Changing Lives is an independent special school in Manchester, Trafford, for children and young people aged 11 to 18.
- Ages 11–18
- 56 pupils
School details
- Type
- Independent special school
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 56 (places for 40)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Nicola Smith
- Opened
- 21 September 2022
- Council
- Trafford
- School reference (URN)
- 149213
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.
- An offer, and the council’s agreement
As an independent school not approved under Section 41, it doesn’t have to accept a place: the school has to offer one, and the council has to agree to name it in the plan.
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
Read the latest inspection report
There’s no grade to show. Read this school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Contact and getting there
Isherwood Rd, Nursery farm, Manchester, M31 4BH
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Manor Academy Sale Special school · Ages 11–19 · Ofsted: Good 1.1 miles
- Firs Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 1.2 miles
- All Saints' Catholic Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.3 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 Changing Lives
How do I get a place at Changing Lives?
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 Changing Lives. As an independent school not approved under Section 41, it has to offer a place and the council has to agree to name it.
What ages does Changing Lives take?
Aged 11 to 18, boys and girls.
What is Changing Lives’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Changing Lives?
Isherwood Rd, Nursery farm, Manchester, M31 4BH, 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.