All Local Authorities

SEND Services in East Sussex

South EastCounty Council
Council website

East Sussex, a county blending coastal towns and rural communities, offers SEND support tailored to its diverse landscape, where services must reach both bustling areas like Hastings and more spread-out villages. While national trends show rising demand for Education, Health and Care Plans, East Sussex maintains a network of specialist provisions and ongoing improvements to meet local needs, including through its Parent Carer Forum. For impartial guidance at any stage, the local SENDIASS provides free, confidential advice to help you and your child navigate the system with confidence.

Whether you're in bustling Hastings or a quiet village, JakTrack empowers East Sussex families to feel prepared and in control as your evidence builds effortlessly over time - starting early means walking into SENDIASS consultations or EHCP reviews with clear patterns from daily life that speak for themselves. No more second-guessing or scrambling for notes; it's like having a supportive companion that turns routine moments into a strong, organised story for your child. You'll navigate the local network with quiet confidence, knowing you're backed by insights that grow stronger every day. see how JakTrack can help

Schools & SEND Provision

216

Schools

27

Specialist

25

SEN Units & Resource Bases

73,450

Total Pupils

15.3%receive SEN Support

11,262 pupils

4.9%have an EHCP

3,616 pupils

Services & Contacts

Local Offer

Every Local Authority must publish a "Local Offer" - a directory of all SEND services and provision in their area.

View East Sussex's Local Offer

IASS

Free, impartial advice about SEND - EHCPs, school issues, exclusions, navigating the system.

SENDIASS

Parent Carer Forum

East Sussex Parent Carer Forum (ESPCF)

EHCP

SEN Team

Assessment and Planning (A&P) team

SEND Team

Amaze Sussex SENDIASS (for ESCC SEND team)

Social Care

Children's Disability Service (CDS)

Other Services

Life More Ordinary

Life More Ordinary

Children's Services Customer Relations

Children's Services Customer Relations

Single Point of Advice (SPoA)

Sussex Mental Health Crisis Line

Through Care duty team

New EHCPs by Primary Need

Schools

years old

Chailey Heritage School

Special
Ages 3-19Capacity: 110BN8 4EF
Physical

Compass Community School Pinetree Park

Special
Ages 10-19Capacity: 22BN7 3NF
Social & EmotionalModerate Learning

Cuckmere House School

SpecialNot judged
Ages 6-16BN25 4BA
AutismSocial & Emotional

Frewen College

Special
Ages 7-19Capacity: 180TN31 6NL
Specific Learning

Glyne Gap School

Special
Ages 2-19Capacity: 110TN40 2PU
VisualSpeech & LanguageAutismPhysicalModerate LearningSevere Learning

Hazel Court School

SpecialOutstanding
Ages 11-19BN23 8EJ
AutismModerate LearningSevere LearningProfound & Multiple

Headstart

Special
Ages 5-21Capacity: 50TN33 9EG
Social & Emotional

New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)

SpecialNot judged
Ages 7-16TN38 9JU
AutismSocial & Emotional

Northease Manor School

Special
Ages 7-19Capacity: 122BN7 3EY
Specific Learning

Saxon Mount School

SpecialNot judged
Ages 11-16Capacity: 135TN38 8HH
Speech & LanguageAutismModerate LearningSevere Learning

St Mary's School

Special
Ages 9-16Capacity: 81TN21 0BT
Specific LearningSpeech & LanguageAutismSocial & EmotionalModerate Learning

St Mary's School and 6th Form College

SpecialGood
Ages 5-19Capacity: 250TN40 2LU
Specific LearningOtherHearingSpeech & LanguageAutismMulti-SensoryPhysicalModerate Learning

Step by Step School Limited

Special
Ages 4-19Capacity: 40RH19 4HP
Autism

The Lindfield School

Special
Ages 11-16Capacity: 95BN22 0BQ
Speech & LanguageAutismModerate LearningSevere Learning

The Mount Camphill Community Ltd

Special
Ages 16-25Capacity: 30TN5 6PT
AutismSocial & EmotionalModerate Learning

The South Downs School

Special
Ages 4-11Capacity: 160BN20 8NU
Speech & LanguageAutismModerate LearningSevere LearningProfound & Multiple

Torfield School

Special
Ages 4-11Capacity: 103TN34 3JT
Speech & LanguageAutismModerate LearningSevere Learning

Acre Wood Academy

SpecialNot judged
Ages 4-19Capacity: 146TN6 1BN

Anderida Learning Centre

Special
Ages 11-18Capacity: 26BN22 8HR

Bexhill Independent Special School

Special
Ages 7-18Capacity: 15TN39 5JD

Bricklehurst Manor School

Special
Ages 7-16Capacity: 60TN5 7EL

ISP School

Special
Ages 7-18Capacity: 60TN33 0TX

Little Gate College

Special
Ages 16-24Capacity: 30TN31 6RZ

Mountfield Heath School

Special
Ages 5-11Capacity: 46TN32 5FA

Summerdown School

SpecialNot judged
Ages 3-16Capacity: 155BN22 9PZ

The Flagship School

SpecialInadequate
Ages 6-16Capacity: 72TN34 2AE

The Ropemakers' Academy

SpecialGood
Ages 4-16Capacity: 80BN27 1FB

All Saints Church of England Primary School, Bexhill

Primary
Ages 2-11Capacity: 225TN39 5HA
Speech & LanguageAutismModerate Learning
Resource base: 12 places

Ark Little Ridge Primary Academy

PrimaryOutstanding
Ages 4-11Capacity: 420TN37 7LR
Speech & Language
Resource base: 10 places

Bexhill High Academy

SecondaryNot judged
Ages 11-16Capacity: 1500TN39 4BY
Autism
Resource base: 12 places

Churchwood Primary Academy

PrimaryGood
Ages 2-11Capacity: 215TN38 9PB
Autism
Resource base: 8 places

Denton Community Primary School and Nursery

Primary
Ages 3-11Capacity: 308BN9 0QJ
Autism
Resource base: 8 places

Meridian Community Primary School and Nursery

PrimaryGood
Ages 2-11Capacity: 420BN10 8BZ
Autism
Resource base: 8 places

Mulberry Academy Hastings

SecondaryRequires Improvement
Ages 11-16Capacity: 900TN35 5DN
Speech & Language
Resource base: 6 places

Peacehaven Community School

SecondaryGood
Ages 11-16Capacity: 890BN10 8RB
Speech & LanguageAutism
Resource base: 22 places

Robertsbridge Community College

SecondaryInadequate
Ages 11-16Capacity: 750TN32 5EA
Autism

The Eastbourne Academy

SecondaryNot judged
Ages 11-16Capacity: 900BN22 9RQ
Speech & LanguageAutismSocial & EmotionalModerate Learning
Resource base: 10 places

Uckfield College

SecondaryOutstanding
Ages 11-18Capacity: 1696TN22 3DJ
Autism
Resource base: 6 places

Wallands Community Primary and Nursery School

PrimaryGood
Ages 3-11Capacity: 404BN7 1PU
Speech & LanguageAutism
Resource base: 14 places

Grovelands Community Primary School

PrimaryGood
Ages 2-11Capacity: 630BN27 3UW
Autism

Hailsham Academy

All-throughInadequate
Ages 2-18Capacity: 1380BN27 1DT
Severe Learning

Heathfield Community College

SecondaryGood
Ages 11-18Capacity: 1500TN21 8RJ
Autism
Resource base: 12 places

Manor Primary School

Primary
Ages 4-11Capacity: 420TN22 1UB
HearingAutism
Resource base: 8 places

Mulberry West St Leonards Primary

Primary
Ages 5-11Capacity: 420TN38 8BX
PhysicalModerate Learning
Resource base: 11 places

Priory School

Secondary
Ages 11-16Capacity: 1160BN7 2XN
HearingAutism
Resource base: 6 places

Willingdon Community School

Secondary
Ages 11-16Capacity: 1053BN20 9QX
Hearing

Willingdon Primary School

PrimaryGood
Ages 5-11Capacity: 420BN20 9RJ
Hearing

Understanding school SEND provision

Schools in England provide SEND support at different levels. Here's what each type means:

Specialist School

A school that exclusively educates children with SEND. Smaller classes (typically 6-12 pupils), staff trained in specific needs, and environments designed for children who need more support than mainstream can provide. Places are usually named in an EHCP.

SEN Unit

A dedicated unit within a mainstream school, staffed by specialists. Children are on the roll of the unit but may join mainstream classes for some lessons. Offers a middle ground - specialist support with mainstream social opportunities. Usually requires an EHCP.

Resource Base

Extra resourced provision attached to a mainstream school. Children are on the mainstream roll but can access additional support, equipment, and specialist staff. Some resource bases focus on specific needs like autism or speech and language.

SEN Support (Mainstream)

Every mainstream school has a legal duty to identify and support children with SEND. This includes having a SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator), providing reasonable adjustments, and putting in place SEN Support plans. You don't need an EHCP for SEN Support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions from families about SEND support in East Sussex.

You can request an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) by contacting East Sussex County Council if you think your child needs more support than their school or setting can provide. Email [email protected] with evidence of your child's needs, or use the forms on the Czone website for schools and early years settings. The council must decide within 6 weeks whether to carry out an assessment.
East Sussex SENDIASS provides free, impartial information, advice, and support for parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). They can help with understanding EHCPs, the assessment process, and your rights. Contact them at 01273 772 289 or [email protected].
East Sussex has 27 specialist schools for children with SEND, plus 12 schools with SEN units and 13 with resource bases. These provisions support the 3,616 pupils with EHCPs out of 73,450 total pupils. You can find more details on the East Sussex Local Offer website.
The Local Offer is a guide to all SEND services, support, and provisions available in East Sussex for children and young people aged 0-25. It includes information on education, health, and social care. Visit localoffer.eastsussex.gov.uk to explore it.
The full EHCP process in East Sussex takes up to 20 weeks from the initial request to issuing the final plan. The council decides on assessment within 6 weeks, and on issuing the EHCP within 16 weeks. You can track the timeline on the Local Offer site.

Navigating SEND in East Sussex?

JakTrack helps you track evidence, prepare for EHCP reviews, check benefit eligibility, and stay on top of appointments - all in one place.

See How JakTrack Helps