West Kirby School and College is a non-maintained special school, run by a charity in Wirral for children and young people aged 5 to 19. It supports autism and SEMH.
- Ages 5–19
- 115 pupils
- Ofsted: Outstanding
School details
- Type
- Non-maintained special school
- Ages
- 5 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 115 (places for 115)
- Headteacher
- Mr Richard Hicks (Headteacher)
- Free school meals
- 41.2% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Wirral
- School reference (URN)
- 105137
Needs it supports
2 needs: autism, SEMH
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Wirral (15)
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 Wirral 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 Outstanding, January 2013; school remains Outstanding (December 2021)
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in January 2013. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
Since then: School remains Outstanding (ungraded inspection, December 2021).
Contact and getting there
Meols Drive, West Kirby, Wirral, CH48 5DH
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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
- West Kirby St Bridget's CofE Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 0.6 miles
- Hilbre High School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.1 miles
- Gilbrook School Special school · Ages 4–11 3.8 miles
By need in Wirral: Autism (22) · SEMH (16) · Speech and language (13) · Moderate learning (10) · Severe learning (7) · PMLD (4) · Dyslexia and SpLD (4) · Hearing (3) · Vision (3) · Multi-sensory (3) · Physical (3)
Questions about West Kirby School and College
How do I get a place at West Kirby School and 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 West Kirby School and College. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does West Kirby School and College support?
Autism and social, emotional and mental health. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does West Kirby School and College take?
Aged 5 to 19, boys and girls.
What is West Kirby School and College’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in December 2021 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 West Kirby School and College?
Meols Drive, West Kirby, Wirral, CH48 5DH, in Wirral.
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.