Forestwood School

Independent special school · Secondary, ages 12 to 19 · Mixed · Sixth form

Buller Street, Bury, BL8 2BS

0161 762 7212 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 4 February 2025
Pupils25Room for 44 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 31 in 2019, 28 in 2021, 31 in 2022, 26 in 2023, 22 in 2024, 36 in 2025. Across England, special state school pupil numbers were up 39% from 2019 to 2025.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 4 February 2025.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
Sixth formGood
SafeguardingEffective

At its last standard inspection the school met all of the independent school standards, the legal requirements every independent school must meet.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted non-association independent schools inspection data.

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Results

We don't show GCSE or primary results for independent schools. DfE's tables often leave out the IGCSEs and other qualifications many independent schools use, so their published figures can look far lower than pupils' real results. DfE has published no A level results for this school. Ask the school for its results.

Admissions

Independent schools run their own admissions and set their own fees. Contact the school directly.

Pupils, staff and SEND

This is a special school for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Places are arranged through the council's SEND team, not the normal admissions round.

PupilsThis schoolBuryEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 0.0% 47.6%* 51.9%
With an education, health and care plan 38.9% 98.2%* 99.5%
Receiving special educational needs support 61.1% 1.8%* 0.5%
English as an additional language Not published 17.0%* 14.4%

Comparisons are with special schools. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25.

SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).

Nearby special schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is Forestwood School's Ofsted rating?

Forestwood School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 4 February 2025.

Sources

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Page updated 26 September 2026.