Cloughwood Academy is a special academy in Northwich, Cheshire West and Chester, for boys aged 8 to 18. It supports SEMH.
- Ages 8–18
- 120 pupils
- Boys only
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 8 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys only
- Pupils
- 120 (places for 120)
- Headteacher
- Mr Robert Newton (Principal)
- Part of
- Kaleidoscope Learning Trust
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Opened
- 1 September 2013
- Free school meals
- 64.5% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Cheshire West and Chester
- School reference (URN)
- 140093
Needs it supports
1 need: SEMH
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Cheshire West and Chester (8)
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through 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 questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Cheshire West and Chester council) that this is the school you want, 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. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
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
Report card, April 2026: Expected standard in 4 of 7 areas
Inspected in April 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionStrong standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
- Post-16Expected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- SafeguardingMet
Since then: School remains Outstanding (ungraded inspection, September 2021).
Contact and getting there
Stones Manor Lane, Hartford, Northwich, CW8 1NU
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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
- Elmy Hall School Independent · Ages 5–18 0.4 miles
- St Nicholas Catholic High School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 0.5 miles
- Greenbank School Special school · Ages 11–18 0.5 miles
All SEND schools in Cheshire West and Chester
By need in Cheshire West and Chester: Autism (13) · SEMH (9) · Speech and language (8) · Moderate learning (7) · Severe learning (4) · PMLD (3) · Physical (2)
Questions about Cloughwood Academy
How do I get a place at Cloughwood Academy?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult Cloughwood Academy. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Cloughwood Academy support?
Social, emotional and mental health. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Cloughwood Academy take?
Aged 8 to 18, boys only.
What is Cloughwood Academy’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in April 2026 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 Cloughwood Academy?
Stones Manor Lane, Hartford, Northwich, CW8 1NU, in Cheshire West and Chester.
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.