Talbot Specialist School, Sheffield
Talbot Specialist School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Sheffield. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2022 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2017)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Talbot Specialist School in detail
Talbot Specialist School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I’m delighted to welcome you to Talbot Specialist School. As Headteacher, I feel incredibly proud to be part of such a vibrant, caring, and inspiring community. We support around 250 students and their families from across the city, and we are passionate about helping each young person thrive."
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 Talbot Specialist School are Phoenix School of Therapeutic Education (0.4 miles, Outstanding); Mossbrook School (1.2 miles, Good); Discovery Academy (1.6 miles); and Brantwood Garden School (1.7 miles, Good).
Phoenix School of Therapeutic EducationMossbrook SchoolDiscovery AcademyBrantwood Garden School
Where pupils go next
Of the 39 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 15% to a further education college.
Who goes there
56.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 25.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (51%), Asian (18%) and Black (11%).
Almost every pupil at Talbot Specialist School has an education, health and care plan (253 of 253 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Talbot Specialist School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Herdings Park, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lees Hall Road/Warminster Crescent (adjacent), 200 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Talbot Specialist School issued 4 suspensions, 1.7 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from March 2017, 9 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 2017 inspection - down from Outstanding.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
56.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SLD, PMLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Talbot Specialist School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Talbot Specialist School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Talbot Specialist School is in Sheffield; for families living there:
- Sheffield's school travel policy: Home to School Travel and Transport Policy September 2023
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
1 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 Sheffield is 17 (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
Area Demand Pressure - Sheffield
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sheffield
Across Sheffield council
Places available
6,421
Applications
6,416
Got 1st preference
88.7%
Got preferred school
96.6%
All secondary applications across Sheffield council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
253
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Talbot Specialist School provides for pupils with 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
253
Total Pupils
168
Boys
85
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
47
Teachers
5.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,742
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.3%
Overall absence
27.2%
Persistent absence
180
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
Talbot Specialist School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Talbot Specialist School
What is Talbot Specialist School's Ofsted rating?
Talbot Specialist School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2017, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Talbot Specialist School?
No fixed boundary. When Talbot Specialist School is oversubscribed, Sheffield allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Talbot Specialist School?
Talbot Specialist School has around 253 pupils on roll. 57% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Talbot Specialist School have specialist SEN provision?
Talbot Specialist School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Talbot Specialist School?
10.3% of sessions were missed at Talbot Specialist School in 2024/25. 27.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Talbot Specialist School?
Apply through Sheffield's coordinated admissions process, naming Talbot Specialist 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 Talbot Specialist School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 1 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 Sheffield is 17 (the median across 193 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Talbot Specialist School?
Talbot Specialist School is at Lees Hall Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S8 9JP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)