Hilltop School
Larch Road, Maltby, Rotherham, S66 8AZOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Hilltop School is a special school in Rotherham for ages 2 to 19. It is one of the 126 schools in Rotherham. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in January 2013.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 9 January 2013, report published 20 March 2013
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 11 March 2025
Hilltop School develops pupils to be the best they can be. The school has high aspirations for its pupils. Developing pupils' communication and interaction skills is an important part of the school's work. Pupils experience lessons that prepare them well for their next steps in education and life. However, some parts of the curriculum are more embedded than others. All pupils have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. Pupils are happy in the school. They feel safe and well supported. Pupils benefit from the well-equipped school sites. They access a range of specialist resources and therapeutic interventions. These are used well to meet pupils' individual special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff know individual pupils well. They model positive behaviour around school. As a result, pupils engage positively with school. If pupils become distracted, staff swiftly intervene and support them effectively. This ensures that the learning environment is calm. Pupils' personal development is a strength of the school. The curriculum provides a range of development opportunities for pupils' broader development. Pupils enjoy the variety of activities available to them. For example, some pupils enjoy horse riding or work with a coach to learn sports such as cricket.
What the school should improve
- The delivery of the phonics curriculum lacks consistency. Some staff lack the confidence to teach it consistently well. This means that some pupils do not make the progress of which they are capable. The school should ensure that the delivery of the phonics curriculum is of a consistently high standard and addresses any variability by developing staff confidence and further strengthening their practice.
- Some staff move lessons on too quickly without checking pupils' understanding. In addition, some learning activities distract pupils from developing the intended knowledge. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that all teaching is of a consistently high standard across all areas of the school.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
19 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
180 pupils on roll, with places for 164
Schools near Hilltop School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbeywood School | 0.9 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 12.5 |
| The Willows School | 3 miles | Report card: Needs attention to strong standard | 0% met the expected standard |
| Pennine View School | 4 miles | Ofsted: Good | 0% met the expected standard |
| Elements Academy | 4 miles | Ofsted judgements: Requires improvement | Attainment 8: 2.1 |
| Newman School | 5 miles | Ofsted: Requires improvement | Attainment 8: 2.8 |
School details
- School type
- Academy special converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- NEXUS MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 2 to 19
- Gender
- Mixed
- Headteacher
- Mr Sam MacDonald
- Phone
- 01709813386
- Address
- Larch Road, Maltby, Rotherham, S66 8AZ
- Local authority
- Rotherham
- URN
- 142795
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.