Worthing High School is a mainstream secondary school with an SEN unit in Worthing, West Sussex, for children and young people aged 11 to 16. Its SEN unit has 41 places for specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), hearing impairment, speech, language and communication and autism.
- Ages 11–16
- 1,050 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Mainstream school with an SEN unit
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Specialist base
- An SEN unit, 41 places, 41 pupils
- Pupils
- 1,050
- Headteacher
- Mr Alex Simpson (Headteacher)
- Part of
- South Downs Education Trust
- Council
- West Sussex
- School reference (URN)
- 139109
Needs its base supports
8 needs: dyslexia and SpLD, hearing and 6 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in West Sussex (20)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in West Sussex (18)
Cognition and learning
- Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) Other schools for this in West Sussex (4)
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in West Sussex (8)
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in West Sussex (6)
Sensory and physical
- Hearing impairment Other schools for this in West Sussex (7)
- Physical disability Other schools for this in West Sussex (8)
It also lists other needs. Ask the school what these are.
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places in an SEN unit or resourced provision are usually for children with 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 about the base
See the school and its specialist base, and ask how children split their time between the base and mainstream classes.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often West Sussex council) that you want this school and its base, 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. Places in the base itself are agreed between the council and the school, so ask how they decide.
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 2016; standards maintained (March 2025)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in April 2016. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: Standards maintained (ungraded inspection, March 2025).
Contact and getting there
South Farm Road, Worthing, BN14 7AR
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Brighton Forward Ltd Independent · Ages 16–25 0.5 miles
- Homefield Primary School and SSC Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.8 miles
- Seadown School Independent · Ages 6–16 · Ofsted: Good 1.1 miles
All SEND schools in West Sussex
By need in West Sussex: Autism (21) · Speech and language (19) · Moderate learning (9) · Physical (9) · Severe learning (8) · Hearing (8) · SEMH (7) · Dyslexia and SpLD (5) · PMLD (4) · Vision (3) · Multi-sensory (2)
Questions about Worthing High School
How do I get a place in Worthing High School’s specialist base?
Places in an SEN unit or resourced provision usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult the school about its base. If the school is named in the plan it must admit your child; places in the base itself are agreed between the council and the school.
What needs does Worthing High School support?
Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), hearing impairment, speech, language and communication, autism, social, emotional and mental health, physical disability and moderate learning difficulty. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Worthing High School take?
Aged 11 to 16, boys and girls.
What is Worthing High School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Worthing High School?
South Farm Road, Worthing, BN14 7AR, in West Sussex.
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.