Presfield High School and Specialist College, Southport
Presfield High School and Specialist College is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Southport. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in September 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Presfield High School and Specialist College in detail
Presfield High School and Specialist College in its own words
In its own words: "Presfield school changes lives. We know this is a bold statement but we say it with confidence. We believe passionately in providing our students with the best possible opportunities to enable them to contribute positively to wider society by providing an ambitious, bespoke and challenging academic and social curriculum."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Presfield High School and Specialist College are Peterhouse School (under 0.1 miles, Requires improvement); Educ8 Southport (1.7 miles); Arden College (1.9 miles, Good); and Merefield School (5.9 miles).
Peterhouse SchoolEduc8 SouthportArden CollegeMerefield School
Where pupils go next
Of the 18 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 89% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 28% to a further education college.
Who goes there
33.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 3.8% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Presfield High School and Specialist College has an education, health and care plan (132 of 132 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Presfield High School and Specialist College provides for pupils with autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Meols Cop Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lexton Drive (opposite), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 57 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Sefton (165).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Presfield High School and Specialist College issued 8 suspensions, 6.1 for every 100 pupils, and 1 permanent exclusion.
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 March 2013, 13 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 March 2013 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
33.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 4 nearby schools
Keep up with Presfield High School and Specialist College
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Presfield High School and Specialist College from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Presfield High School and Specialist College is in Sefton; for families living there:
- Sefton's school travel policy: Home to School Transport Policy ext
- How to apply: Apply for Travel Support
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 16
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 13 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
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 Sefton is 16 (the median across 116 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
150%
Over capacity
132 pupils
88 places
44 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Southport
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Southport
Across Sefton council
Places available
3,321
Applications
2,791
Got 1st preference
89.0%
Got preferred school
97.3%
All secondary applications across Sefton council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
132
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Presfield High School and Specialist College provides for pupils with autism.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
132
Total Pupils
100
Boys
32
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
21
Teachers
6.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£59,285
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
11.4%
Overall absence
34.7%
Persistent absence
95
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
Presfield High School and Specialist College
Questions parents ask about Presfield High School and Specialist College
What are GCSE results like at Presfield High School and Specialist College?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Presfield High School and Specialist College achieved an Attainment 8 score of 13.1. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Presfield High School and Specialist College's Ofsted rating?
Presfield High School and Specialist College's most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Presfield High School and Specialist College?
No fixed boundary. When Presfield High School and Specialist College is oversubscribed, Sefton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Presfield High School and Specialist College?
Presfield High School and Specialist College has around 132 pupils on roll. 33% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Presfield High School and Specialist College have specialist SEN provision?
Presfield High School and Specialist College provides for pupils with autism.
What is attendance like at Presfield High School and Specialist College?
11.4% of sessions were missed at Presfield High School and Specialist College in 2024/25. 34.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Presfield High School and Specialist College?
Apply through Sefton's coordinated admissions process, naming Presfield High School and Specialist 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 Presfield High School and Specialist College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 13 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 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 Sefton is 16 (the median across 116 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Presfield High School and Specialist College?
Presfield High School and Specialist College is at Preston New Road, Churchtown, Southport, Merseyside, PR9 8PA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)