The Orchards is a special free school in Stretford, Trafford, for children and young people aged 3 to 11.
- Ages 3–11
- 148 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Special free school
- Ages
- 3 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 148 (places for 149)
- Headteacher
- Ms Helen O'Brien
- Part of
- Bright Futures Educational Trust
- Opened
- 1 September 2016
- Free school meals
- 52.5% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Trafford
- School reference (URN)
- 142782
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 Trafford 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
Rated Good, July 2019; improved significantly (February 2025)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in July 2019. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
- Early yearsGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: Improved significantly (ungraded inspection, February 2025).
Contact and getting there
Audley Avenue, Stretford, M32 9TG
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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
- Barton Clough Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.0 miles
- Lostock High School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.3 miles
- Kingsway Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.3 miles
By need in Trafford: Autism (16) · Speech and language (13) · Moderate learning (9) · SEMH (8) · Severe learning (5) · Dyslexia and SpLD (5) · Physical (3) · PMLD (2)
Questions about The Orchards
How do I get a place at The Orchards?
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 The Orchards. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What ages does The Orchards take?
Aged 3 to 11, boys and girls.
What is The Orchards’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is The Orchards?
Audley Avenue, Stretford, M32 9TG, in Trafford.
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.