Hilltop School

Special academy · All-through, ages 2 to 19 · Mixed · Nursery class · Sixth form

Part of NEXUS MULTI ACADEMY TRUST

Larch Road, Maltby, Rotherham, S66 8AZ

01709 813386 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 9 January 2013, before conversion; confirmed 2025
Pupils180Room for 164 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 118 in 2019, 134 in 2021, 132 in 2022, 134 in 2023, 147 in 2024, 183 in 2025, 180 in 2026. Across England, special state school pupil numbers were up 39% from 2019 to 2025.
Free school meals50%of pupils eligible now

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 9 January 2013. This inspection was of the school before it changed to its current form (for example, before becoming an academy).

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Outcomes for pupilsGood
Leadership and managementGood

Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 12 March 2025: Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

60 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025.

StatementThis schoolEngland
My child is happy at this school 78% 89%
My child feels safe at this school 57% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 55% 84%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 30 parents whose child had been bullied 27% 51%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 55 parents who had raised a concern 60% 76%
My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 59 parents of children with SEND 71% 68%
I would recommend this school to another parent 60%said yes 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 33%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

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Results

Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25

19 pupils in this year group.

0% — 60 points below the Rotherham average, and 62 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolRotherhamEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 60% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 6% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading 0% 71% 75%
Met the expected standard in writing 0% 71% 72%
Met the expected standard in maths 0% 72% 74%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. Not published 105 106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. Not published 104 105

"Not published": No figure published.

Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, over time
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% England 2022/23: 60%England 2023/24: 61%England 2024/25: 62% This school 2022/23: 0%This school 2023/24: 0%This school 2024/25: 0% This school England 62% 2022/23 0% 2023/24 0% 2024/25 0%

Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Rotherham. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

Admissions dates and schools in Rotherham

Pupils, staff and SEND

This is a special school for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Places are arranged through the council's SEND team, not the normal admissions round. It caters for: Severe learning difficulties.

PupilsThis schoolRotherhamEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 48.8% 59.0%* 51.9%
With an education, health and care plan 100.0% 99.9%* 99.5%
Receiving special educational needs support 0.0% 0.1%* 0.5%
English as an additional language 10.4% 8.1%* 14.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed) 11.9% 13.8%* 12.8%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 39.5% 35.0%* 35.3%
Suspensions per 100 pupils 3.3 23.2 12.3
Pupils suspended at least once 1.6% 8.0% 5.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.08% 0.08%
Pupils per teacher 6.3 7.9 6.6
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 6.0 3.9 2.3
Teachers who left during the year 13.9% 18.0%* 14.3%*

Comparisons are with special schools. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).

Nearby special schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is Hilltop School's Ofsted rating?

Hilltop School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 9 January 2013. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 12 March 2025, Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.

Would parents recommend Hilltop School?

60% of the 60 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025 said they would recommend Hilltop School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.