Pleckgate High School is a mainstream secondary school in Blackburn, Blackburn with Darwen, for children and young people aged 11 to 16. In January 2026, 199 of its 1,339 pupils (14.9%) were getting SEN support and 29 (2.2%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–16
- 1,339 pupils
- Ofsted: Outstanding
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Blackburn with Darwen.
14.9% get SEN support
199 of 1,339 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
2.2% have an EHC plan
29 of 1,339 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Speech, language and communication86
- Social, emotional and mental health64
- Moderate learning difficulty32
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia19
- Physical disability10
- Visual impairment7
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 (sponsored)
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,339 (places for 1,350)
- Headteacher
- Mrs A McGinty
- Part of
- Education Partnership Trust
- Free school meals
- 24.1% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Blackburn with Darwen
- School reference (URN)
- 142088
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 Blackburn with Darwen 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 Outstanding, June 2024; school remains Outstanding (Concerns) - S5 Next (March 2023)
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in June 2024.
- Quality of educationOutstanding
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Outstanding (Concerns) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, March 2023).
Contact and getting there
Pleckgate Road, Blackburn, BB1 8QA
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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
- St Wilfrid's Church of England Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 1.8 miles
- Shadsworth Infant School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 2.4 miles
- Newfield School Special school · Ages 4–19 2.4 miles
- The Willows Independent · Ages 5–16 · Ofsted: Good 3.0 miles
Other mainstream schools
- St Gabriel's Church of England Primary School Primary · Ages 5–11 · SEN support 8.5%, EHC plans 1.9% 0.2 miles
- Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 5.3%, EHC plans 6.3% 0.2 miles
- Lammack Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 6.2%, EHC plans 1.8% 0.4 miles
All mainstream schools in Blackburn with Darwen SEND schools in Blackburn with Darwen
Questions about Pleckgate High School
How many pupils at Pleckgate High School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 199 of the 1,339 pupils (14.9%) were getting SEN support and 29 (2.2%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Pleckgate High School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are speech, language and communication needs (86 pupils), social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (64 pupils) and moderate learning difficulties (32 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Pleckgate High 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 Pleckgate High School?
Through Blackburn with Darwen 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 Pleckgate High School?
You can ask for Pleckgate High 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 Pleckgate High 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 St Wilfrid's Church of England Academy, about 1.8 miles away.
Where is Pleckgate High School?
Pleckgate Road, Blackburn, BB1 8QA, in Blackburn with Darwen.
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.