Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School

Special school · All-through, ages 2 to 19 · Mixed · Nursery class · Sixth form

Holly Road, Red Marsh School, Blackpool, FY5 4HH

01253 868451 · Map and directions

OfstedOutstandingInspected 15 January 2015; confirmed 2024
Pupils141 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 90 in 2019, 94 in 2021, 95 in 2022, 106 in 2023, 119 in 2024, 134 in 2025, 141 in 2026. Across England, special state school pupil numbers were up 39% from 2019 to 2025.
Free school meals50%of pupils eligible now

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at the inspection that started on 15 January 2015.

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 educationOutstanding
Outcomes for pupilsOutstanding
Leadership and managementOutstanding
Early yearsOutstanding
Sixth formOutstanding

Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 27 March 2024: Ofsted found the school was still Outstanding.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

48 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025.

StatementThis schoolEngland
My child is happy at this school 98% 88%
My child feels safe at this school 96% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 94% 84%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 29 parents who had raised a concern 83% 76%
I would recommend this school to another parent 96%said yes 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families. Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

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Results

Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25

13 pupils in this year group.

0% — 60 points below the Lancashire average, and 62 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolLancashireEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 60% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 7% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading 0% 74% 75%
Met the expected standard in writing 0% 71% 72%
Met the expected standard in maths 0% 74% 74%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. Not published 105 106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. Not published 104 105

"Not published": No figure published.

Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, over time
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% England 2022/23: 60%England 2023/24: 61%England 2024/25: 62% This school 2023/24: 0%This school 2024/25: 0% This school England 62% 2022/23 – 2023/24 0% 2024/25 0%

Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

After Year 11

Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.

3 pupils in this year group.

Only 3 pupils took these tests, so results can change a lot from year to year. Compare with care.

MeasureThis schoolLancashireEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. Not published 90% 92%
School sixth form Not published 12% 34%
Sixth form college Not published 20% 13%
Further education college Not published 48% 37%
Apprenticeship Not published 5% 3%
Work Not published 4% 3%

"Not published": Not published: too few pupils, so individual pupils could be identified.

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
100%Not published

Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Lancashire. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

Admissions dates and schools in Lancashire

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. It caters for: Specific learning difficulties (such as dyslexia); Visual impairment; Other difficulties or disabilities; Hearing impairment; Speech, language and communication needs; Autism; Social, emotional and mental health needs; Multi-sensory impairment; Physical disability; Moderate learning difficulties; Severe learning difficulties; Profound and multiple learning difficulties.

PupilsThis schoolLancashireEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 55.0% 49.3%* 51.9%
With an education, health and care plan 100.0% 99.9%* 99.5%
Receiving special educational needs support 0.0% 0.1%* 0.5%
English as an additional language 2.2% 10.4%* 14.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed) 7.9% 11.2%* 12.8%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 17.0% 29.5%* 35.3%
Suspensions per 100 pupils 0.0 4.0 12.3
Pupils suspended at least once 0.0% 2.1% 5.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.18% 0.08%
Pupils per teacher 8.8 7.6 6.6
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 1.8 2.3 2.3
Teachers who left during the year 6.7% 16.0%* 14.3%*

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; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 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 Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School's Ofsted rating?

Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School was rated Outstanding by Ofsted at its inspection in 15 January 2015. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 27 March 2024, Ofsted found the school was still Outstanding.

Would parents recommend Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School?

96% of the 48 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025 said they would recommend Thornton-Cleveleys Red Marsh School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Sources

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Page updated 26 September 2026.