Thurstable School is a mainstream secondary school in Colchester, Essex, for children and young people aged 11 to 16. In January 2026, 151 of its 932 pupils (16.2%) were getting SEN support and 30 (3.2%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–16
- 932 pupils
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Essex.
16.2% get SEN support
151 of 932 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
3.2% have an EHC plan
30 of 932 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
About the same as the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health62
- Autism51
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia38
- Speech, language and communication13
- 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 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 932 (places for 1,275)
- Headteacher
- Mr James Ketley
- Part of
- Thurstable School
- Free school meals
- 18.5% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Essex
- School reference (URN)
- 137241
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
Graded by area, May 2025; school remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (November 2021)
Inspected in May 2025. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, November 2021).
Contact and getting there
Maypole Road, Tiptree, Colchester, CO5 0EW
Loading the map…
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
- Kelvedon St Mary's Church of England Primary Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 2.2 miles
- Chatten Free School Special school · Ages 4–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 4.4 miles
- Southview School Special school · Ages 3–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 4.8 miles
- Acorn Infant Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 3–7 5.4 miles
Other mainstream schools
Questions about Thurstable School
How many pupils at Thurstable School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 151 of the 932 pupils (16.2%) were getting SEN support and 30 (3.2%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Thurstable School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (62 pupils), autism (51 pupils) and dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (38 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Thurstable 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 Thurstable 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 Thurstable School?
You can ask for Thurstable 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 Thurstable 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 Kelvedon St Mary's Church of England Primary Academy, about 2.2 miles away.
Where is Thurstable School?
Maypole Road, Tiptree, Colchester, CO5 0EW, 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.