Hillside Specialist School and College, Preston
Hillside Specialist School and College is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 19 in Preston. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Hillside Specialist School and College in detail
Hillside Specialist School and College in its own words
In its own words: "Hillside Specialist School is a Specialist School for Communication and Interaction in Lancashire for students aged three to nineteen years with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Pupils take part in a wide ranging personalised curriculum. At Hillside Specialist School we have built an eclectic approach to pupils learning, taking into account current theories and methods of teaching."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Hillside Specialist School and College are Brook View School (0.8 miles, Good, selective); TRUST-Education Group Ltd (2.8 miles); and Sir Tom Finney Community High School (4.8 miles, Good).
Brook View SchoolTRUST-Education Group LtdSir Tom Finney Community High School
Where pupils go next
Of the 9 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
38.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 9.4% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (73%), Asian (13%) and Mixed (6%).
Almost every pupil at Hillside Specialist School and College has an education, health and care plan (117 of 117 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Hillside Specialist School and College provides for pupils with autism.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Hillside Specialist School and College.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hillside School (outside), 210 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 29 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109).
Suspensions and exclusions
Hillside Specialist School and College recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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 · 3 years agoThis judgement is from February 2018, 8 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 Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its February 2018 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
38.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 4 nearby schools
Keep up with Hillside Specialist School and College
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Hillside Specialist School and College from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Hillside Specialist School and College is in Lancashire; for families living there:
- Lancashire's school travel policy: school transport policies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school transport assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- 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, 1 serious and 3 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 Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 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
118%
Over capacity
117 pupils
99 places
18 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Preston
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Preston
Across Lancashire council
Places available
14,702
Applications
13,782
Got 1st preference
87.1%
Got preferred school
97.2%
All secondary applications across Lancashire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
117
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Hillside Specialist School and College provides for pupils with autism.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
117
Total Pupils
88
Boys
29
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
21
Teachers
5.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,736
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.0%
Overall absence
29.7%
Persistent absence
91
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
Hillside Specialist School and College
Questions parents ask about Hillside Specialist School and College
What are SATs results like at Hillside Specialist School and College?
Of the pupils at Hillside Specialist School and College who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Hillside Specialist School and College's Ofsted rating?
Hillside Specialist School and College's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2018, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Hillside Specialist School and College?
No fixed boundary. When Hillside Specialist School and College is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Hillside Specialist School and College?
Hillside Specialist School and College has around 117 pupils on roll. 39% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Hillside Specialist School and College have specialist SEN provision?
Hillside Specialist School and College provides for pupils with autism.
What is attendance like at Hillside Specialist School and College?
9% of sessions were missed at Hillside Specialist School and College in 2024/25. 29.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Hillside Specialist School and College?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Hillside Specialist School and College 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 Hillside Specialist School and College?
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, 1 serious and 3 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 Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Hillside Specialist School and College?
Hillside Specialist School and College is at Ribchester Road, Longridge, Preston, Lancashire, PR3 3XB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)