Torfield School is a special academy in Hastings, East Sussex, for children and young people aged 4 to 11. It supports speech and language, autism, moderate learning and 1 other need.
- Ages 4–11
- 97 pupils
- Ofsted: Outstanding
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 4 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 97 (places for 103)
- Headteacher
- Mr John Anderson (Executive Headteacher)
- Part of
- Torfield and Saxon Mount Academy Trust
- Opened
- 1 October 2014
- Free school meals
- 41.2% of pupils eligible
- Council
- East Sussex
- School reference (URN)
- 141476
Needs it supports
4 needs: speech and language, autism and 2 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in East Sussex (26)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in East Sussex (12)
Cognition and learning
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in East Sussex (11)
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in East Sussex (6)
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 East Sussex 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, September 2017; school remains Outstanding (February 2023)
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in September 2017. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- Early yearsOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Outstanding (ungraded inspection, February 2023).
Contact and getting there
Croft Road, Hastings, TN34 3JT
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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
- The Flagship School Special school · Ages 7–16 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.1 miles
- Mulberry Academy Hastings Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.7 miles
- New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) Special school · Ages 5–16 2.2 miles
All SEND schools in East Sussex
By need in East Sussex: Autism (27) · Speech and language (13) · Moderate learning (12) · Severe learning (7) · SEMH (5) · Hearing (5) · Physical (5) · PMLD (2) · Dyslexia and SpLD (2)
Questions about Torfield School
How do I get a place at Torfield School?
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 Torfield School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Torfield School support?
Speech, language and communication, autism, moderate learning difficulty and severe learning difficulty. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Torfield School take?
Aged 4 to 11, boys and girls.
What is Torfield School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in February 2023 at its last graded inspection. Newer inspections no longer give a single overall grade, so read the latest report for the full picture.
Where is Torfield School?
Croft Road, Hastings, TN34 3JT, in East 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.