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SEND Services in Bolton

North WestMetropolitan Borough
Council website

In Bolton, a bustling metropolitan borough in the North West, SEND support is designed to meet the needs of children and families through a strong local network of mainstream and specialist settings. The council is actively investing in staff training for 2025-2026, with courses on supporting social, emotional, and mental health needs, ADHD, and attachment alongside autism, helping schools better include children with additional needs right from the early years. Initiatives like Early Years SEND Transition Funding ensure smooth moves to primary school for those in the EHCP process, while national SEND reforms planned for 2026 promise further improvements. For impartial guidance at any stage, contact Bolton's Information Advisory Service - they're here to help you navigate it all with confidence.

As you navigate Bolton's SEND system - whether you're in the early years, preparing for transition, or working through the EHCP process - JakTrack sits quietly alongside you, helping you build a clear picture of your child's needs over time. By tracking the everyday moments that matter (sleep patterns, mealtimes, behaviour, mood), you'll spot what's really going on and have that evidence ready when you need it most, whether that's for a school conversation, a professional appointment, or an EHCP review. Starting early means you're not scrambling to remember details later; instead, you're walking into every meeting feeling prepared, supported, and genuinely in control of your child's story. see how JakTrack can help

Schools & SEND Provision

144

Schools

13

Specialist

14

SEN Units & Resource Bases

57,557

Total Pupils

12.4%receive SEN Support

7,143 pupils

5.3%have an EHCP

3,063 pupils

Services & Contacts

Local Offer

Every Local Authority must publish a "Local Offer" - a directory of all SEND services and provision in their area.

View Bolton's Local Offer

IASS

Free, impartial advice about SEND - EHCPs, school issues, exclusions, navigating the system.

Bolton's Information Advisory Service

Parent Carer Forum

Bolton Parent Carers

EHCP

EHCP request form

SEN Team

SEND Assessment Service

SENDAS c/o School ICT, Smithills Dean Road, Bolton BL1 6JT

Median assessment: 20 weeks (legal limit: 20)

SEND Team

SEN Strategy and Development

SENDAS c/o School ICT, Smithills Dean Road, Bolton BL1 6JT

Occupational Therapy

Speech and Language Therapy

Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy

Social Care

Children with Disabilities Team

Castle Hill Centre, Castleton Street, Bolton BL2 2JW

Other Services

Preparing for Adulthood / Transition team

Direct Payments / Personal Budgets

Home to School Transport / Travel Assistance

Autism Pathway / Autism Assessment

CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health)

Mediation / Disagreement Resolution

Woodbridge SEND Service

Waggon Road Young People's Centre, Waggon Road, Bolton BL2 5AB

New EHCPs by Primary Need

Schools

years old

Birtenshaw School Bolton

Special
Ages 3-19Capacity: 140BL7 9AB
AutismSevere Learning

Firwood High School

Special
Ages 11-19Capacity: 150BL2 4HU
Severe Learning

Green Fold School

SpecialOutstanding
Ages 2-11Capacity: 132BL4 0NS
Speech & LanguageAutismPhysicalSevere LearningProfound & Multiple

Lever Park School

Special
Ages 11-16Capacity: 87BL6 6DE
Social & Emotional

Raise Education and Wellbeing School

Special
Ages 11-19Capacity: 60BL1 3UB
Social & Emotional

Rumworth School

Special
Ages 11-19Capacity: 330BL3 4TP
Moderate Learning

Thomasson Memorial School

Special
Ages 2-16BL3 3LA
Hearing

Birtenshaw College

Special
Ages 16-25Capacity: 72BL3 2RR

Breightmet School

Special
Ages 5-18Capacity: 80BL2 6PD

EdStart Schools Bolton

Special
Ages 11-16Capacity: 83BL2 1ES

Ladywood School

Special
Ages 4-11Capacity: 235BL3 1NG

LifeBridge ASEND

Special
Ages 19-24Capacity: 50BL1 2XN

Woodbridge College

Special
Ages 19-25Capacity: 38BL4 8LB

All Saints CofE Primary School

Primary
Ages 2-11Capacity: 294BL4 7PY
Speech & LanguageAutismSocial & EmotionalPhysical

Bolton St Catherine's Academy

All-throughNot judged
Ages 3-16Capacity: 1186BL2 4HU
Specific LearningSpeech & LanguageAutismSocial & EmotionalModerate Learning

Claypool Primary School

Primary
Ages 4-11Capacity: 227BL6 6LN
AutismSevere Learning
Resource base: 6 places

Grosvenor Nursery School and Day Care Centre

Nursery
Ages 2-4BL4 8AR
VisualOtherSpeech & LanguageAutismPhysicalModerate LearningSevere Learning

Queensbridge Primary School

PrimaryGood
Ages 3-11Capacity: 210BL4 7BL
Severe LearningProfound & Multiple
Resource base: 8 places

Washacre Primary Academy

PrimaryGood
Ages 5-11Capacity: 210BL5 2NJ
Specific LearningHearingSpeech & LanguageAutismSocial & EmotionalModerate LearningSevere Learning

Blackrod Anglican/Methodist Primary School

Primary
Ages 3-11Capacity: 266BL6 5DE
Autism
Resource base: 12 places

Lever Edge Primary Academy

PrimaryGood
Ages 1-11Capacity: 450BL3 3HP
Autism

Moorgate Primary School

Primary
Ages 2-11Capacity: 350BL2 2RH
Autism
Resource base: 16 places

Rivington and Blackrod High School

SecondaryGood
Ages 11-18Capacity: 1888BL6 7RU
Speech & LanguageAutism
Resource base: 25 places

Sharples Primary School

Primary
Ages 3-11Capacity: 210BL1 8RU
Visual
Resource base: 8 places

St Teresa's RC Primary School a Voluntary Academy

PrimaryGood
Ages 4-11Capacity: 161BL3 1EN
Autism

Understanding school SEND provision

Schools in England provide SEND support at different levels. Here's what each type means:

Specialist School

A school that exclusively educates children with SEND. Smaller classes (typically 6-12 pupils), staff trained in specific needs, and environments designed for children who need more support than mainstream can provide. Places are usually named in an EHCP.

SEN Unit

A dedicated unit within a mainstream school, staffed by specialists. Children are on the roll of the unit but may join mainstream classes for some lessons. Offers a middle ground - specialist support with mainstream social opportunities. Usually requires an EHCP.

Resource Base

Extra resourced provision attached to a mainstream school. Children are on the mainstream roll but can access additional support, equipment, and specialist staff. Some resource bases focus on specific needs like autism or speech and language.

SEN Support (Mainstream)

Every mainstream school has a legal duty to identify and support children with SEND. This includes having a SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator), providing reasonable adjustments, and putting in place SEN Support plans. You don't need an EHCP for SEN Support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions from families about SEND support in Bolton.

To request a statutory assessment for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) in Bolton, contact Bolton Council via their website at www.bolton.gov.uk where a request form is available. You can also speak to your child's school or Bolton's Information Advisory Service (IAS) for guidance on the process. They provide free, impartial support to help you through the steps.
Bolton's Information Advisory Service (IAS) offers free, impartial information, advice, and support for parents, carers, and young people aged 0-25 with SEND across education, health, and social care. They assist with understanding assessments, EHCPs, rights and responsibilities, school exclusions, and appealing decisions. Contact them at 07591 853756 or [email protected].
Bolton has 13 specialist schools for children with special educational needs, plus 7 schools with SEN units and 7 with resource bases. These provisions support the 3,063 pupils with EHCPs and 7,143 on SEN support out of 57,557 total pupils. More details are on Bolton's SEND Local Offer at www.bolton.gov.uk/sendlocaloffer/.
The Local Offer is a guide from Bolton Council listing all services and support available for children and young people with SEND, including education, health, and social care. It helps families understand what help is out there and how to access it. Visit www.bolton.gov.uk/sendlocaloffer/ to explore it.
The median time for an EHCP assessment in Bolton is 20 weeks from request to final plan. This can vary, so contact Bolton's IAS for updates or support during the process. Check the Local Offer for more on timelines and next steps.

Navigating SEND in Bolton?

JakTrack helps you track evidence, prepare for EHCP reviews, check benefit eligibility, and stay on top of appointments - all in one place.

See How JakTrack Helps