St Aidan's Church of England High School is a mainstream secondary school in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. In January 2026, 174 of its 1,966 pupils (8.9%) were getting SEN support and 65 (3.3%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–18
- 1,966 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in North Yorkshire.
8.9% get SEN support
174 of 1,966 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Lower than the England average.
3.3% have an EHC plan
65 of 1,966 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
About the same as the England average.
Most common needs
- Autism69
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia49
- Social, emotional and mental health31
- Moderate learning difficulty13
- Hearing impairment11
- Physical disability7
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
- 1,966 (places for 1,903)
- Headteacher
- Sian Dover
- Part of
- Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust
- Faith
- Church of England
- Free school meals
- 8.2% of pupils eligible
- Council
- North Yorkshire
- School reference (URN)
- 137139
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 North Yorkshire 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, May 2022
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in May 2022.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Oatlands Drive, Harrogate, HG2 8JR
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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
- St John Fisher Catholic Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 0.2 miles
- Strive for Education Independent · Ages 14–19 · Ofsted: Good 0.7 miles
- Harrogate, Grove Road Community Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.2 miles
- Springwater Academy Special school · Ages 2–19 · Ofsted: Good 1.6 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Oatlands Community Junior School Primary · Ages 7–11 · SEN support 9.3%, EHC plans 2% 0.5 miles
- Willow Tree Community Primary School Primary · Ages 0–11 · SEN support 16.1%, EHC plans 2.8% 0.6 miles
- Oatlands Infant School Primary · Ages 4–7 · SEN support 4.8%, EHC plans 1.9% 0.6 miles
All mainstream schools in North Yorkshire SEND schools in North Yorkshire
Questions about St Aidan's Church of England High School
How many pupils at St Aidan's Church of England High School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 174 of the 1,966 pupils (8.9%) were getting SEN support and 65 (3.3%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at St Aidan's Church of England High School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are autism (69 pupils), dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (49 pupils) and social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (31 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at St Aidan's Church of England 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 St Aidan's Church of England High School?
Through North Yorkshire 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 Aidan's Church of England High School?
You can ask for St Aidan's Church of England 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 St Aidan's Church of England 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 St John Fisher Catholic Academy, about 0.2 miles away.
Where is St Aidan's Church of England High School?
Oatlands Drive, Harrogate, HG2 8JR, in North Yorkshire.
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.