Hilltop School is a special academy in Rotherham for children and young people aged 2 to 19. It supports severe learning.
- Ages 2–19
- 180 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 2 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 180 (places for 164)
- Headteacher
- Mr Sam MacDonald (Acting Headteacher)
- Part of
- Nexus Multi Academy Trust
- Opened
- 1 June 2016
- Free school meals
- 49.7% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Rotherham
- School reference (URN)
- 142795
Needs it supports
1 need: severe learning
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Cognition and learning
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Rotherham (1)
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 Rotherham 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, January 2013; standards maintained (March 2025)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in January 2013. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
Since then: Standards maintained (ungraded inspection, March 2025).
Contact and getting there
Larch Road, Maltby, Rotherham, S66 8AZ
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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
- Abbeywood School Independent · Ages 5–18 · Ofsted: Good 0.9 miles
- Sutherland House School Braithwell Independent · Ages 5–19 1.5 miles
- Bramley Grange Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.7 miles
By need in Rotherham: Autism (7) · Speech and language (5) · SEMH (4) · Moderate learning (3) · Hearing (3) · Severe learning (2) · Dyslexia and SpLD (2) · Vision (2)
Questions about Hilltop School
How do I get a place at Hilltop School?
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 Hilltop School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Hilltop School support?
Severe learning difficulty. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Hilltop School take?
Aged 2 to 19, boys and girls.
What is Hilltop School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Hilltop School?
Larch Road, Maltby, Rotherham, S66 8AZ, in Rotherham.
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.