Moulsham High School is a mainstream secondary school in Chelmsford, Essex, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. In January 2026, 78 of its 1,662 pupils (4.7%) were getting SEN support and 39 (2.3%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–18
- 1,662 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Essex.
4.7% get SEN support
78 of 1,662 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Lower than the England average.
2.3% have an EHC plan
39 of 1,662 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health33
- Autism32
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia17
- Speech, language and communication16
- Visual impairment7
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 secondary school
- Run as
- Academy
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,662 (places for 1,613)
- Headteacher
- Miss Julia Mead
- Part of
- Bridge Academy Trust
- Free school meals
- 12.4% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Essex
- School reference (URN)
- 136863
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 Essex 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, January 2020; improved significantly (October 2024)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in January 2020.
- Quality of educationOutstanding
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: Improved significantly (ungraded inspection, October 2024).
Contact and getting there
Brian Close, Chelmsford, CM2 9ES
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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
- Mildmay Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 0.5 miles
- Great Baddow High School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.7 miles
- Community College Initiative Ltd Independent · Ages 16–99 0.9 miles
- Thriftwood School Special school · Ages 5–19 1.1 miles
Other mainstream schools
Questions about Moulsham High School
How many pupils at Moulsham High School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 78 of the 1,662 pupils (4.7%) were getting SEN support and 39 (2.3%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Moulsham High School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (33 pupils), autism (32 pupils) and dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (17 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Moulsham High 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 Moulsham High School?
Through Essex 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 Moulsham High School?
You can ask for Moulsham High 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 Moulsham High 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 Mildmay Primary School, about 0.5 miles away.
Where is Moulsham High School?
Brian Close, Chelmsford, CM2 9ES, in Essex.
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.