HY, in Warrington.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.