School Chooser

Schools with severe learning difficulties provision in East Sussex

For pupils with significant intellectual disabilities who need support with independence and communication as well as learning. East Sussex has 1 mainstream school with a unit or resourced provision for severe learning difficulties and 6 special schools that cater for it.

Mainstream schools with a unit or resourced provision (1)

Pupils have a specialist base and staff inside an ordinary school. Places are separate from the school's main admissions and normally need an EHC plan.

SchoolProvisionAgesTownPlacesOfstedScore
Hailsham AcademyAll-through schoolResourced provision2-16Hailsham12Inadequate 20230

Special schools (6)

Special schools take pupils with an education, health and care plan; the council names the school in the plan. Many cater for several needs.

SchoolProvisionAgesTownPlacesOfstedScore
Glyne Gap SchoolSpecial school · also autism, moderate learning difficulties, physical disability, speech, language and communication and moreSpecial school2-19Bexhill-on-Sea140 pupilsNot inspected–
Hazel Court SchoolSpecial school · also autism, moderate learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficultiesSpecial school11-19Eastbourne135 pupilsOutstanding 2024–
Saxon Mount SchoolSpecial school · also autism, moderate learning difficulties, speech, language and communicationSpecial school11-16St Leonards-on-Sea172 pupilsNo overall grade 2025–
The Lindfield SchoolSpecial school · also autism, moderate learning difficulties, speech, language and communicationSpecial school11-16Eastbourne123 pupilsNot inspected–
The South Downs SchoolSpecial school · also autism, moderate learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficulties, speech, language and communicationSpecial school4-11Eastbourne164 pupilsNot inspected–
Torfield SchoolSpecial school · also autism, moderate learning difficulties, speech, language and communicationSpecial school4-11Hastings97 pupilsOutstanding 2023–
Other councilsAll schools in East Sussex

Other needs

AutismSpeech, language and communicationSocial, emotional and mental healthModerate learning difficultiesProfound and multiple learning difficultiesHearing impairmentVisual impairmentMulti-sensory impairmentPhysical disabilitySpecific learning difficultiesOther needs

How to read this

The list comes from the Department for Education's register of schools (Get Information about Schools), which records the type of SEN provision each school has and how many pupils are in a resourced provision or SEN unit. Resourced provision means extra staff and funding for a group of pupils who spend most of their time in ordinary classes. A SEN unit is a separate class within the school. Both need a place agreed by the council through an education, health and care plan; ask the council's SEND team, not the school's admissions office. The register is only as good as what schools report, so check with the school before relying on it.