St Catherine's College is a mainstream secondary school in Eastbourne, East Sussex, for children and young people aged 11 to 16. In January 2026, 158 of its 1,064 pupils (14.8%) were getting SEN support and 19 (1.8%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–16
- 1,064 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in East Sussex.
14.8% get SEN support
158 of 1,064 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
1.8% have an EHC plan
19 of 1,064 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health50
- Autism42
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia37
- Speech, language and communication14
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
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,064 (places for 1,040)
- Headteacher
- Mr Solomon Berhane
- Part of
- Diocese of Chichester Academy Trust
- Faith
- Church of England
- Free school meals
- 27.4% of pupils eligible
- Council
- East Sussex
- School reference (URN)
- 143035
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 East 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, November 2019; standards maintained (May 2025)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in November 2019.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: Standards maintained (ungraded inspection, May 2025).
Contact and getting there
Priory Road, Eastbourne, BN23 7BL
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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
- Hazel Court School Special school · Ages 11–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 1.4 miles
- Summerdown School Special school · Ages 3–16 2.0 miles
- The Eastbourne Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 2.1 miles
- Willingdon Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 3.4 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Langney Primary Academy Primary · Ages 2–11 · SEN support 18.7%, EHC plans 1.3% 0.2 miles
- The Haven Church of England Methodist Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 14.6%, EHC plans 3.1% 0.6 miles
- West Rise Primary School and Nursery Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 31.1%, EHC plans 2.3% 0.7 miles
All mainstream schools in East Sussex SEND schools in East Sussex
Questions about St Catherine's College
How many pupils at St Catherine's College have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 158 of the 1,064 pupils (14.8%) were getting SEN support and 19 (1.8%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at St Catherine's College?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (50 pupils), autism (42 pupils) and dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (37 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at St Catherine's College?
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 St Catherine's College?
Through East 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 St Catherine's College?
You can ask for St Catherine's College 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 St Catherine's College 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 The Eastbourne Academy, about 2.1 miles away.
Where is St Catherine's College?
Priory Road, Eastbourne, BN23 7BL, in East 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.