Bensham Manor School, Thornton Heath
Bensham Manor School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Thornton Heath. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Bensham Manor School in detail
Bensham Manor School in its own words
In its own words: "Bensham Manor is a secondary special school supporting young people with a wide range of additional needs, including autism, complex needs and speech, language and communication difficulties. We recognise and respond to the individual needs of our students, providing a relevant and challenging curriculum while celebrating achievement and effort across school life."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Bensham Manor School are Arise Academy (0.7 miles, Requires improvement); Beckmead College (0.9 miles, Good); Supreme Education AP (1.1 miles, selective); and Chaffinch Brook School (1.3 miles, Good).
Arise AcademyBeckmead CollegeSupreme Education APChaffinch Brook School
Where pupils go next
Of the 45 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 96% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 87% to a further education college.
Who goes there
57.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 26.4% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (30%), Black (30%) and Asian (14%).
Almost every pupil at Bensham Manor School has an education, health and care plan (246 of 246 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Bensham Manor School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autism and moderate learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Thornton Heath Station, about 450 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lakehall Road (->s), 150 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 867 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and vehicle crime. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Croydon (488), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Bensham Manor School issued 4 suspensions, 1.7 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils are happy at this very special school. They thrive here. Pupils enjoy their lessons, and they remember a lot of what they are taught. Teachers check what pupils have remembered and build on this in the next lesson. The curriculum is ambitious and prepares pupils extremely well for their next step in the world. The positive relationships between adults and pupils are a particular strength of the school.
The school has very high expectations of pupils, expecting them to work hard and behave well. Pupils rise to this challenge. Pupils conduct themselves in an exemplary way around the school and in lessons. There is hardly any disruption to lessons, and if it does happen it is sorted out very quickly. Pupils are proud of their school and like to take on the extra responsibilities that they are given as they get older, such as working in the school café or helping younger pupils in the playground. Pupils say that bullying is not a problem at the school, and that pupils are friendly towards each other.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The curriculum at Bensham Manor School is excellent. Leaders and teachers have thought carefully and set out in detail exactly what pupils will learn at the school, in every subject and every year group, including in the sixth form. The curriculum is meticulously sequenced so that pupils follow a logical journey through the subjects, with each lesson building on the one before. Expert teachers bring the curriculum to life by choosing interesting resources and activities that spark pupils' curiosity and tap into what already interests them. For example, in art, they use work that stems from 'manga' illustrations and in English, they choose high-quality poetry and literature from diverse cultures as well as more traditional texts.
Reading is prioritised at the school, and there are high-quality books everywhere. Pupils access engaging information about books and literature features in all subjects across the curriculum. Pupils read every day and in every lesson. When pupils start at the school, staff assess them to see if they have the appropriate reading skills for their age. If they have fallen behind, the school puts tailored support in place so that pupils catch up quickly.
From Ofsted's June 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its June 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Sixth form.
At a Glance
57.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SpLD, Autism, MLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Bensham Manor School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Bensham Manor School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Bensham Manor School is in Croydon; for families living there:
Apply to Croydon for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 153
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 17
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 153 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 17 serious and 135 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
37 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 Croydon is 54.5 (the median across 156 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
101%
Over capacity
246 pupils
245 places
1 pupil over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Thornton Heath
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Thornton Heath
Across Croydon council
Places available
4,025
Applications
4,184
Got 1st preference
71.2%
Got preferred school
95.3%
All secondary applications across Croydon council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(9)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
246
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Bensham Manor School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autism and moderate learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
246
Total Pupils
179
Boys
67
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
24
Teachers
10.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£44,462
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.6%
Overall absence
25.8%
Persistent absence
233
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
Bensham Manor School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Bensham Manor School
What are GCSE results like at Bensham Manor School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Bensham Manor School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 5.4. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Bensham Manor School's Ofsted rating?
Bensham Manor School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2013 it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Bensham Manor School?
No fixed boundary. When Bensham Manor School is oversubscribed, Croydon allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Bensham Manor School?
Bensham Manor School has around 246 pupils on roll. 58% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Bensham Manor School have specialist SEN provision?
Bensham Manor School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autism and moderate learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Bensham Manor School?
7.6% of sessions were missed at Bensham Manor School in 2024/25. 25.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Bensham Manor School?
Apply through Croydon's coordinated admissions process, naming Bensham Manor School 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 Bensham Manor School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 153 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 17 serious and 135 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 37 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 Croydon is 54.5 (the median across 156 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Bensham Manor School?
Bensham Manor School is at Ecclesbourne Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey, CR7 7BN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)