Hove Micro-School, Southwick
Hove Micro-School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 14 in Southwick.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Hove Micro-School in detail
Hove Micro-School in its own words
Coming up: an open day on Friday 27 November 2026 and an open day on Friday 4 December 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in West Sussex
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Hove Micro-School are Hill Park School (0.7 miles, Outstanding); Herons Dale School (1.3 miles, Good); The Lioncare School (1.4 miles, Good); and Brighton and Hove Clinic School (1.8 miles, Outstanding).
Hill Park SchoolHerons Dale SchoolThe Lioncare SchoolBrighton and Hove Clinic School
Who goes there
In 2026, 2 pupils (15.4%) received SEN support and 11 (84.6%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Fishersgate Rail Station, about 170 metres away (roughly a 2-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Fishersgate Station (opposite), 20 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Hove Micro-School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 299 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in West Sussex (103), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's September 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school specialises in supporting pupils who have had negative experiences of school, creating a safe, family-like atmosphere where they feel understood and can flourish. Staff are exceptionally skilled at meeting pupils' emotional, social and academic needs, helping them develop resilience and confidence. The school balances structured learning in English and mathematics with enriching activities and time outdoors, making education both rigorous and enjoyable.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional behaviour, attitudes and personal development with pupils showing considerable kindness and understanding
- Highly skilled staff who know pupils incredibly well and tailor support to individual needs
- Effective teaching of reading through creative, individualised phonics and strong achievement in mathematics
- Well-met special educational needs with close partnerships with external SEND specialists
- Rich enrichment activities including musical theatre club, trips, and opportunities to explore career pathways
Areas for Improvement
- Curriculum in some foundation subjects lacks precision about what pupils should learn to reach identified end points, meaning key knowledge and skills are not built on over time as effectively as they could be
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with clear systems and checks in place to protect pupils.
Extracurricular Activities
Musical theatre club, trip to see Wicked in London, summer fair, morning clubs, mindfulness walks to local allotment
Hove Micro-School is a small independent special school for pupils aged 7-12 with emotional-based school avoidance, pathological demand avoidance, or autism diagnoses. The school creates a safe, nurturing environment where pupils who have previously avoided school can thrive and achieve well.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Hove Micro-School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 42
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 11
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 42 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 11 serious and 31 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
10 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 West Sussex is 11 (the median across 337 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
59%
Available places
13 pupils
22 places
9 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Southwick
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Southwick
Across West Sussex council
Places available
9,806
Applications
8,765
Got 1st preference
87.5%
Got preferred school
97.6%
All secondary applications across West Sussex council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
2
SEN Support
11
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Hove Micro-School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
13
Total Pupils
9
Boys
4
Girls
2026 academic year
Questions parents ask about Hove Micro-School
How many pupils go to Hove Micro-School?
Hove Micro-School has around 13 pupils on roll.
Does Hove Micro-School have specialist SEN provision?
Hove Micro-School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Hove Micro-School?
Hove Micro-School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Hove Micro-School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 42 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 11 serious and 31 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 10 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 West Sussex is 11 (the median across 337 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Hove Micro-School?
Hove Micro-School is at 221 Manor Hall Road, Southwick, BN42 4NR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)