Garforth Academy is a mainstream secondary school with an SEN unit in Leeds for children and young people aged 11 to 18. Its SEN unit has 50 places for specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), visual impairment, hearing impairment and speech, language and communication.
- Ages 11–18
- 1,897 pupils
School details
- Type
- Mainstream school with an SEN unit
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Specialist base
- An SEN unit, 50 places, 50 pupils
- Pupils
- 1,897
- Headteacher
- Principal Anna Young (Principal)
- Part of
- Delta Academies Trust
- Council
- Leeds
- School reference (URN)
- 136343
Needs its base supports
10 needs: dyslexia and SpLD, vision and 8 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in Leeds (15)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Leeds (11)
Cognition and learning
- Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) Other schools for this in Leeds (4)
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in Leeds (6)
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Leeds (5)
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Leeds (6)
Sensory and physical
- Hearing impairment Other schools for this in Leeds (7)
- Visual impairment Other schools for this in Leeds (3)
- Physical disability Other schools for this in Leeds (7)
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 Leeds 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
Graded by area, November 2024
Inspected in November 2024. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationOutstanding
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- Sixth formOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Lidgett Lane, Garforth, Leeds, LS25 1LJ
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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
- Brigshaw High School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 2.1 miles
- John Smeaton Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 2.4 miles
- Parklands Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Outstanding 3.4 miles
By need in Leeds: Autism (16) · Speech and language (12) · Hearing (8) · Physical (8) · SEMH (7) · Moderate learning (7) · Severe learning (6) · Dyslexia and SpLD (5) · Vision (4) · Multi-sensory (4) · PMLD (3)
Questions about Garforth Academy
How do I get a place in Garforth Academy’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 Garforth Academy support?
Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication, autism, social, emotional and mental health, physical disability, moderate learning difficulty and severe learning difficulty. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Garforth Academy take?
Aged 11 to 18, boys and girls.
What is Garforth Academy’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Garforth Academy?
Lidgett Lane, Garforth, Leeds, LS25 1LJ, in Leeds.
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.