The Hawthorns School is a special free school in Chelmsford, Essex, for children and young people aged 7 to 16.
- Ages 7–16
- 69 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Special free school
- Ages
- 7 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 69 (places for 70)
- Headteacher
- Miss Hayley Kersey
- Part of
- Seax Trust
- Opened
- 1 January 2023
- Free school meals
- 23.2% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Essex
- School reference (URN)
- 149335
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 Essex 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
Report card, January 2026: Strong standard in 4 of 6 areas
Inspected in January 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionStrong standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
- Leadership and governanceStrong standard
- SafeguardingMet
Contact and getting there
Thornhurst Road, Chelmsford, CM1 2XT
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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 Sir Geoff Hurst Academy Special school · Ages 7–16 0.0 miles
- The Bridge Columbus Special school · Ages 3–19 0.8 miles
- Community College Initiative Ltd Independent · Ages 16–99 1.0 mile
By need in Essex: Autism (18) · Severe learning (13) · Moderate learning (10) · Hearing (10) · Speech and language (9) · PMLD (8) · SEMH (7) · Dyslexia and SpLD (3) · Vision (3) · Multi-sensory (2)
Questions about The Hawthorns School
How do I get a place at The Hawthorns 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 Hawthorns School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What ages does The Hawthorns School take?
Aged 7 to 16, boys and girls.
What is The Hawthorns 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 Hawthorns School?
Thornhurst Road, Chelmsford, CM1 2XT, in Essex.
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.