Princes School, Liverpool
Princes School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Liverpool. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2012)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Princes School in detail
Princes School in its own words
Coming up: an admissions event on Thursday 5 November 2026, an admissions event on Friday 18 December 2026, an admissions event on Tuesday 5 January 2027 and an admissions event on Thursday 4 March 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Liverpool
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Princes School are Royal School for the Blind (Liverpool) (1.7 miles, Outstanding); Millstead School (1.7 miles, Outstanding); Palmerston School (2.3 miles, Outstanding); and Co-op Academy Rathbone (2.3 miles).
Royal School for the Blind (Liverpool)Millstead SchoolPalmerston SchoolCo-op Academy Rathbone
Who goes there
51.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 31.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (47%), Black (19%) and Asian (8%).
Almost every pupil at Princes School has an education, health and care plan (251 of 251 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
Princes School provides for pupils with autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Edge Hill Rail Station, about 900 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Upper Parliament Street (adjacent), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Princes School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 904 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, drug offences and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Liverpool (342), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Princes 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 · 3 years agoThis judgement is from December 2012, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Princes School excels at making every child feel part of the 'Princes family' where they are genuinely happy and can flourish. The school delivers a highly specialised curriculum tailored to each pupil's needs, ensuring no child falls behind and many exceed expectations. Staff relationships with pupils are exemplary, built on trust and genuine care, helping pupils develop the communication, social, and life skills they need for their future.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional care and support for pupils' individual needs with highly skilled staff
- Excellent behaviour management creating calm, purposeful learning environments
- First-class specialised curriculum with careful step-by-step progression for each pupil
- Strong focus on developing communication and language skills from the earliest stages
- Impressive enrichment activities including residential trips that build confidence and independence
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school has created an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Residential trips, school grotto visits, summer fairs, local sports competitions, supermarket visits, cafe visits, community work with local mosque and foodbank
Princes School is an outstanding special school that caters for pupils with severe and profound learning difficulties. Pupils flourish in a supportive environment where staff have limitless expectations and pupils consistently exceed achievement goals.
At a Glance
51.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Autism, SLD, PMLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Princes School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Princes School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Princes 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
- 70
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 18
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 70 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 18 serious and 52 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
15 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
120%
Over capacity
251 pupils
210 places
41 pupils over capacity
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
251
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Princes School provides for pupils with autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
251
Total Pupils
181
Boys
70
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
33
Teachers
7.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£42,976
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.0%
Overall absence
29.8%
Persistent absence
215
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Princes School
Questions parents ask about Princes School
What are SATs results like at Princes School?
Of the pupils at Princes School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Princes School's Ofsted rating?
Princes School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2012, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Princes School?
No fixed boundary. When Princes School is oversubscribed, Liverpool allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Princes School?
Princes School has around 251 pupils on roll. 51% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Princes School have specialist SEN provision?
Princes School provides for pupils with autism, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Princes School?
9% of sessions were missed at Princes School in 2024/25. 29.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Princes School?
Apply through Liverpool's coordinated admissions process, naming Princes 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 Princes School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 70 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 18 serious and 52 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 15 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 Princes School?
Princes School is at Selborne Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L8 1YQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)