Garstang Community Academy is a mainstream secondary school in Preston, Lancashire, for children and young people aged 11 to 16. In January 2026, 107 of its 750 pupils (14.3%) were getting SEN support and 19 (2.5%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–16
- 750 pupils
- Ofsted: Requires improvement
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Lancashire.
14.3% get SEN support
107 of 750 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
2.5% have an EHC plan
19 of 750 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health38
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia38
- Speech, language and communication15
- Autism7
- Physical disability6
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 secondary school
- Run as
- Academy
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 750 (places for 915)
- Headteacher
- Mr Satinder Singh (Principal)
- Part of
- Fylde Coast Academy Trust
- Free school meals
- 20.4% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Lancashire
- School reference (URN)
- 137342
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
Rated Requires improvement, March 2024; school remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (January 2023)
Rated Requires improvement at its last graded inspection, in March 2024.
- Quality of educationRequires improvement
- Behaviour and attitudesRequires improvement
- Personal developmentRequires improvement
- Leadership and managementRequires improvement
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, January 2023).
Contact and getting there
Bowgreave, Garstang, Preston, PR3 1YE
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Calder Lodge School Independent · Ages 5–11 · Ofsted: Good 3.4 miles
- Crookhey Hall School Independent · Ages 10–17 4.6 miles
- Ashton Community Science College Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 8.3 miles
- Holme Slack Community Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 8.5 miles
Other mainstream schools
- St Mary and St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Garstang Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 19.6%, EHC plans 3.1% 0.7 miles
- Garstang St Thomas' Church of England Primary School Primary · Ages 2–11 · SEN support 8.9%, EHC plans 2.7% 0.9 miles
- Kirkland and Catterall St Helen's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 13.6%, EHC plans 0.6% 1.1 miles
All mainstream schools in Lancashire SEND schools in Lancashire
Questions about Garstang Community Academy
How many pupils at Garstang Community Academy have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 107 of the 750 pupils (14.3%) were getting SEN support and 19 (2.5%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Garstang Community Academy?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (38 pupils), dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (38 pupils) and speech, language and communication needs (15 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Garstang Community Academy?
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 Garstang Community Academy?
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 Garstang Community Academy?
You can ask for Garstang Community Academy 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 Garstang Community Academy 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 Ashton Community Science College, about 8.3 miles away.
Where is Garstang Community Academy?
Bowgreave, Garstang, Preston, PR3 1YE, 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.