Presfield High School and Specialist College is a council-run special school in Southport, Sefton, for children and young people aged 11 to 19. It supports autism.
- Ages 11–19
- 132 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Council special school
- Ages
- 11 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 132 (places for 88)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Lucy McLoughlin (Headteacher)
- Free school meals
- 34.4% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Sefton
- School reference (URN)
- 104977
Needs it supports
1 need: autism
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Sefton council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Rated Good, March 2013; school remains Good (September 2023)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in March 2013. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, September 2023).
Contact and getting there
Preston New Road, Churchtown, Southport, PR9 8PA
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Peterhouse School Special school · Ages 5–19 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.0 miles
- Marshside Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.6 miles
- Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.1 miles
By need in Sefton: Autism (17) · SEMH (7) · Speech and language (7) · Moderate learning (7) · Dyslexia and SpLD (7) · Severe learning (6) · PMLD (5) · Vision (4) · Physical (4) · Hearing (3) · Multi-sensory (3)
Questions about Presfield High School and Specialist College
How do I get a place at Presfield High School and Specialist College?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult Presfield High School and Specialist College. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Presfield High School and Specialist College support?
Autism. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Presfield High School and Specialist College take?
Aged 11 to 19, boys and girls.
What is Presfield High School and Specialist College’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in September 2023 at its last graded inspection. Newer inspections no longer give a single overall grade, so read the latest report for the full picture.
Where is Presfield High School and Specialist College?
Preston New Road, Churchtown, Southport, PR9 8PA, in Sefton.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.