City Academy Whitehawk is a mainstream primary school in Brighton, Brighton and Hove, for children aged 2 to 11. In January 2026, 69 of its 323 pupils (21.4%) were getting SEN support and 17 (5.3%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 2–11
- 323 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state primary schools across England and in Brighton and Hove.
21.4% get SEN support
69 of 323 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Higher than the England average.
5.3% have an EHC plan
17 of 323 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Higher than the England average.
Most common needs
- Speech, language and communication46
- Autism23
- Social, emotional and mental health11
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 primary school
- Run as
- Academy (sponsored)
- Ages
- 2 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 323 (places for 420)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Florella Scozzafava
- Part of
- Aurora Academies Trust
- Free school meals
- 63.1% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Brighton and Hove
- School reference (URN)
- 139677
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 Brighton and Hove 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 Good, May 2024
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in May 2024.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- Early yearsOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Whitehawk Road, Whitehawk, Brighton, BN2 5FL
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- St. John's College (Brighton) Independent · Ages 16–25 0.6 miles
- Hamilton Lodge School and College for Deaf Children Special school · Ages 5–19 · Ofsted: Good 0.6 miles
- Bevendean Primary School and Nursery Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 1.2 miles
- Moulsecoomb Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 1.7 miles
Other mainstream schools
- St Mark's CofE Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 30.1%, EHC plans 9.6% 0.4 miles
- St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 11.4%, EHC plans 4.7% 0.4 miles
- St Luke's Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 21.7%, EHC plans 3.7% 0.6 miles
All mainstream schools in Brighton and Hove SEND schools in Brighton and Hove
Questions about City Academy Whitehawk
How many pupils at City Academy Whitehawk have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 69 of the 323 pupils (21.4%) were getting SEN support and 17 (5.3%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state primary schools it is 15.4% and 4.1%.
What are the most common needs at City Academy Whitehawk?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are speech, language and communication needs (46 pupils), autism (23 pupils) and social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (11 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at City Academy Whitehawk?
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 City Academy Whitehawk?
Through Brighton and Hove 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 City Academy Whitehawk?
You can ask for City Academy Whitehawk 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 City Academy Whitehawk 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 Bevendean Primary School and Nursery, about 1.2 miles away.
Where is City Academy Whitehawk?
Whitehawk Road, Whitehawk, Brighton, BN2 5FL, in Brighton and Hove.
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.