Hope School, Liverpool
Hope School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Liverpool. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Hope School in detail
Hope School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Hope School was founded in 2002 in the original site on Naylorsfield road, it began as a very small provision for key stage 2 and 3 pupils. Quickly the school expanded and we relocated to a new building on Hartsbourne avenue, we now have our second site in Speke on Alderwood Avenue."
The school runs a breakfast club.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Hope School are Childwall Abbey School (0.7 miles, Good); Woolton High School (0.8 miles, Good); SENDSCOPE (0.9 miles, Good); and Lakeside School (0.9 miles, Outstanding).
Childwall Abbey SchoolWoolton High SchoolSENDSCOPELakeside School
Who goes there
67.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 1.5% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (85%) and Mixed (12%).
Almost every pupil at Hope School has an education, health and care plan (68 of 68 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Hope School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Roby Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hartsbourne Avenue (se-bound), 200 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 125 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Liverpool (342).
Suspensions and exclusions
Hope School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: 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 November 2014, 11 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 December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Hope School creates an inspirational environment where pupils with special educational needs flourish both academically and socially. Staff are highly trained and understand each pupil's individual needs well, helping them regulate emotions with respect and dignity. The school's 'If I try, I can' motto drives a relentless focus on closing knowledge gaps and building pupil self-belief.
Key Strengths
- Extremely effective curriculum that is intelligently designed around pupils' distinct needs and helps them build a rich body of knowledge
- Highly positive relationships between staff and pupils built on mutual trust, leading to excellent behaviour
- Strong focus on reading fluency with a carefully structured phonics programme
- Extensive range of extra-curricular activities including residentials to develop life skills and confidence
- Expert staff who skilfully support pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Residentials, leadership roles, extra-curricular activities programme
Hope School is a special school for pupils with SEND where pupils thrive socially and academically in a calm, supportive environment. The school has maintained the outstanding standards from its previous inspection.
At a Glance
67.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 29% to 21% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Hope School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Hope School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Hope 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
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 31
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 9
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 31 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 21 slight.
9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 6 in a vehicle or otherwise.
11 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
74%
Available places
68 pupils
92 places
24 spare places
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
68
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Hope School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
68
Total Pupils
49
Boys
19
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
4.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,176
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
11.9%
Overall absence
29.0%
Persistent absence
69
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Questions parents ask about Hope School
What are SATs results like at Hope School?
Of the pupils at Hope School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 21% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Hope School's Ofsted rating?
Hope School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Hope School?
No fixed boundary. When Hope School is oversubscribed, Liverpool allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Hope School?
Hope School has around 68 pupils on roll. 68% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Hope School have specialist SEN provision?
Hope School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
What is attendance like at Hope School?
11.9% of sessions were missed at Hope School in 2024/25. 29% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Hope School?
Apply through Liverpool's coordinated admissions process, naming Hope 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 Hope School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 31 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 21 slight. 9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 6 in a vehicle or otherwise. 11 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 Hope School?
Hope School is at 251 Hartsbourne Avenue, Liverpool, Merseyside, L25 2RY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)