Palmerston School
Palmerston School is a community special school in Liverpool for pupils aged 11 to 19. It has 184 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Palmerston School is Outstanding, from an inspection in April 2025.
Ofsted inspection: April 2025.
| Type | Special School / Community special school |
| Age Range | 11-19 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Minehead Road Aigburth Liverpool Merseyside L17 6AU |
| Phone | 01514282128 |
| Reference Number | 104748 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 184 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 64.67%
Girls: 35.33% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 46.4% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 29.9% |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 17 | 7 | 24 |
| 8 | 11 | 8 | 19 |
| 9 | 23 | 12 | 35 |
| 10 | 12 | 8 | 20 |
| 11 | 19 | 8 | 27 |
| 12 | 13 | 7 | 20 |
| 13 | 11 | 4 | 15 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 54.9% |
| Asian, Other | 6.5% |
| African | 6% |
| Chinese | 3.8% |
| White, Other | 2.7% |
| Mixed, Other | 2.7% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 2.2% |
| Indian | 2.2% |
| White & Asian | 1.6% |
| Pakistani | 1.6% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.1% |
| Caribbean | 1.1% |
| Irish | 0.5% |
Palmerston School continues to uphold high standards since its last inspection and maintains its status as an outstanding institution. Pupils benefit from a warm, caring environment where strong relationships promote learning and personal growth. The school's ambitious curriculum is tailored to meet the unique needs of students with severe learning difficulties, enabling them to make significant progress. Support and guidance for pupils with complex medical needs and their families contribute to improved attendance rates, reflecting the school's commitment to inclusivity and student well-being.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Outstanding |
| Last Report Date | 04 Mar 2025 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 04 Mar 2025 | School inspection |
| 10 Dec 2019 | School inspection |
| 18 Mar 2015 | Full inspection: |
| 24 Nov 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 20 Jun 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 11 Mar 2002 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Strong and trusting relationships between pupils and staff.
- Ambitious curriculum linked to individual education goals.
- Effective communication and reading skill development.
- Well-managed behaviour leading to a calm learning environment.
- Abundant opportunities for life experiences outside the classroom.
- Supportive staff culture with a focus on professional development.
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent analysis of behavior data limits understanding of patterns.
Destinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > Further Education | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > School Sixth Form | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > Sixth Form College | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > Other Education | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Apprenticeships | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Employment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Not in education or employment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Unknown | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
In 2024–25 pupils at Palmerston School attended 89.3% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 30.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 8.5% | 9.6% | 10.7% | 8.0% | 8.0% | 9.9% | 27.2% | 16.2% | 10.5% | 11.2% | 7.0% |
| Unauthorised absence | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2.1% | 1.7% | 3.6% |
| Severely absent pupils | 3.1% | 3.2% | 4.5% | 5.7% | 2.5% | 2.6% | 14.7% | 10.7% | 3.7% | 6.8% | 4.1% |
Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.
In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Palmerston School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.6 | 5.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.
In 2025–26 Palmerston School had 6.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 23.2% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 5.3 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 7.5% | 5.6% | 1.3% | 7.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 4.6% | 0.0% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 0.0% | 4.3% | 0.0% | 10.2% | 19.5% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 66.7% | 42.1% | 52.6% | 40.9% | 63.6% | 52.2% | 70.8% | 81.8% | 75.0% | – | 72.7% | 74.1% | 66.7% | 71.0% | 71.9% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 4.9 | 5.1 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 4.3 | 24.0 | 23.0 | – | 11.8 | 11.7 | 6.1 | 10.8 | 10.7 | – |
Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.
In 2025–26 Palmerston School had 184 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).
It says it provides for: severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty.
Pupils by main type of need
| EHC plan | |
|---|---|
| Severe learning difficulty | 146 |
| Profound and multiple learning difficulty | 22 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 10 |
| Speech, language and communication needs | 2 |
| Down's syndrome | 1 |
| Other difficulty or disability | 1 |
| Physical disability | 1 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 1 |
Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.
In 2025–26 Palmerston School received £27,519 and spent £25,495 for each of its 184 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £409,000 (£2,223 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £363,000 | £292,000 | £519,000 | £463,000 | £398,000 | £440,000 | £36,000 | £409,000 |
| per pupil | £2,950 | £2,435 | £3,964 | £3,357 | £2,669 | £2,619 | £209 | £2,223 |
| In-year balance | -£105,000 | -£71,000 | £227,000 | -£56,000 | -£66,000 | £42,000 | -£404,000 | £373,000 |
| per pupil | -£852 | -£589 | £1,733 | -£406 | -£440 | £252 | -£2,319 | £2,025 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).
| Name | Distance |
|
Sudley Primary School
Aigburth Road, Liverpool, L17 6BH |
0.19 miles |
|
St Charles' Catholic Academy
Tramway Road, Aigburth, Liverpool, Merseyside, L17 7JA |
0.88 miles |
|
St Austin's Catholic Primary School
Riverbank Road, Liverpool, Merseyside, L19 9DH |
0.89 miles |
|
St Michael-in-the-Hamlet Community Primary School
Neilson Road, Aigburth, St Michael-in-the-Hamlet Primary School, Liverpool, Merseyside, L17 7BA |
0.96 miles |
|
Booker Avenue Junior School
Booker Avenue, Liverpool, Merseyside, L18 9SB |
1.05 miles |
|
Booker Avenue Infant School
Booker Avenue, Liverpool, Merseyside, L18 9SB |
1.05 miles |
|
Gilmour Primary School
Southbank Road, Liverpool, L19 9AR |
1.13 miles |
|
St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School
Sands Road Off Elmsley Road, Mossley Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside, L18 8BD |
1.13 miles |
|
Prudentia Education
Speke Adventure Playground Conleach Road, Speke, Liverpool, Merseyside, L24 0TR |
1.22 miles |
|
Dovedale Community Primary School
Herondale Road, Liverpool, L18 1JX |
1.34 miles |
|
Matthew Arnold Primary School
Dingle Lane, Liverpool, Merseyside, L8 9UB |
1.47 miles |
|
Greenbank Primary School
Greenbank Primary School, Mossley Avenue, Liverpool, Merseyside, L18 1JB |
1.53 miles |
|
St Finbar's Catholic Primary School
South Hill Road, Liverpool, Merseyside, L8 9RY |
1.54 miles |
|
The Belvedere Preparatory School
23 Belvidere Road, Princes Park, Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside, L8 3TF |
1.6 miles |
|
Springwood Heath Primary School
Danefield Road, Liverpool, Merseyside, L19 4TL |
1.78 miles |
|
Garston Church of England Primary School
Holman Road, Garston, Liverpool, Merseyside, L19 5NS |
1.78 miles |
|
St Cleopas' Church of England Primary Academy
Beresford Road, Liverpool, Merseyside, L8 4RP |
1.83 miles |
|
St Clare's Catholic Primary School
Garmoyle Close, Liverpool, Merseyside, L15 0DW |
1.85 miles |
|
St Silas Church of England Primary School
High Park Street, Toxteth, Liverpool, Merseyside, L8 3TP |
1.87 miles |
|
Carleton House Preparatory School
|
1.93 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
St Margaret's Church of England Academy
Aigburth Road, Liverpool, Merseyside, L17 6AB |
0.1 miles |
|
Liverpool College
Queen's Drive, Mossley Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside, L18 8BG |
1.02 miles |
|
Auckland College
65-67 Parkfield Road, Liverpool, Merseyside, L17 4LE |
1.1 miles |
|
King's Leadership Academy, Liverpool
Dingle Vale, Liverpool, Merseyside, L8 9SJ |
1.33 miles |
|
St Hilda's Church of England High School
Croxteth Drive, Sefton Park, Liverpool, Merseyside, L17 3AL |
1.47 miles |
|
Bellerive FCJ Catholic College
1 Aigburth Drive, Sefton Park, Liverpool, Merseyside, L17 3AA |
1.47 miles |
|
ES Independent School
52 Wellington Street, Garston, Liverpool, Merseyside, L19 2LX |
1.58 miles |
|
The Belvedere Academy
17 Belvidere Road, Princes Park, Liverpool, Merseyside, L8 3TF |
1.6 miles |
|
Calderstones School
Harthill Road, Allerton, Liverpool, Merseyside, L18 3HS |
1.66 miles |
|
The Blue Coat School
Church Road, Wavertree, Liverpool, Merseyside, L15 9EE |
1.86 miles |
|
The Academy of St Nicholas
51 Horrocks Avenue, Garston, Liverpool, Merseyside, L19 5NY |
1.93 miles |
|
Royal School for the Blind (Liverpool)
Church Road North, Wavertree, Liverpool, Merseyside, L15 6TQ |
2.03 miles |
|
Archbishop Blanch CofE High School
80 Earle Road, Liverpool, Merseyside, L7 6HQ |
2.2 miles |
|
Abbot's Lea School
Beaconsfield Road, Woolton, Liverpool, Merseyside, L25 6EE |
2.22 miles |
|
Progress Schools - Liverpool
19 Back Canning Street, Liverpool, L8 7PB |
2.24 miles |
|
SENDSCOPE
Liverpool Road, Crosby, Liverpool, L23 5TF |
2.31 miles |
|
St Francis Xavier's Catholic Academy
Woolton Hill Road, Woolton, Liverpool, Merseyside, L25 6EG |
2.33 miles |
|
King David High School
116 Childwall Road, Liverpool, L15 6WU |
2.33 miles |
|
Woolton High School
Woolton Hill Road, Woolton, Liverpool, Merseyside, L25 6JA |
2.41 miles |
|
Childwall Sports & Science Academy
Queen's Drive, Liverpool, Merseyside, L15 6XZ |
2.53 miles |
All schools in Liverpool · Liverpool local authority: places and applications
What is Palmerston School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for Palmerston School is Outstanding, from an inspection in April 2025.
When was Palmerston School last inspected by Ofsted?
Palmerston School was last inspected in April 2025.
How many pupils does Palmerston School have?
Palmerston School has 184 pupils on roll.
What age range does Palmerston School cover?
Palmerston School for pupils aged 11 to 19.
Where is Palmerston School?
Palmerston School is at Minehead Road, Aigburth, Liverpool, Merseyside, L17 6AU.