Childwall Abbey School, Liverpool
Childwall Abbey School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Liverpool. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Childwall Abbey School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Childwall Abbey School are Hope School (0.7 miles, Outstanding); Woolton High School (0.8 miles, Good); SENDSCOPE (0.8 miles, Good); and Abbot's Lea School (0.9 miles, Outstanding).
Where pupils go next
Of the 27 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 85% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 30% to a further education college.
Who goes there
60.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 5.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (81%) and Mixed (6%).
Almost every pupil at Childwall Abbey School has an education, health and care plan (216 of 216 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Childwall Abbey School provides for pupils with 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 and severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Broad Green Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Well Lane (adjacent), 250 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Childwall Abbey School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 102 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences and vehicle crime. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Liverpool (342).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Childwall Abbey School issued 48 suspensions, 22.1 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from February 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils enjoy coming to this school. They relish the exciting curriculum, with its focus on learning outside of the classroom. For example, pupils learn about nature through visits to the local woods. They develop their understanding of the differences between the city and the coast.
The school has high aspirations for its pupils. It harnesses pupils' talents, for example in art, music and technology. Pupils are encouraged to follow their dreams. Staff work with pupils to support them to achieve their ambitions. Students in the sixth form can choose to undertake a supported internship. This helps some students to progress into apprenticeships or work. Pupils achieve qualifications including GCSEs in Year 11. These pupils move successfully into college, work or training.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school's curriculum is broad and ambitious. Pupils study a wide range of national curriculum subjects. Pupils can also achieve in other areas, for example in The Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme and in courses in hair and beauty or construction. Most pupils achieve qualifications and are ready for the next stage in their education, employment or training when they leave the school.
The school has responded to the local need for additional places for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It has accepted a high number of new pupils with a wider range of SEND than has previously been the case over time. The school has managed this process well. However, there is more work to do to ensure that the school can meet this wider range of needs and ensure that all pupils achieve their personal and academic potential.
From Ofsted's July 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its February 2015 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
60.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SpLD, Vision, Other +8
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Childwall Abbey School
Macmillan Fundraiser Thank-you.
30 Sep 2026
Year 7 Parents/Carers Coffee Morning
30 Sep 2026
Important food allergy information for parents/carers
22 Sep 2026
Immunisation Pack (Year 8-9)
14 Sep 2026
Parent Guide: Understanding AI-Generated Child Abuse Imagery
17 Jul 2026
Sports Day Cancelled - Friday
8 Jul 2026
From Childwall Abbey School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Childwall Abbey School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Childwall Abbey School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Childwall Abbey School is in Liverpool; for families living there:
- Liverpool's school travel policy: this document : Home to School Transport Policy 2026-27
- How to apply: Apply for a travel pass
- Post-16 transport: Liverpool states a charge of £680 a year. Source
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Liverpool is 32 (the median across 193 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
166%
Over capacity
216 pupils
130 places
86 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Liverpool
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Liverpool
Across Liverpool council
Places available
6,108
Applications
5,379
Got 1st preference
68.1%
Got preferred school
89.6%
All secondary applications across Liverpool council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
216
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Childwall Abbey School provides for pupils with 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 and severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
216
Total Pupils
146
Boys
70
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
17
Teachers
12.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,578
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
15.0%
Overall absence
41.5%
Persistent absence
188
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Childwall Abbey School
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Childwall Abbey School
What are GCSE results like at Childwall Abbey School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Childwall Abbey School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 3.6. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Childwall Abbey School's Ofsted rating?
Childwall Abbey School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Childwall Abbey School?
No fixed boundary. When Childwall Abbey School is oversubscribed, Liverpool allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Childwall Abbey School?
Childwall Abbey School has around 216 pupils on roll. 60% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Childwall Abbey School have specialist SEN provision?
Childwall Abbey School provides for pupils with 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 and severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Childwall Abbey School?
15% of sessions were missed at Childwall Abbey School in 2024/25. 41.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Childwall Abbey School?
Apply through Liverpool's coordinated admissions process, naming Childwall Abbey School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Childwall Abbey School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Liverpool is 32 (the median across 193 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Childwall Abbey School?
Childwall Abbey School is at Childwall Abbey Road, Childwall, Liverpool, Merseyside, L16 5EY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)