OFSTED
22 March 2022
Latest graded inspection
Latest published outcome
Good
OEIF
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour & attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Good
Leadership & management
Outstanding
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Non-maintained special school
Phase
Not applicable
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Inter- / non- denominational
Local authority
East Sussex
Trust
Not applicable
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
221
221 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
70
31.7% of pupils
Male pupils
151
68.3% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
13.7 pts
above England
School
38.5%
Rother
21.6%
South East
19.0%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
17.1 pts
below England
School
3.2%
Rother
5.4%
South East
15.6%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
1.0 pts
below England
School
0.0%
Rother
0.6%
South East
1.7%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
83.3%
184
Any other White background
3.2%
7
Any other ethnic group
3.2%
7
White and Asian
2.3%
5
Any other Asian background
1.8%
4
African
1.4%
3
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
100.0%
221 of
221 pupils
79.2 pts
above England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
14.8 pts
below
England
6.0%
94.0 pts
above
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2024/25
Key stage 4 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
ATTAINMENT 8
Average attainment score
10.1
29.1 pts
below England
Latest published: -1.32 · 2023/24
Comparisons are averages of published school-level results for open schools. They are not pupil-weighted official local authority attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
7.85%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
1.63 pts
higher than
England
School
7.85%
Rother
6.17%
South East
6.30%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
23.27%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
7.45 pts
higher than
England
School
23.27%
Rother
16.33%
South East
15.75%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
1.89%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
0.08 pts
higher than
England
School
1.89%
Rother
1.52%
South East
1.93%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open not applicable schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
88.4%
8.6 pts
above England
St Mary's School and 6th Form College
88.4%
Rother
84.8%
South East
79.9%
England
79.8%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.