New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust), St Leonards-on-Sea
New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 16 in St Leonards-on-Sea, part of The Sabden Multi Academy Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) are Saxon Mount School (1.4 miles, Good); The Flagship School (2.1 miles); Torfield School (2.2 miles, Outstanding); and Glyne Gap School (2.9 miles, Outstanding).
Saxon Mount SchoolThe Flagship SchoolTorfield SchoolGlyne Gap School
The trust
New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) is one of 4 schools run by The Sabden Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 14 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 71% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 71% to a further education college and 7% into work.
Who goes there
73.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (89%) and Mixed (6%).
Almost every pupil at New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) has an education, health and care plan (80 of 80 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) provides for pupils with autism and social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is St Leonards Warrior Square Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
20 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Beauchamp Road (after), 120 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 288 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. 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, New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) issued 69 suspensions, 100 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 · 1 year agoThis judgement is from July 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
New Horizons offers pupils a place where they feel genuinely accepted and can succeed. The school expertly manages the day to help pupils focus, offers strong teaching in core subjects, and provides excellent pastoral care with kind, supportive staff. Many pupils attend more regularly than they have in the past.
Key Strengths
- Strong teaching in English and mathematics with rigorous, structured approaches that build pupil confidence
- Positive school culture with transformed behaviour management - physical interventions have fallen dramatically
- Pupils feel accepted, safe and well cared for with strong relationships between staff and pupils
- Engaging 'explore' curriculum that reignites enthusiasm for learning through topics like history and geography
- Comprehensive support for transition to adulthood with workplace experience and guidance on future options
Areas for Improvement
- Some topics in the 'explore' curriculum do not clearly specify what knowledge and skills pupils should learn, affecting recall
- Attendance remains a concern - while improving, some pupils still do not attend regularly enough
- Governance needs strengthening with more rigorous challenge from trustees, though a local board of governors is being established
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating a positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Kickboxing, hairdressing, music, residential trips, visiting local mosque
New Horizons School is a special school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties. The school has been rated Good across all areas, maintaining high standards in education and pupil wellbeing.
At a Glance
73.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Autism, SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 0% to 13% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) 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
- 59
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 19
- Children hurt
- 11
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 59 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 19 serious and 40 slight.
11 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 8 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
15 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
School Occupancy
48%
Available places
80 pupils
166 places
86 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - St Leonards-on-Sea
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for St Leonards-on-Sea
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(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
80
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) provides for pupils with autism and social, emotional and mental health needs.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
80
Total Pupils
61
Boys
19
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
4.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,657
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
24.3%
Overall absence
54.3%
Persistent absence
81
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
New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)
Showing 10 of 12 linked schools
Questions parents ask about New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)
What are GCSE results like at New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)?
In the 2026 results, pupils at New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) achieved an Attainment 8 score of 7.1. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)'s Ofsted rating?
New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)'s most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)?
No fixed boundary. When New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) is oversubscribed, East Sussex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)?
New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) has around 80 pupils on roll. 74% are eligible for free school meals.
Does New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) have specialist SEN provision?
New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) provides for pupils with autism and social, emotional and mental health needs.
What is attendance like at New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)?
24.3% of sessions were missed at New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) in 2024/25. 54.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)?
Apply through East Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) 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 New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 59 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 19 serious and 40 slight. 11 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 8 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 15 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 New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)?
New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) is at Beauchamp Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN38 9JU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)