Hill Park School

Hill Park School is a special school where all pupils have an education, health and care plan, and it has recently expanded across three sites, including The Hive. Inspectors found the school performing at a strong standard in every area inspected, with safeguarding met. Leaders hold the highest aspirations for pupils, and this is reflected in an ambitious, highly personalised curriculum that helps pupils make sustained progress, develop essential communication skills, achieve appropriate qualifications and move on successfully to their next steps. The school's culture is warm, inclusive and purposeful. Pupils attend very well, including many who arrive with previously low attendance, and they behave very well because of trusted relationships with staff. Teaching is expert and closely matched to individual needs, early years provision is highly effective, and inclusion is a standout strength that leaders describe as life-changing for many families. Governance is diligent, staff feel well supported, and personal development, careers guidance and enrichment are strong. There are no significant areas of concern; the main next step is for leaders to continue sharing the school's high-quality practice with local schools.

Strengths

• Pupils make sustained progress from their starting points and meet individual targets.
• Pupils leave with appropriate qualifications and move on successfully to higher study or employment.
• Attendance improves sharply, including for pupils with previously low attendance.
• Pupils behave very well and benefit from warm, caring relationships with staff.
• Leaders and staff use effective systems to identify and support attendance and behaviour needs.
• The curriculum is ambitious and personalised to each pupil's needs.
• Teachers are expert at meeting complex needs and prioritising communication skills.
• Phonics is taught skilfully and adapted to pupils' individual starting points.
• Early years provision is highly effective, with strong transitions, routines and assessment.
• The school is highly inclusive, with bespoke support and clear oversight of progress.
• Leaders have high aspirations and a robust school improvement plan.
• Governors fulfil statutory duties diligently and have detailed oversight of the school.
• Staff feel well supported, with high-quality training and sensitive attention to workload and wellbeing.
• Personal development, PSHE, careers guidance and enrichment activities are high quality.
• Pupils are kind, tolerant and well prepared for their next steps.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open and positive culture of safeguarding.

In 2024–25 pupils at Hill Park School attended 86.8% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 40.0% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

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, 1.9% of pupils at Hill Park School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

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 Hill Park School had 13.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

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 Hill Park School had 283 pupils, 99.6% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: specific learning difficulty; moderate learning difficulty; severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; social, emotional and mental health; speech, language and communication needs; hearing impairment; vision impairment; multi-sensory impairment; physical disability; autistic spectrum disorder; other difficulty or disability.

Pupils by main type of need

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 Hill Park School received £28,299 and spent £27,257 for each of its 284 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £400,000 (£1,409 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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What is Hill Park School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Hill Park School is Strong standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Hill Park School last inspected by Ofsted?

Hill Park School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Hill Park School have?

Hill Park School has 283 pupils on roll.

What age range does Hill Park School cover?

Hill Park School for pupils aged 4 to 16.

What are Hill Park School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Hill Park School?

Hill Park School is at Foredown Road, Portslade, Brighton, East Sussex, BN41 2FU.