The Watkin Centre is an independent special school in Manchester for children and young people aged 11 to 16.
- Ages 11–16
- 47 pupils
- Ofsted: Requires improvement
School details
- Type
- Independent special school
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 47 (places for 110)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Catherine Donnelly
- Opened
- 25 April 2024
- Council
- Manchester
- School reference (URN)
- 150525
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 Manchester 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
Rated Requires improvement, December 2024
Rated Requires improvement at its last graded inspection, in December 2024.
- Quality of educationRequires improvement
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementRequires improvement
- SafeguardingEffective
Independent school standards: all standards met.
Contact and getting there
Mulberry House, Claverton Road, Manchester, M23 9TT
Loading the map…
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
- Broomwood Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.5 miles
- Newall Green Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.7 miles
- Piper Hill High School Special school · Ages 11–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 0.8 miles
All SEND schools in Manchester
By need in Manchester: Autism (23) · Speech and language (21) · SEMH (15) · Severe learning (13) · Moderate learning (9) · Hearing (9) · PMLD (8) · Dyslexia and SpLD (8) · Vision (7) · Physical (6) · Multi-sensory (4)
Questions about The Watkin Centre
How do I get a place at The Watkin Centre?
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 Watkin Centre. 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 The Watkin Centre take?
Aged 11 to 16, boys and girls.
What is The Watkin Centre’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is The Watkin Centre?
Mulberry House, Claverton Road, Manchester, M23 9TT, in Manchester.
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.