St Gabriel's RC High School, a Voluntary Academy is a mainstream secondary school in Bury for children and young people aged 11 to 16. In January 2026, 135 of its 1,027 pupils (13.1%) were getting SEN support and 48 (4.7%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–16
- 1,027 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Bury.
13.1% get SEN support
135 of 1,027 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
4.7% have an EHC plan
48 of 1,027 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Higher than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health56
- Speech, language and communication35
- Autism24
- Moderate learning difficulty20
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia18
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
- 1,027 (places for 1,050)
- Headteacher
- Mr Simon Braithwaite
- Part of
- St Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Academy Trust
- Faith
- Roman Catholic
- Free school meals
- 25.5% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Bury
- School reference (URN)
- 148049
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 Bury 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 Good, March 2023
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in March 2023.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Bridge Road, Bury, BL9 0TZ
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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
- Mill School - Bury Independent · Ages 7–17 · Ofsted: Good 0.3 miles
- Forestwood School Independent · Ages 12–19 · Ofsted: Good 0.4 miles
- Chantlers Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 0.8 miles
- Woodbank Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.9 miles
Other mainstream schools
Questions about St Gabriel's RC High School, a Voluntary Academy
How many pupils at St Gabriel's RC High School, a Voluntary Academy have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 135 of the 1,027 pupils (13.1%) were getting SEN support and 48 (4.7%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at St Gabriel's RC High School, a Voluntary Academy?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (56 pupils), speech, language and communication needs (35 pupils) and autism (24 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at St Gabriel's RC High School, a Voluntary 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 St Gabriel's RC High School, a Voluntary Academy?
Through Bury 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 St Gabriel's RC High School, a Voluntary Academy?
You can ask for St Gabriel's RC High School, a Voluntary 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 St Gabriel's RC High School, a Voluntary 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 Chantlers Primary School, about 0.8 miles away.
Where is St Gabriel's RC High School, a Voluntary Academy?
Bridge Road, Bury, BL9 0TZ, in Bury.
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.