Dowdales School is a mainstream secondary school with resourced provision in Dalton-in-Furness, Westmorland and Furness, for children and young people aged 11 to 16. Its specialist base has 6 places for specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), hearing impairment, speech, language and communication and autism.
- Ages 11–16
- 877 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Mainstream school with resourced provision
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Specialist base
- Resourced provision, 6 places, 6 pupils
- Pupils
- 877
- Headteacher
- Ms Emma Aubrey (Headteacher)
- Council
- Westmorland and Furness
- School reference (URN)
- 112383
Needs its base supports
9 needs: dyslexia and SpLD, hearing and 7 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in Westmorland and Furness (9)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Westmorland and Furness (5)
Cognition and learning
- Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) Other schools for this in Westmorland and Furness (4)
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in Westmorland and Furness (2)
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Westmorland and Furness (4)
Sensory and physical
- Hearing impairment Other schools for this in Westmorland and Furness (3)
- Multi-sensory impairment Other schools for this in Westmorland and Furness (3)
- Physical disability Other schools for this in Westmorland and Furness (8)
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 Westmorland and Furness 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 Good, July 2019; standards maintained (February 2025)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in July 2019. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: Standards maintained (ungraded inspection, February 2025).
Contact and getting there
Dalton-in-Furness, LA15 8AH
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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
- South Cumbria Pupil Referral Service Alternative provision · Ages 7–16 · Ofsted: Good 2.9 miles
- Greengate Junior School Mainstream + base · Ages 7–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 3.5 miles
- Vickerstown School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 4.2 miles
All SEND schools in Westmorland and Furness
By need in Westmorland and Furness: Autism (10) · Physical (9) · Severe learning (8) · Speech and language (6) · SEMH (5) · PMLD (5) · Dyslexia and SpLD (5) · Hearing (4) · Vision (4) · Multi-sensory (4) · Moderate learning (3)
Questions about Dowdales School
How do I get a place in Dowdales 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 Dowdales School support?
Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), hearing impairment, speech, language and communication, autism, social, emotional and mental health, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability and moderate learning difficulty. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Dowdales School take?
Aged 11 to 16, boys and girls.
What is Dowdales School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Dowdales School?
Dalton-in-Furness, LA15 8AH, in Westmorland and Furness.
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.