New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust), St Leonards-on-Sea
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
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
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder, SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 0% to 13%. Maths has remained stable at around 0%. Writing has remained stable at around 0%.
Class Sizes
0.0
Avg class size
0
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
48%
Available places
80 pupils
166 capacity
86 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - St Leonards-on-Sea
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for St Leonards-on-Sea
Admissions Demand - East Sussex
Places available
5,548
Applications
4,976
Got 1st preference
86.1%
Got preferred school
96.5%
Secondary admissions across East Sussex (2025/26)
Inspection History(4)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
Pupil Absence2024/25
24.33233%
Overall absence
54.32099%
Persistent absence
81
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)
Hollington Primary School
Mulberry Silverdale Primary
Churchwood Primary School
Ark Little Ridge Primary Academy
Robsack Wood Primary School
Christ Church CofE Primary and Nursery Academy
St Paul's Church of England Academy
Ark Blacklands Primary Academy
Mulberry West St Leonards Primary
St Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School
Showing 10 of 12 linked schools
Nearby Schools
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