Ribblesdale School is an all-through mainstream school in Clitheroe, Lancashire, for children and young people aged 4 to 16. In January 2026, 128 of its 1,437 pupils (8.9%) were getting SEN support and 34 (2.4%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 4–16
- 1,437 pupils
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Lancashire.
8.9% get SEN support
128 of 1,437 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Lower than the England average.
2.4% have an EHC plan
34 of 1,437 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia45
- Social, emotional and mental health39
- Moderate learning difficulty28
- Speech, language and communication15
- Autism14
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream all-through school
- Run as
- Council-run school
- Ages
- 4 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,437 (places for 1,635)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Anne-Marie Horrocks
- Free school meals
- 17.3% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Lancashire
- School reference (URN)
- 119716
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Lancashire council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Graded by area, July 2025
Inspected in July 2025. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementGood
- Early yearsGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Queens Road, Clitheroe, BB7 1EJ
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Padiham St Leonard's Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Requires improvement 5.3 miles
- TRUST-Education Group Ltd Independent · Ages 11–16 6.2 miles
- Park View Independent · Ages 8–18 · Ofsted: Good 6.3 miles
- Barrowford School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 7.2 miles
Other mainstream schools
- St James' Church of England Primary School, Clitheroe Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 15.6%, EHC plans 2.7% 0.1 miles
- St Michael and St John's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 13.5%, EHC plans 5.3% 0.2 miles
- Clitheroe Brookside Primary School Primary · Ages 5–11 · SEN support 13.8%, EHC plans 5.7% 0.5 miles
All mainstream schools in Lancashire SEND schools in Lancashire
Questions about Ribblesdale School
How many pupils at Ribblesdale School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 128 of the 1,437 pupils (8.9%) were getting SEN support and 34 (2.4%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Ribblesdale School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (45 pupils), social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (39 pupils) and moderate learning difficulties (28 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Ribblesdale School?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at Ribblesdale School?
Through Lancashire council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to Ribblesdale School?
You can ask for Ribblesdale School to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does Ribblesdale School have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Padiham St Leonard's Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School, about 5.3 miles away.
Where is Ribblesdale School?
Queens Road, Clitheroe, BB7 1EJ, in Lancashire.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), 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.