Prospectus & Further Information

Places are offered by distance, and in recent years, catchment has ranged from 7 to 16 miles. Most people who put Hillview as their first choice are offered a place – sometimes that means waiting until second-round offers or going through the appeals process. For more information, see the Hillview Website: Admissions.

Students can be placed in classes with people they know from different schools or who are coming from similar geographical areas, and all students are supported through the buddy and mentor system.

Yes! Many of our students pick Hillview purely for the academic rigour and ethos – there is no requirement to be involved in Performing or Visual Arts subjects outside the curriculum. That said, we feel that the enjoyment, creativity and confidence they gain from these lessons have a positive impact on all our students.

We offer 10% of places each year to students who show an aptitude for Dance, Drama, Music or Visual Arts. Students need to apply for one discipline, and places are decided via an informal, independently adjudicated workshop in October. You can learn more about this on our Admissions page 

There are approximately 1,550 students in the school and 236 places in Year 7. 

Class sizes are approximately 29/30. Mentor (registration) Groups have approximately 27/28 students.

We avoid wholesale streaming of students as this approach is very rigid and risks forcing students onto a path that may prove unsuitable. We provide mixed-ability teaching for Foundation subjects. We do, however, set in Maths and English - we find that setting in these subjects allows us to be very precise about ensuring pace and challenge are appropriate.

All students will take GCSEs in English Language and Literature, Maths and Science (Triple or Combined). Students then select four (or three if taking Triple Science) other optional subjects, and we require that one of these is a Humanities subject or a Language. Where appropriate, we encourage students to select both.

We are very proud of the academic achievements of our students. More detailed information is available on our website.

SEN support varies depending on the needs of the child. Secondary school generally offers less out-of-class intervention, as encouraging independence is key, but a wide range of support is available. If your child is offered a place at Hillview, we work closely with the primary school and parents to ensure we understand their needs and can meet them.