Hope School, Preston
Hope School is an independent school for pupils aged 11 to 18 in Preston. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Hope School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Hope School are St Pius X Preparatory School (4.4 miles); Kirkham Grammar School (4.4 miles, selective); Abrar Academy (5 miles); and Imam Muhammad Zakariya School (5.9 miles).
St Pius X Preparatory SchoolKirkham Grammar SchoolAbrar AcademyImam Muhammad Zakariya School
Who goes there
In 2026, 0 pupils (0%) received SEN support and 2 (66.7%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Salwick Rail Station, about 2.6 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Running Pump (opposite), 170 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 3 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, burglary and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109).
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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's September 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Hope School excels at welcoming pupils who have experienced trauma and helping them settle into a calm, orderly environment where they feel valued. The school designs its curriculum around pupils' individual needs and future aspirations, with particularly strong support for reading development. Staff build strong relationships quickly and motivate pupils to achieve well, gaining qualifications while developing the social skills and confidence they need for independent living.
Key Strengths
- Staff create a positive, welcoming environment where pupils feel valued and confident to express themselves
- Pupils achieve well and gain key qualifications in functional skills and GCSEs, with strong progress from their starting points
- Excellent reading support with pupils developing fluency, confidence and motivation to improve
- Strong personal development curriculum that helps pupils understand consequences and make positive choices
- Comprehensive careers guidance and life skills preparation to support independence
Areas for Improvement
- In some subjects, the curriculum does not clearly define key knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember
- Staff in some subjects do not consistently identify where pupils have misunderstood important subject-specific knowledge, meaning misconceptions are not addressed quickly enough
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with stringent checks in place to ensure independent school standards are consistently met and a robust safeguarding policy published on the school's website.
Extracurricular Activities
Golf, sports coaching pathway
Hope School is a Good independent school that supports pupils who have experienced social, emotional or mental health trauma. The school has recently reopened with a new staff team and is providing a calm, welcoming environment where pupils settle quickly and engage well in their learning.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Keep up with Hope School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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
75%
Available places
3 pupils
4 places
1 spare place
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(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
66.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
3
Total Pupils
3
Boys
0
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Hope School
What is Hope School's Ofsted rating?
Hope School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2025.
Does Hope School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in September 2025, Hope School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Hope School?
Hope School has around 3 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Hope School?
Hope School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Hope School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Hope School?
Hope School is at Crosses Farm, Square Lane, Preston, PR4 0HP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)