[5] On 12 May 1987 Southlands, historically known as Vicars Hill House,[6] became a grade II listed building.

[7] In 1995, Southlands established itself as the first residential specialist school in the United Kingdom for students with a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome.

[8] In 2014, after expanding its residential provisions, Southlands registered as a children's home.

Since its withdrawal from approval as an independent specialist school under section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, the school can no longer be subject to a request for it to be named in an Education, Health and Care plan.

[13] In July 2022, an English teacher at the school was banned from teaching indefinitely after she was accused of failing to maintain professional boundaries.