Hazel Court School, Eastbourne
Hazel Court School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Eastbourne, part of The Southfield Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Hazel Court School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Hazel Court School are The Lindfield School (1.3 miles, Outstanding); Summerdown School (1.5 miles); Anderida Learning Centre (2.5 miles, Good); and The South Downs School (3 miles, Outstanding).
The Lindfield SchoolSummerdown SchoolAnderida Learning CentreThe South Downs School
The trust
Hazel Court School is one of 4 schools run by The Southfield Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 12 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 92% stayed in education or training for at least two terms.
Who goes there
41.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 8.9% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (74%) and Mixed (7%).
Almost every pupil at Hazel Court School has an education, health and care plan (135 of 135 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Hazel Court School provides for pupils with autism, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hampden Park (Sussex) Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hadlow Avenue (adjacent), 20 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Hazel Court School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 196 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in East Sussex (65), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Hazel Court School issued 3 suspensions, 2.3 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 love going to Hazel Court School. They thoroughly enjoy learning and enthuse about the many activities and experiences provided by the school, such as swimming, bike riding and going to the beach. One pupil said: 'You're never in the same place for too long!' Residential trips for the older pupils are a particular high point in the school calendar. Staff work closely with parents, carers and pupils to ensure that all pupils can participate fully.
The school makes a profound difference to pupils' lives, helping them to manage and overcome significant challenges. It is highly ambitious for its pupils, and rightly so. Pupils thrive because of the school's exceptionally strong curriculum, skilful teaching and high-quality care. They achieve extremely well, both personally and academically. All school leavers go on to meaningful destinations. Those who are due to leave at the end of this term are looking forward to the move because they have been very well prepared for the transition.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school's curriculum is meticulously designed according to each pupil's individual special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are placed on one of three curriculum routes, with a 'bridging curriculum' for those pupils in Year 10 who are ready and able to access qualification programmes, such as functional skills in English and mathematics. Staff continuously assess pupils' learning, adjusting the content and their approach to ensure that pupils achieve consistently well.
Staff respect pupils and are committed to helping them to achieve the very best outcomes. Pupils are strongly engaged in learning. They work quietly and purposefully in lessons and take great care when completing their work. High-quality care ensures that pupils are very safe and consistently well cared for. Strong relationships mean that staff know precisely what they need to do to help pupils if they are frustrated, anxious or upset.
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
41.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Autism, MLD, SLD +1
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Hazel Court School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Hazel Court School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Hazel Court School is in East Sussex; for families living there:
Apply to East Sussex for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 13
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 5
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, 1 serious and 12 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
6 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 East Sussex is 8 (the median across 221 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
Area Demand Pressure - Eastbourne
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Eastbourne
Across East Sussex council
Places available
5,496
Applications
4,990
Got 1st preference
86.3%
Got preferred school
95.9%
All secondary applications across East Sussex council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
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
135
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Hazel Court School provides for pupils with autism, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
135
Total Pupils
98
Boys
37
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
20
Teachers
6.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,649
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.9%
Overall absence
29.1%
Persistent absence
79
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
Hazel Court School
Showing 10 of 11 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Hazel Court School
What is Hazel Court School's Ofsted rating?
Hazel Court School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2016 it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Hazel Court School?
No fixed boundary. When Hazel Court School is oversubscribed, East Sussex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Hazel Court School?
Hazel Court School has around 135 pupils on roll. 42% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Hazel Court School have specialist SEN provision?
Hazel Court School provides for pupils with autism, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Hazel Court School?
10.9% of sessions were missed at Hazel Court School in 2024/25. 29.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Hazel Court School?
Apply through East Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming Hazel Court 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 Hazel Court School?
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, 1 serious and 12 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 6 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 East Sussex is 8 (the median across 221 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Hazel Court School?
Hazel Court School is at Larkspur Drive, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 8EJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)