Fordwater School, Chichester is a council-run special school in Chichester, West Sussex, for children and young people aged 2 to 19. It supports severe learning.
- Ages 2–19
- 219 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Council special school
- Ages
- 2 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 219 (places for 154)
- Headteacher
- Ms Sophie Clarke (Headteacher)
- Free school meals
- 35.9% of pupils eligible
- Council
- West Sussex
- School reference (URN)
- 126163
Needs it supports
1 need: severe learning
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Cognition and learning
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in West Sussex (7)
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 West Sussex 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 Good, January 2013; school remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next (July 2023)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in January 2013. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
Since then: School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, July 2023).
Contact and getting there
Summersdale Road, Chichester, PO19 6PP
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- St Anthony's School Special school · Ages 4–16 · Ofsted: Outstanding 0.5 miles
- Portfield Primary Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.0 mile
- Parklands Community Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.0 mile
All SEND schools in West Sussex
By need in West Sussex: Autism (21) · Speech and language (19) · Moderate learning (9) · Physical (9) · Severe learning (8) · Hearing (8) · SEMH (7) · Dyslexia and SpLD (5) · PMLD (4) · Vision (3) · Multi-sensory (2)
Questions about Fordwater School, Chichester
How do I get a place at Fordwater School, Chichester?
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 Fordwater School, Chichester. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Fordwater School, Chichester support?
Severe learning difficulty. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Fordwater School, Chichester take?
Aged 2 to 19, boys and girls.
What is Fordwater School, Chichester’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in July 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 Fordwater School, Chichester?
Summersdale Road, Chichester, PO19 6PP, in West Sussex.
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.