Sandbach School is a mainstream secondary school in Sandbach, Cheshire East, for boys aged 11 to 19. In January 2026, 228 of its 1,534 pupils (14.9%) were getting SEN support and 57 (3.7%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–19
- 1,534 pupils
- Boys only
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Cheshire East.
14.9% get SEN support
228 of 1,534 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
3.7% have an EHC plan
57 of 1,534 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 health73
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia47
- Autism29
- Moderate learning difficulty26
- Speech, language and communication24
- Profound and multiple learning difficulty8
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
- Free school
- Ages
- 11 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys only
- Pupils
- 1,534 (places for 1,500)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Sarah Burns
- Part of
- Sandbach School
- Free school meals
- 15.1% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Cheshire East
- School reference (URN)
- 137491
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 Cheshire East 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, March 2025; school remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (June 2023)
Inspected in March 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 formOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, June 2023).
Contact and getting there
Crewe Road, Sandbach, CW11 3NS
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
- Cheshire Hall School Independent · Ages 8–16 0.1 miles
- Monks Coppenhall Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 3.3 miles
- Compass Community Cledford Park Independent · Ages 7–17 · Ofsted report card (2026) 3.7 miles
- Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 3.8 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Sandbach Primary Academy Primary · Ages 2–11 · SEN support 16.8%, EHC plans 10.7% 0.1 miles
- Sandbach High School and Sixth Form College Secondary · Ages 11–18 · SEN support 5.9%, EHC plans 2.8% 0.2 miles
- Offley Primary Academy Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 10.4%, EHC plans 3.5% 0.5 miles
All mainstream schools in Cheshire East SEND schools in Cheshire East
Questions about Sandbach School
How many pupils at Sandbach School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 228 of the 1,534 pupils (14.9%) were getting SEN support and 57 (3.7%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Sandbach School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (73 pupils), dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (47 pupils) and autism (29 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Sandbach 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 Sandbach School?
Through Cheshire East 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 Sandbach School?
You can ask for Sandbach 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 Sandbach 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 Monks Coppenhall Academy, about 3.3 miles away.
Where is Sandbach School?
Crewe Road, Sandbach, CW11 3NS, in Cheshire East.
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.