Schools with severe learning difficulties provision in Norfolk

For pupils with significant intellectual disabilities who need support with independence and communication as well as learning. Norfolk has 2 mainstream schools 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 (2)

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.

School	Provision	Ages	Town	Places	Ofsted	Score
Downham Market, Hillcrest Primary SchoolPrimary school · also specific learning difficulties	SEN unit	5-11	Downham Market	14	Good 2023	59
Acle AcademySecondary school · also autism, hearing impairment, moderate learning difficulties and more	Resourced provision	11-16	Norwich	61	Good 2022	49

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.

School	Provision	Ages	Town	Places	Ofsted	Score
Churchill Park Complex Needs SchoolSpecial school · also moderate learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficulties, specific learning difficulties	Special school	2-19	King's Lynn	230 pupils	Report card 2026	–
Fred Nicholson SchoolSpecial school · also autism, hearing impairment, moderate learning difficulties, multi-sensory impairment and more	Special school	3-19	Swaffham	195 pupils	Not inspected	–
Hall SchoolSpecial school · also autism, hearing impairment, moderate learning difficulties, multi-sensory impairment and more	Special school	3-19	Norwich	97 pupils	Good 2024	–
Harford Manor School, NorwichSpecial school · also autism, moderate learning difficulties, other needs, profound and multiple learning difficulties and more	Special school	4-19	Norwich	110 pupils	Good 2023	–
John Grant School, Caister-on-SeaSpecial school · also autism, hearing impairment, moderate learning difficulties, multi-sensory impairment and more	Special school	4-19	Great Yarmouth	198 pupils	No overall grade 2024	–
Sidestrand Hall SchoolSpecial school · also autism, hearing impairment, moderate learning difficulties, multi-sensory impairment and more	Special school	7-19	Cromer	199 pupils	Good 2023	–

Mainstream schools listed for this need (1)

Registered for this need without a separate unit, so provision is within ordinary classes.

School	Provision	Ages	Town	Places	Ofsted	Score
Castle Acre Church of England Primary AcademyPrimary school · also autism	Mainstream, listed for this need	5-11	King's Lynn	–	Not inspected	5

Other councils All schools in Norfolk

Other needs

Autism Speech, language and communication Social, emotional and mental health Moderate learning difficulties Profound and multiple learning difficulties Hearing impairment Visual impairment Multi-sensory impairment Physical disability Specific learning difficulties Other 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.