The Gatwick School is an all-through mainstream school in Crawley, West Sussex, for children and young people aged 4 to 16. In January 2026, 121 of its 861 pupils (14.1%) were getting SEN support and 28 (3.3%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 4–16
- 861 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in West Sussex.
14.1% get SEN support
121 of 861 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
3.3% have an EHC plan
28 of 861 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
About the same as the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health31
- Speech, language and communication31
- Autism24
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia21
- Moderate learning difficulty18
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 all-through school
- Run as
- Free school
- Ages
- 4 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 861 (places for 1,020)
- Headteacher
- Mr David Marillat
- Part of
- Aurora Academies Trust
- Free school meals
- 21.4% of pupils eligible
- Council
- West Sussex
- School reference (URN)
- 141038
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 West 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 Good, May 2024; school remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (January 2023)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in May 2024.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Early yearsGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, January 2023).
Contact and getting there
23 Gatwick Road, Crawley, RH10 9TP
Loading the map…
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
- Hazelwick School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Outstanding 1.0 mile
- Amberley Court School Independent · Ages 6–16 1.3 miles
- Serenity School Crawley Independent · Ages 5–18 · Ofsted: Good 1.5 miles
- Three Bridges Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Requires improvement 1.5 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Forge Wood Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 13.1%, EHC plans 3.8% 0.4 miles
- Milton Mount Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 16.3%, EHC plans 2.6% 1.0 mile
- Pound Hill Junior School, Crawley Primary · Ages 7–11 · SEN support 17.9%, EHC plans 1.4% 1.5 miles
All mainstream schools in West Sussex SEND schools in West Sussex
Questions about The Gatwick School
How many pupils at The Gatwick School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 121 of the 861 pupils (14.1%) were getting SEN support and 28 (3.3%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at The Gatwick School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (31 pupils), speech, language and communication needs (31 pupils) and autism (24 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at The Gatwick School?
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 The Gatwick School?
Through West 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 The Gatwick School?
You can ask for The Gatwick School 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 The Gatwick School 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 Hazelwick School, about 1.0 mile away.
Where is The Gatwick School?
23 Gatwick Road, Crawley, RH10 9TP, in West 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.