Dovedale Community Primary School is a mainstream primary school in Liverpool for children aged 4 to 11. In January 2026, 159 of its 839 pupils (19%) were getting SEN support and 19 (2.3%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 4–11
- 839 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2025)
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state primary schools across England and in Liverpool.
19% get SEN support
159 of 839 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
2.3% have an EHC plan
19 of 839 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Speech, language and communication74
- Social, emotional and mental health48
- Autism34
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia17
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream primary school
- Run as
- Council-run school
- Ages
- 4 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 839 (places for 840)
- Headteacher
- Mr Nik Smith
- Free school meals
- 8.7% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Liverpool
- School reference (URN)
- 141960
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Liverpool council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Report card, November 2025: Strong standard in 5 of 7 areas
Inspected in November 2025 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionStrong standard
- Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
- Early yearsExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceStrong standard
- SafeguardingMet
Since then: School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, March 2024).
Contact and getting there
Herondale Road, Liverpool, L18 1JX
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Royal School for the Blind (Liverpool) Special school · Ages 2–19 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.7 miles
- Palmerston School Special school · Ages 11–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 1.3 miles
- St Michael-in-the-Hamlet Community Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.4 miles
- Springwood Heath Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 1.9 miles
Other mainstream schools
- St Anthony of Padua Catholic Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 13.8%, EHC plans 1.4% 0.2 miles
- Liverpool College All-through · Ages 4–19 · SEN support 15.5%, EHC plans 6.7% 0.4 miles
- Greenbank Primary School Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 26%, EHC plans 2.1% 0.4 miles
All mainstream schools in Liverpool SEND schools in Liverpool
Questions about Dovedale Community Primary School
How many pupils at Dovedale Community Primary School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 159 of the 839 pupils (19%) were getting SEN support and 19 (2.3%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state primary schools it is 15.4% and 4.1%.
What are the most common needs at Dovedale Community Primary School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are speech, language and communication needs (74 pupils), social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (48 pupils) and autism (34 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Dovedale Community Primary School?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at Dovedale Community Primary School?
Through Liverpool council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to Dovedale Community Primary School?
You can ask for Dovedale Community Primary School to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does Dovedale Community Primary School have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is St Michael-in-the-Hamlet Community Primary School, about 1.4 miles away.
Where is Dovedale Community Primary School?
Herondale Road, Liverpool, L18 1JX, in Liverpool.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), 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.