St Mary's School is a special academy in Heathfield, East Sussex, for boys aged 9 to 16. It supports dyslexia and SpLD, speech and language, autism and 2 other needs.
- Ages 9–16
- 78 pupils
- Boys only
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 9 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys only
- Pupils
- 78 (places for 81)
- Headteacher
- Principal Paul Murphy (Executive Headteacher)
- Part of
- The Sabden Multi Academy Trust
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Opened
- 1 September 2015
- Free school meals
- 55.1% of pupils eligible
- Council
- East Sussex
- School reference (URN)
- 142163
Needs it supports
5 needs: dyslexia and SpLD, speech and language and 3 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
- Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) Other schools for this in East Sussex (1)
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in East Sussex (11)
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in East Sussex (4)
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 Good, January 2015; school remains Good (September 2023)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in January 2015. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, September 2023).
Contact and getting there
Horam, Heathfield, TN21 0BT
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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
- Heathfield Community College Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 2.2 miles
- Grovelands Community Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 5.0 miles
- The Ropemakers' Academy Special school · Ages 4–16 · Ofsted: Good 5.1 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 St Mary's School
How do I get a place at St Mary's 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 St Mary's School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does St Mary's School support?
Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), speech, language and communication, autism, social, emotional and mental health and moderate learning difficulty. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does St Mary's School take?
Aged 9 to 16, boys only.
What is St Mary's School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in September 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 St Mary's School?
Horam, Heathfield, TN21 0BT, 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.