St Mark's Church of England School is an all-through mainstream school in Southampton for children and young people aged 4 to 16. In January 2026, 126 of its 1,129 pupils (11.2%) were getting SEN support and 36 (3.2%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 4–16
- 1,129 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Southampton.
11.2% get SEN support
126 of 1,129 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Lower than the England average.
3.2% have an EHC plan
36 of 1,129 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
About the same as the England average.
Most common needs
- Autism44
- Speech, language and communication35
- Social, emotional and mental health22
- Moderate learning difficulty22
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia14
- Hearing impairment6
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream all-through school
- Run as
- Voluntary controlled school
- Ages
- 4 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,129 (places for 1,320)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Stephanie Bryant
- Faith
- Church of England
- Free school meals
- 46.7% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Southampton
- School reference (URN)
- 116342
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Southampton council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Good, October 2022
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in October 2022.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Early yearsGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Stafford Road, Shirley, Southampton, SO15 5TE
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- The Polygon School Special school · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted report card (2025) 0.6 miles
- New Avenue School Independent · Ages 9–16 · Ofsted: Good 0.8 miles
- Mason Moor Primary School, Nursery & Specialist Bases Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.4 miles
- Newlands Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.7 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Freemantle Church of England Community Academy Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 18.2%, EHC plans 1.6% 0.3 miles
- Springhill Catholic Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 10.7%, EHC plans 2.8% 0.5 miles
- Foundry Lane Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 15.9%, EHC plans 3% 0.6 miles
All mainstream schools in Southampton SEND schools in Southampton
Questions about St Mark's Church of England School
How many pupils at St Mark's Church of England School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 126 of the 1,129 pupils (11.2%) were getting SEN support and 36 (3.2%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at St Mark's Church of England School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are autism (44 pupils), speech, language and communication needs (35 pupils) and social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (22 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at St Mark's Church of England School?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at St Mark's Church of England School?
Through Southampton council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to St Mark's Church of England School?
You can ask for St Mark's Church of England School to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does St Mark's Church of England School have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Mason Moor Primary School, Nursery & Specialist Bases, about 1.4 miles away.
Where is St Mark's Church of England School?
Stafford Road, Shirley, Southampton, SO15 5TE, in Southampton.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), 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.