Beacon Hill Academy, South Ockendon
Beacon Hill Academy is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 19 in South Ockendon. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2012)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Beacon Hill Academy in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Beacon Hill Academy are Corbets Tey School (2.4 miles, Good); Treetops School (3.6 miles, Outstanding); Treetops Free School (3.7 miles, Good); and Routes4Life Limited (3.8 miles, Good).
Corbets Tey SchoolTreetops SchoolTreetops Free SchoolRoutes4Life Limited
What parents say
36 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Beacon Hill Academy (as of September 2025): 97% would recommend the school, 97% say their child is happy there and 33% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school supports their child's wider development (97%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (33%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 6 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
26% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 15.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 5 pupils (6.5%) received SEN support and 72 (93.5%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
Beacon Hill Academy provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ockendon Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Elmdon Road (westbound), 60 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Beacon Hill Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from March 2012, 14 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Beacon Hill Academy goes above and beyond to help every child succeed, regardless of how complex their needs are. Staff truly know each pupil well and design learning experiences that match what each child needs to progress. The school prepares pupils brilliantly for adult life, teaching everything from self-care to community independence, while making sure pupils have a genuine voice in decisions about their own learning.
Key Strengths
- Personalised curriculum tailored to each pupil's needs, interests and aspirations -
- Exceptional focus on communication using multiple approaches including eye-gaze, sign language and communication boards -
- Strong preparation for adulthood through work experience, community visits and practical life skills -
- Excellent physical development support through activities like rebound therapy and hydrotherapy -
- Very low staff turnover with high-quality professional development and strong staff wellbeing
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with a strong culture that puts pupils' interests first and helps pupils learn to stay safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Museum visits, opera and ballet with cultural providers, work experience, local shop visits, rebound therapy, hydrotherapy, wheelchair control training
Beacon Hill Academy is a special school for pupils aged 2-19 with profound and multiple learning difficulties that has maintained outstanding standards. Staff design bespoke curricula to meet each pupil's individual needs, resulting in exceptional progress from their starting points.
At a Glance
26.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
36 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Beacon Hill Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Beacon Hill Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Beacon Hill Academy is in Thurrock; for families living there:
- Thurrock's school travel policy: Home to school travel and transport policy
- How to apply: apply for school travel support
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 13
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 9 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
5 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Thurrock is 12 (the median across 58 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
103%
Over capacity
77 pupils
75 places
2 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - South Ockendon
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for South Ockendon
Across Thurrock council
Places available
2,395
Applications
2,478
Got 1st preference
74.8%
Got preferred school
92.7%
All secondary applications across Thurrock council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
5
SEN Support
72
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Beacon Hill Academy provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
77
Total Pupils
46
Boys
31
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
4.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£61,360
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
20.3%
Overall absence
48.0%
Persistent absence
50
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Beacon Hill Academy
What is Beacon Hill Academy's Ofsted rating?
Beacon Hill Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2012, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Beacon Hill Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Beacon Hill Academy is oversubscribed, Thurrock allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Beacon Hill Academy?
Beacon Hill Academy has around 77 pupils on roll. 26% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Beacon Hill Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Beacon Hill Academy provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Beacon Hill Academy?
20.3% of sessions were missed at Beacon Hill Academy in 2024/25. 48% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Beacon Hill Academy?
Apply through Thurrock's coordinated admissions process, naming Beacon Hill Academy on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Beacon Hill Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 9 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 5 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Thurrock is 12 (the median across 58 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Beacon Hill Academy?
Beacon Hill Academy is at Erriff Drive, South Ockendon, Essex, RM15 5AY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)