The South Downs School is a special academy in Eastbourne, East Sussex, for children and young people aged 4 to 11. It supports speech and language, autism, moderate learning and 2 other needs.
- Ages 4–11
- 164 pupils
- Ofsted: Outstanding
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 4 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 164 (places for 160)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Rachael Smart (Executive Headteacher)
- Part of
- The Southfield Trust
- Opened
- 1 April 2016
- Free school meals
- 42% of pupils eligible
- Council
- East Sussex
- School reference (URN)
- 142745
Needs it supports
5 needs: speech and language, autism 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
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in East Sussex (11)
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in East Sussex (6)
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties Other schools for this in East Sussex (1)
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, June 2014; standards maintained (November 2024)
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in June 2014. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
Since then: Standards maintained (ungraded inspection, November 2024).
Contact and getting there
Beechy Avenue, Eastbourne, BN20 8NU
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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
- Summerdown School Special school · Ages 3–16 1.4 miles
- Anderida Learning Centre Independent · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 1.7 miles
- The Lindfield School Special school · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Outstanding 1.7 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 The South Downs School
How do I get a place at The South Downs 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 The South Downs School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does The South Downs School support?
Speech, language and communication, autism, moderate learning difficulty, severe learning difficulty and profound and multiple learning difficulties. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does The South Downs School take?
Aged 4 to 11, boys and girls.
What is The South Downs School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is The South Downs School?
Beechy Avenue, Eastbourne, BN20 8NU, 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.