Beacon Academy is a mainstream secondary school in Crowborough, East Sussex, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. In January 2026, 191 of its 1,642 pupils (11.6%) were getting SEN support and 37 (2.3%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–18
- 1,642 pupils
- Ofsted: Outstanding
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in East Sussex.
11.6% get SEN support
191 of 1,642 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
2.3% have an EHC plan
37 of 1,642 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia68
- Social, emotional and mental health60
- Autism51
- Speech, language and communication14
- Moderate learning difficulty7
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
- 1,642 (places for 1,550)
- Headteacher
- Mr Keith Slattery
- Part of
- Mark Education Trust
- Free school meals
- 13.9% of pupils eligible
- Council
- East Sussex
- School reference (URN)
- 137982
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 East Sussex 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 Outstanding, April 2024; school remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next (December 2022)
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in April 2024.
- Quality of educationOutstanding
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- Sixth formOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (Improving) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, December 2022).
Contact and getting there
North Beeches Road, Crowborough, TN6 2AS
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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
- Acre Wood Academy Special school · Ages 4–19 0.6 miles
- The Mount Camphill Community Ltd Independent · Ages 16–25 6.1 miles
- Manor Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 6.3 miles
- Uckfield College Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Outstanding 6.3 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Sir Henry Fermor Church of England Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 15.1%, EHC plans 1.7% 0.1 miles
- St Marys Catholic Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 12.6%, EHC plans 4.2% 0.2 miles
- Ashdown Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 10.3%, EHC plans 2.5% 0.4 miles
All mainstream schools in East Sussex SEND schools in East Sussex
Questions about Beacon Academy
How many pupils at Beacon Academy have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 191 of the 1,642 pupils (11.6%) were getting SEN support and 37 (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 Beacon Academy?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (68 pupils), social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (60 pupils) and autism (51 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Beacon Academy?
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 Beacon Academy?
Through East Sussex 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 Beacon Academy?
You can ask for Beacon Academy 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 Beacon Academy 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 Manor Primary School, about 6.3 miles away.
Where is Beacon Academy?
North Beeches Road, Crowborough, TN6 2AS, in East Sussex.
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.