Beacon Hill Academy is a special academy in South Ockendon, Thurrock, for children and young people aged 3 to 19. It supports severe learning.
- Ages 3–19
- 77 pupils
- Ofsted: Outstanding
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 3 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 77 (places for 75)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Sue Hewitt
- Part of
- Beacon Hill Academy
- Opened
- 1 September 2012
- Free school meals
- 31.1% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Thurrock
- School reference (URN)
- 138736
Needs it supports
1 need: severe learning
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Cognition and learning
- Severe learning difficulty
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 Thurrock 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 Outstanding, March 2012; standards maintained (February 2025)
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in March 2012. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
Since then: Standards maintained (ungraded inspection, February 2025).
Contact and getting there
Erriff Drive, South Ockendon, RM15 5AY
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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
- Dilkes Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Outstanding 0.4 miles
- Park Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Requires improvement 1.0 mile
- Aveley Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.1 miles
By need in Thurrock: Autism (7) · SEMH (5) · Moderate learning (5) · Speech and language (3) · Hearing (2) · Vision (2)
Questions about Beacon Hill Academy
How do I get a place at Beacon Hill Academy?
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 Beacon Hill Academy. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Beacon Hill Academy support?
Severe learning difficulty. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Beacon Hill Academy take?
Aged 3 to 19, boys and girls.
What is Beacon Hill Academy’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Beacon Hill Academy?
Erriff Drive, South Ockendon, RM15 5AY, in Thurrock.
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.