The St Christopher School is a special academy in Leigh-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, for children and young people aged 3 to 19. It supports autism, SEMH and moderate learning.
- Ages 3–19
- 270 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 3 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 270 (places for 191)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Elspeth Kirk (Headteacher)
- Part of
- SEN Trust Southend
- Opened
- 1 April 2012
- Free school meals
- 43.2% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Southend-on-Sea
- School reference (URN)
- 138044
Needs it supports
3 needs: autism, SEMH and 1 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
Cognition and learning
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in Southend-on-Sea (3)
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Southend-on-Sea (2)
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Southend-on-Sea council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Rated Good, April 2024; school remains Outstanding (Concerns) - S5 Next (September 2022)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in April 2024.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- Early yearsOutstanding
- Sixth formOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Outstanding (Concerns) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, September 2022).
Contact and getting there
Mountdale Gardens, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 4AW
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Blenheim Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Outstanding 0.3 miles
- Kingsdown School Special school · Ages 3–14 0.5 miles
- Fairways Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.8 miles
All SEND schools in Southend-on-Sea
By need in Southend-on-Sea: Autism (10) · Moderate learning (4) · SEMH (3) · Severe learning (2) · PMLD (2) · Physical (2)
Questions about The St Christopher School
How do I get a place at The St Christopher School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult The St Christopher School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does The St Christopher School support?
Autism, social, emotional and mental health and moderate learning difficulty. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does The St Christopher School take?
Aged 3 to 19, boys and girls.
What is The St Christopher School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in April 2024 at its last graded inspection. Newer inspections no longer give a single overall grade, so read the latest report for the full picture.
Where is The St Christopher School?
Mountdale Gardens, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 4AW, in Southend-on-Sea.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, 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.