The Whitstable School is a mainstream secondary school in Whitstable, Kent, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. In January 2026, 165 of its 1,112 pupils (14.8%) were getting SEN support and 34 (3.1%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–18
- 1,112 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Kent.
14.8% get SEN support
165 of 1,112 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
3.1% have an EHC plan
34 of 1,112 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
About the same as the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health64
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia26
- Speech, language and communication20
- Autism16
- Moderate learning difficulty9
- Physical disability6
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 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,112 (places for 1,220)
- Headteacher
- Mr Alex Holmes
- Part of
- Swale Academies Trust
- Free school meals
- 28.3% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Kent
- School reference (URN)
- 144354
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 Kent 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, March 2024; school remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (December 2022)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in March 2024.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, December 2022).
Contact and getting there
Bellevue Road, Whitstable, CT5 1PX
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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
- ISP School Whitstable Independent · Ages 7–16 · Ofsted: Good 0.8 miles
- The Far Academy CIC Independent 0.9 miles
- Joy Lane Primary Foundation School Mainstream + base · Ages 1–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.9 miles
- Hampton Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 3.0 miles
Other mainstream schools
- St Alphege Church of England Infant School Primary · Ages 3–7 · SEN support 13.6%, EHC plans 2.4% 0.6 miles
- Whitstable Junior School Primary · Ages 7–11 · SEN support 19.3%, EHC plans 3.5% 0.7 miles
- St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whitstable Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 9.6%, EHC plans 3.7% 0.7 miles
Questions about The Whitstable School
How many pupils at The Whitstable School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 165 of the 1,112 pupils (14.8%) were getting SEN support and 34 (3.1%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at The Whitstable School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (64 pupils), dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (26 pupils) and speech, language and communication needs (20 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at The Whitstable School?
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 The Whitstable School?
Through Kent 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 The Whitstable School?
You can ask for The Whitstable School 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 The Whitstable School 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 Joy Lane Primary Foundation School, about 0.9 miles away.
Where is The Whitstable School?
Bellevue Road, Whitstable, CT5 1PX, in Kent.
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.