All Local Authorities

SEND Services in Rochdale

North WestMetropolitan Borough
Council website

Rochdale, a metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, offers SEND support in Rochdale through a range of local schools and services tailored to children and young people's needs, with Rochdale SENDiass providing free, confidential advice to help families navigate the system. While the area has fewer pupils in maintained special provision than the North West average, recent Ombudsman reports have highlighted challenges like a significant backlog in reviewing Education, Health and Care plans, prompting the council to take steps for improvement. Parents can feel reassured knowing that support is available locally, including through Rochdale Parent Carers Voice, and many families find the right provision with persistence and the right guidance.

With Rochdale's EHCP review backlog in mind, JakTrack empowers families to feel prepared and in control by quietly building a rich evidence base from everyday moments like sleep, meals, and behaviour - starting early means those patterns emerge just when you need them for appointments or appeals. Parents tell us it brings a sense of calm support, turning persistence into progress without the overwhelm. You'll walk into every meeting knowing you're backed by clear, AI-spotted insights tailored to your child's needs. see how JakTrack can help

Schools & SEND Provision

104

Schools

11

Specialist

7

SEN Units & Resource Bases

38,719

Total Pupils

14.4%receive SEN Support

5,573 pupils

5.7%have an EHCP

2,222 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 Rochdale's Local Offer

IASS

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

Rochdale SENDiass

Parent Carer Forum

Rochdale Parent Carers Voice

Parent carer forum representing families of children and young people with SEND in Rochdale

Facebook page

EHCP

SEN Team

Education, Health and Care Assessment and Review Team

Median assessment: 20 weeks (legal limit: 20)

SEND Team

Rochdale SEND Team

Main council SEND department providing statutory assessment and support services

Short Breaks

Short breaks information

Children with Disabilities Team

Portage

Early Support Keyworker Team

Educational Psychology

Rochdale Child and Educational Psychology Service

Occupational Therapy

Heywood, Middleton & Rochdale Children's Occupational Therapy

Speech and Language Therapy

Children's Speech and Language Therapy

Social Care

Children's Social Care

Social care services for disabled children including assessment, support planning and transition to adult services

Other Services

Early Help / Family Support

Sensory Support Service

Autism Pathway / Autism Assessment

Personal Budgets / Direct Payments

Home to School Transport / Travel Assistance

Mediation / Disagreement Resolution

Preparing for Adulthood / Transition

Challenging Behaviour / Positive Behaviour Support

Neurodiversity Hub

Autism Assessment and Support

CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health)

Home to School Transport

Wheelchair Service

Challenging Behaviour Support

Personal Budgets and Direct Payments

New EHCPs by Primary Need

Schools

years old

Cedar Lodge School

Special
Ages 11-18Capacity: 6PR2 2DW
Social & EmotionalModerate Learning

Great Howarth School

Special
Ages 7-18Capacity: 35OL12 9HJ
Social & Emotional

Meadows School

Special
Ages 11-16Capacity: 26OL12 9EN
Social & Emotional

Newlands School

Special
Ages 4-11Capacity: 120M24 6JG
AutismPhysicalModerate LearningSevere LearningProfound & Multiple

Oak Haven School

SpecialRequires Improvement
Ages 7-16Capacity: 100OL10 3PY
Social & Emotional

Redwood

Special
Ages 11-19Capacity: 360OL11 5EW
Specific LearningVisualOtherHearingSpeech & LanguageAutismSocial & EmotionalMulti-SensoryPhysicalModerate LearningSevere LearningProfound & Multiple

Springside

Special
Ages 3-11Capacity: 120OL16 2SU
Moderate LearningSevere LearningProfound & Multiple

Healey Learning Centre

Special
Ages 11-16Capacity: 30OL12 6LN

Heywood Academy

Special
Ages 11-19Capacity: 75OL10 4TW

Whitehall Academy

Special
Ages 5-11Capacity: 28OL12 0LN

Willow View School

Special
Ages 6-18Capacity: 30OL12 6BT

Boarshaw Community Primary School

Primary
Ages 3-11Capacity: 446M24 2PB
Speech & LanguageAutism
SEN unit: 12 places

Shawclough Community Primary School

Primary
Ages 2-11Capacity: 420OL12 6DE
AutismProfound & Multiple
SEN unit: 20 placesResource base: 8 places

Deeplish Primary Academy

PrimaryGood
Ages 3-11Capacity: 432OL11 1LT
Speech & Language

Marland Hill Community Primary School

Primary
Ages 3-11Capacity: 420OL11 4QW
Hearing
Resource base: 10 places

Matthew Moss High School

Secondary
Ages 11-16Capacity: 1200OL11 3LU
Hearing
Resource base: 10 places

Wardle Academy

Secondary
Ages 11-16Capacity: 1200OL12 9RD
Resource base: 6 places

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 Rochdale.

If you think your child needs an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), start by talking to the SEN co-ordinator (SENCO) at their school or nursery, or contact Rochdale Council directly if your child isn't in school. They will assess if a statutory assessment is needed, and you can get free, impartial advice from Rochdale SENDIASS by calling 01706 769634 or emailing [email protected]. Rochdale SENDIASS can guide you through the process step by step.
Rochdale SENDIASS provides free, confidential, and impartial information, advice, and support to parents and children aged 0-25 with special educational needs or disabilities. They help with SEN systems, EHCP processes, school provisions, annual reviews, transitions, transport, and local policies, plus info on disagreements and appeals. Call 01706 769634 or email [email protected]; they're open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm with drop-ins available.
Rochdale has 11 specialist schools for children with SEND, plus 2 schools with SEN units and 5 with resource bases, supporting over 2,200 pupils with EHCPs out of 38,719 total pupils. These provisions help meet diverse needs alongside 104 schools overall. Check the Rochdale Local Offer for full details on each setting.
The Local Offer is a guide to all SEND services, support, and provisions available in Rochdale for children and young people aged 0-25. It covers education, health, social care, schools, and more to help families find what they need. Visit https://www.ourrochdale.org.uk/kb5/rochdale/directory/localoffer.page?localofferchannel=0 to explore it.
The median time for an EHCP assessment in Rochdale is 20 weeks from request to final plan. This can vary based on individual circumstances, so contact Rochdale SENDIASS for the latest advice and support during the process. They can help track progress and explain next steps.

Navigating SEND in Rochdale?

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