Herons Dale School is a council-run special school in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, for children and young people aged 4 to 11. It supports dyslexia and SpLD, vision, hearing and 8 other needs.
- Ages 4–11
- 146 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Council special school
- Ages
- 4 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 146 (places for 130)
- Headteacher
- Miss Isabel Robson (Headteacher)
- Free school meals
- 33.6% of pupils eligible
- Council
- West Sussex
- School reference (URN)
- 126169
Needs it supports
12 needs: dyslexia and SpLD, vision and 10 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in West Sussex (20)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in West Sussex (18)
Cognition and learning
- Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) Other schools for this in West Sussex (4)
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in West Sussex (8)
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in West Sussex (7)
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties Other schools for this in West Sussex (3)
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in West Sussex (6)
Sensory and physical
- Hearing impairment Other schools for this in West Sussex (7)
- Visual impairment Other schools for this in West Sussex (2)
- Multi-sensory impairment Other schools for this in West Sussex (1)
- Physical disability Other schools for this in West Sussex (8)
It also lists other needs. Ask the school what these are.
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, February 2013; school remains Good (February 2023)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in February 2013. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, February 2023).
Contact and getting there
Hawkins Crescent, Shoreham-by-Sea, BN43 6TN
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
- Hill Park School Special school · Ages 4–16 · Ofsted: Outstanding 1.2 miles
- Hove Micro-School Independent · Ages 5–14 1.3 miles
- West Blatchington Primary and Nursery School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 2.3 miles
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 Herons Dale School
How do I get a place at Herons Dale 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 Herons Dale School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Herons Dale School support?
Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication, autism, social, emotional and mental health, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulty, severe learning difficulty and profound and multiple learning difficulties. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Herons Dale School take?
Aged 4 to 11, boys and girls.
What is Herons Dale School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in February 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 Herons Dale School?
Hawkins Crescent, Shoreham-by-Sea, BN43 6TN, 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.