Alde Valley Academy is a mainstream secondary school in Leiston, Suffolk, for children and young people aged 11 to 16. In January 2026, 78 of its 645 pupils (12.1%) were getting SEN support and 48 (7.4%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–16
- 645 pupils
- Ofsted: Requires improvement
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Suffolk.
12.1% get SEN support
78 of 645 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
7.4% have an EHC plan
48 of 645 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Higher than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health48
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia41
- Speech, language and communication20
- Moderate learning difficulty5
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 secondary school
- Run as
- Academy (sponsored)
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 645 (places for 560)
- Headteacher
- Lucie Hernandez
- Part of
- Kingfisher Schools Trust
- Free school meals
- 32.7% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Suffolk
- School reference (URN)
- 141236
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 Suffolk 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 Requires improvement, July 2024; school remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (February 2023)
Rated Requires improvement at its last graded inspection, in July 2024.
- Quality of educationRequires improvement
- Behaviour and attitudesRequires improvement
- Personal developmentRequires improvement
- Leadership and managementRequires improvement
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, February 2023).
Contact and getting there
Seaward Avenue, Leiston, IP16 4BG
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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
- Compass Community School Aylward Park Independent · Ages 7–17 · Ofsted: Good 0.4 miles
- Bramfield House School Independent · Ages 7–16 8.2 miles
- Gorseland Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted report card (2025) 17 miles
- Barnby and North Cove Community Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 17 miles
Other mainstream schools
Questions about Alde Valley Academy
How many pupils at Alde Valley Academy have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 78 of the 645 pupils (12.1%) were getting SEN support and 48 (7.4%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Alde Valley Academy?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (48 pupils), dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (41 pupils) and speech, language and communication needs (20 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Alde Valley Academy?
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 Alde Valley Academy?
Through Suffolk 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 Alde Valley Academy?
You can ask for Alde Valley Academy 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 Alde Valley Academy 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 Gorseland Primary School, about 17 miles away.
Where is Alde Valley Academy?
Seaward Avenue, Leiston, IP16 4BG, in Suffolk.
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.