Firwood High School is a special academy in Bolton for children and young people aged 11 to 19. It supports severe learning.
- Ages 11–19
- 261 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 11 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 261 (places for 150)
- Headteacher
- Mr Carl Heatley (Head of School)
- Part of
- Woodbridge Trust
- Opened
- 1 October 2018
- Free school meals
- 55.6% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Bolton
- School reference (URN)
- 146410
Needs it supports
1 need: severe learning
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Cognition and learning
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Bolton (6)
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 Bolton 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, November 2012; school remains Good (March 2023)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in November 2012. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, March 2023).
Contact and getting there
Stitch-MI Lane, Bolton, BL2 4HU
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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
- Bolton St Catherine's Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 2–16 0.0 miles
- Forwards Centre Alternative provision · Ages 5–11 0.7 miles
- Breightmet School Independent · Ages 5–18 · Ofsted: Requires improvement 0.8 miles
By need in Bolton: Autism (12) · Severe learning (7) · Speech and language (6) · SEMH (4) · Moderate learning (4) · Physical (4) · PMLD (3) · Vision (3) · Dyslexia and SpLD (2) · Hearing (2)
Questions about Firwood High School
How do I get a place at Firwood High School?
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 Firwood High School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Firwood High School support?
Severe learning difficulty. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Firwood High School take?
Aged 11 to 19, boys and girls.
What is Firwood High School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2023 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 Firwood High School?
Stitch-MI Lane, Bolton, BL2 4HU, in Bolton.
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.