Pontville School, Ormskirk
Pontville School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 19 in Ormskirk. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Pontville School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Pontville School are Acre View Primary School (3.2 miles, Good); West Lancashire Community High School (3.7 miles, Good); Kingsbury Primary Special School (3.8 miles, Outstanding); and Moss View School (4.5 miles).
Acre View Primary SchoolWest Lancashire Community High SchoolKingsbury Primary Special SchoolMoss View School
What parents say
117 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Pontville School (as of September 2025): 44% would recommend the school, 50% say their child is happy there and 31% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (54%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (31%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 7 students who left the sixth form in 2022/23, 0% went on to university or other higher education.
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Pontville School has an education, health and care plan (121 of 121 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Aughton Park Rail Station, about 630 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Prescot Green (opposite), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Pontville School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
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 May 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Pontville School creates a welcoming environment where pupils flourish, are happy, and achieve well. The school excels at developing pupils' communication skills and confidence through specialist support tailored to individual needs. Students in the sixth form receive exceptional support that helps them succeed in vocational studies and move on to meaningful destinations.
Key Strengths
- Pupils achieve well with high aspirations supported by expert help from staff
- Outstanding personal development provision, especially for sixth-form students
- Rich curriculum with carefully planned trips, sports, arts, music and practical life skills
- Staff skilled at identifying and supporting additional needs using EHC plan information
- Effective behaviour support and improved school attendance rates
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils do not receive enough support to become fluent readers and struggle to access parts of the curriculum as a result
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with strong policies and a culture that prioritises the safety and well-being of staff and pupils.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports, arts, music, strategy games, relaxation activities, anti-bullying ambassador roles, Junior Leadership Team, museum trips, shopping and budgeting skills, travel planning
Pontville School is a special school for pupils aged 5-19 with a range of needs including autism and communication difficulties. The school provides good quality education with outstanding personal development and sixth-form provision.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
117 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Pontville School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 4 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
2 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
78%
Available places
121 pupils
155 places
34 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Ormskirk
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Ormskirk
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(10)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
121
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pontville School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
121
Total Pupils
89
Boys
32
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Pontville School
What are GCSE results like at Pontville School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Pontville School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is Pontville School's Ofsted rating?
Pontville School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2025.
Does Pontville School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in May 2025, Pontville School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Pontville School?
Pontville School has around 121 pupils on roll.
Does Pontville School have specialist SEN provision?
Pontville School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Pontville School?
Pontville 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 Pontville School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 4 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 2 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 Pontville School?
Pontville School is at Black Moss Lane, Ormskirk, Lancashire, L39 4TW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)