Sunnydown School is a council-run special school in Caterham, Surrey, for boys aged 11 to 16. It supports speech and language and autism.
- Ages 11–16
- 91 pupils
- Boys only
- Ofsted: Outstanding
School details
- Type
- Council special school
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys only
- Pupils
- 91 (places for 81)
- Headteacher
- Mr R Woolley (Headteacher)
- Free school meals
- 29.7% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Surrey
- School reference (URN)
- 125458
Needs it supports
2 needs: speech and language, autism
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in Surrey (36)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Surrey (28)
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Surrey council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Rated Outstanding, May 2023; school remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (October 2021)
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in May 2023.
- Quality of educationOutstanding
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, October 2021).
Contact and getting there
Portley House, 152 Whyteleafe Road, Caterham, CR3 5ED
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- de Stafford School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 0.3 miles
- Clifton Hill School Special school · Ages 11–19 · Ofsted: Good 1.1 miles
- Oasis Academy Coulsdon Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 1.1 miles
By need in Surrey: Autism (37) · Speech and language (29) · Moderate learning (18) · Severe learning (9) · Hearing (6) · Physical (6) · SEMH (5) · PMLD (5) · Vision (5) · Dyslexia and SpLD (4)
Questions about Sunnydown School
How do I get a place at Sunnydown School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult Sunnydown School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Sunnydown School support?
Speech, language and communication and autism. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Sunnydown School take?
Aged 11 to 16, boys only.
What is Sunnydown School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in May 2023 at its last graded inspection. Newer inspections no longer give a single overall grade, so read the latest report for the full picture.
Where is Sunnydown School?
Portley House, 152 Whyteleafe Road, Caterham, CR3 5ED, in Surrey.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, 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.