Showing 1-9 of 20 schools
- Bank View High School
- Hope School
- Millstead School
- Palmerston School
- Redbridge High School
- Sandfield Park School
- Abbot's Lea School
- Princes School
- Royal School for the Blind (Liverpool)
- Childwall Abbey School
- Clifford Holroyde Specialist Sen College
- Woolton High School
- St Vincent's School
- Birtenshaw School Merseyside
- Cavendish View School
- Hazel Cottage School
- Lakeside School
- Liverpool Progressive School
- Co-op Academy Rathbone
- Nazene Danielle School of Performing Arts
Special Schools in Liverpool
There are 20 special schools for children with special educational needs and disabilities in Liverpool. Together they support a range of needs, including Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Severe Learning Difficulty. Schools listed here span ages 2 to 19.
All special schools by areaHow special-school admissions work in Liverpool
Special-school places are allocated through the EHCP process and the local authority, not through academic selection or the standard admissions round. That is why this page presents provision and inspection quality rather than a league-table position.
It starts with an EHCP
Most special-school places require an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). The plan sets out a child’s needs and the support and provision the local authority must arrange.
You express a preference
During the EHCP process you can name the special school you would like your child to attend. The local authority must consider your preference and consult the schools involved.
The local authority names the school
Unlike mainstream admissions, you do not apply directly to the school. The local authority names the agreed school in Section I of the EHCP, and that named school then has a duty to admit your child.
SENDIASS can help
Your local SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) offers free, impartial guidance on EHCPs, expressing a preference, and what to do if you disagree with a decision.
Special Schools in Liverpool
Showing 1-20 of 20 schools
- Bank View High School
Fazakerley
FMS Inspection Score 10/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Hearing Impairment, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Physical Disability, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Severe Learning Difficulty, Specific Learning Difficulty, Visual Impairment · Ages 5 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Hope School
Woolton
FMS Inspection Score 10/10 · Social, Emotional and Mental Health · Ages 5 to 11 · Co-educational · Day
- Millstead School
Everton
FMS Inspection Score 10/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty, Severe Learning Difficulty · Ages 2 to 11 · Co-educational · Day
- Palmerston School
Aigburth
FMS Inspection Score 10/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Multi-Sensory Impairment, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Severe Learning Difficulty · Ages 11 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Redbridge High School
Norris Green
FMS Inspection Score 10/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Physical Disability, Severe Learning Difficulty · Ages 11 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Sandfield Park School
Sandfield Park
FMS Inspection Score 10/10 · Other Difficulty/Disability, Physical Disability, Severe Learning Difficulty · Ages 11 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Abbot's Lea School
Woolton
FMS Inspection Score 9.5/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Multi-Sensory Impairment, Other Difficulty/Disability, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Severe Learning Difficulty, Specific Learning Difficulty · Ages 3 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Princes School
Toxteth
FMS Inspection Score 9.4/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty, Severe Learning Difficulty · Ages 2 to 11 · Co-educational · Day
- Royal School for the Blind (Liverpool)
Wavertree
FMS Inspection Score 9/10 · Hearing Impairment, Visual Impairment · Ages 2 to 19 · Co-educational · Day & boarding
- Childwall Abbey School
Childwall
FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Hearing Impairment, Moderate Learning Difficulty, Multi-Sensory Impairment, Other Difficulty/Disability, Physical Disability, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Severe Learning Difficulty, Specific Learning Difficulty, Visual Impairment · Ages 11 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Clifford Holroyde Specialist Sen College
Knotty Ash
FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Social, Emotional and Mental Health · Ages 11 to 16 · Boys · Day
- Woolton High School
Woolton
FMS Inspection Score 7/10 · Social, Emotional and Mental Health · Ages 11 to 16 · Boys · Day
- St Vincent's School
West Derby
FMS Inspection Score 5.6/10 · Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Multi-Sensory Impairment, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Visual Impairment · Ages 4 to 19 · Co-educational · Day & boarding
- Birtenshaw School Merseyside
Fazakerley
Ages 3 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Cavendish View School
Fazakerley
Ages 5 to 11 · Co-educational · Day
- Hazel Cottage School
Fazakerley
Ages 4 to 11 · Co-educational · Day
- Lakeside School
Belle Vale
Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Speech, Language and Communication Needs · Ages 5 to 17 · Co-educational · Day
- Liverpool Progressive School
Walton
Speech, Language and Communication Needs · Ages 8 to 19 · Co-educational · Day
- Co-op Academy Rathbone
West Derby
Ages 5 to 11 · Boys · Day
- Nazene Danielle School of Performing Arts
Old Swan
Ages 6 to 16 · Co-educational · Day
Frequently asked questions
What is a special school?
A special school educates children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who need more support than a mainstream school can usually provide. Most pupils have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), and schools are organised around specific types of need, such as autism, social and emotional needs, or severe and complex learning difficulties.
How many special schools are in Liverpool?
This page currently lists 20 special schools in Liverpool, ordered by inspection quality. Use the provision-type filter to narrow the list to the needs that matter most for your child.
How do I apply for a special school place in Liverpool?
Special school places are arranged through the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process, not through the normal school-admissions round. You name your preferred school in the EHCP, and the local authority decides which school to name in Section I after consulting the schools. Your local SENDIASS service offers free, impartial advice on expressing a preference and on the EHCP timeline.
What SEN types are supported in Liverpool?
Across Liverpool, provision covers needs such as Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Speech, Language and Communication Needs and Moderate Learning Difficulty.
Are special schools inspected by Ofsted?
Yes. State-funded special schools are inspected by Ofsted on the same framework as mainstream schools, and independent special schools are inspected by Ofsted or an approved inspectorate. We translate the latest inspection into an FMS Inspection Score so you can compare schools on a single consistent scale.
Do special schools follow the national curriculum and offer GCSEs?
Special schools follow a broad and balanced curriculum, adapted to each pupil. Many enter pupils for GCSEs, Functional Skills, and vocational qualifications where appropriate, while others focus on communication, independence, and life skills. The right mix depends on the school and the needs of its pupils.
How are special schools funded?
State special school places are funded by local authorities through the high-needs block, with additional top-up funding attached to each pupil with an EHCP. Independent and non-maintained special schools may be funded by the local authority where the EHCP names them, or privately by families.