Hilltop School, Rotherham
Hilltop School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in Rotherham, part of Nexus Multi Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Hilltop School in detail
Hilltop School in its own words
In its own words: "Our core values are the make-up of our ethos and culture and what we as adults endeavour to model and instil amongst our children and young people and go hand in hand with our curriculum intent. Hilltop School is a vibrant, stimulating and supportive community in which pupils and staff value themselves and others."
The school runs a breakfast club from 8:30am, from £3 per session.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Hilltop School are Abbeywood School (0.9 miles, Good, selective); Sutherland House School Braithwell (1.5 miles); The Willows School (2.8 miles); and Pennine View School (3.6 miles, Good).
Abbeywood SchoolSutherland House School BraithwellThe Willows SchoolPennine View School
The trust
Hilltop School is one of 23 schools run by Nexus Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
60 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Hilltop School (as of September 2025): 60% would recommend the school, 78% say their child is happy there and 44% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (78%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (44%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 10 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
46.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 10.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (79%) and Asian (6%).
Almost every pupil at Hilltop School has an education, health and care plan (180 of 180 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Hilltop School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Hilltop School.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Addison Road/Larch Road (adjacent), 160 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 65 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 Rotherham (146).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Hilltop School issued 6 suspensions, 3.3 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; 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 January 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Hilltop School excels at helping pupils develop as confident individuals with strong communication skills. The school offers excellent personal development opportunities through educational visits and activities tailored to each child's needs. Staff are exceptionally supportive and well-trained, creating a calm, inclusive environment where all pupils feel safe and happy.
Key Strengths
- Personal development is a major strength with a well-thought-out curriculum including visits to cinema, theatre, and local farm
- Staff know pupils well and model positive behaviour, creating a calm learning environment
- Pupils benefit from well-equipped school sites with specialist resources and therapeutic interventions tailored to individual needs
- Strong support for staff development including early career teachers, with frequent coaching and training
- Excellent health and well-being provision including independent cooking lessons and mental health education
Areas for Improvement
- Phonics teaching lacks consistency - some staff lack confidence, meaning some pupils do not make expected progress
- Some staff move lessons on too quickly without checking pupils have understood the material
- Some learning activities distract pupils from developing the intended knowledge
- Teaching quality is not consistently high across all areas of the school
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Horse riding, cricket coaching, cinema visits, theatre visits, farm visits
Hilltop School has successfully maintained the standards identified at its previous inspection. The school develops pupils with complex special educational needs to be the best they can be, with high aspirations and strong focus on communication and interaction skills.
At a Glance
46.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
60 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Hilltop School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Hilltop School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Hilltop School is in Rotherham; for families living there:
Apply to Rotherham for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
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.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
3 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 Rotherham is 13 (the median across 128 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
110%
Over capacity
180 pupils
164 places
16 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Rotherham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Rotherham
Across Rotherham council
Places available
3,667
Applications
2,933
Got 1st preference
92.4%
Got preferred school
97.3%
All secondary applications across Rotherham council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
180
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Hilltop School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
180
Total Pupils
141
Boys
39
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
32
Teachers
5.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,557
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
11.9%
Overall absence
39.5%
Persistent absence
157
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
Questions parents ask about Hilltop School
What are SATs results like at Hilltop School?
Of the pupils at Hilltop School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Hilltop School's Ofsted rating?
Hilltop School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Hilltop School?
No fixed boundary. When Hilltop School is oversubscribed, Rotherham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Hilltop School?
Hilltop School has around 180 pupils on roll. 46% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Hilltop School have specialist SEN provision?
Hilltop School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Hilltop School?
11.9% of sessions were missed at Hilltop School in 2024/25. 39.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Hilltop School?
Apply through Rotherham's coordinated admissions process, naming Hilltop 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 Hilltop 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, 1 serious and 3 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 3 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 Rotherham is 13 (the median across 128 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Hilltop School?
Hilltop School is at Larch Road, Maltby, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S66 8AZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)