Nexus Foundation Special School, Tonbridge
Nexus Foundation Special School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in Tonbridge, part of Kent Special Educational Needs Trust (KSENT). It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2023.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Nexus Foundation Special School in detail
Nexus Foundation Special School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to Nexus School. We are a designated special school for pupils with profound, severe and complex needs (PSCN), proudly serving families in Tonbridge and the wider Kent area. Since opening in September 2017, Nexus School has grown into a vibrant, aspirational community."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Nexus Foundation Special School are Meadows School (1.4 miles, Requires improvement); YMCA West Kent (2 miles); Skills for Independence and Employability Ltd (2.4 miles, Outstanding); and Hilden Park (2.4 miles, Outstanding).
Meadows SchoolYMCA West KentSkills for Independence and Employability LtdHilden Park
The trust
Nexus Foundation Special School is one of 11 schools run by Kent Special Educational Needs Trust (KSENT), an academy trust.
All 11 schools in Kent Special Educational Needs Trust (KSENT)
Where pupils go next
Of the 11 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 91% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 9% to a further education college.
Who goes there
40.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 4.9% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (82%) and Mixed (5%).
Almost every pupil at Nexus Foundation Special School has an education, health and care plan (307 of 307 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Nexus Foundation Special School provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Tonbridge Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is Molescroft Way (nw-bound), 210 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 54 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and drug offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Nexus Foundation Special School issued 6 suspensions, 2 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 · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Leadership & management, Early years, Sixth form.
At a Glance
40.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Speech and language, Autism, MLD +2
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 5% to 0% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Nexus Foundation Special School
Nexus News 02/10/2026
2 Oct 2026
Art This Week
2 Oct 2026
Nexus News 25/09/26
25 Sep 2026
Landmark Art Project
21 Sep 2026
Nexus News 18/09/2026
18 Sep 2026
Celebrating Outstanding Accreditation Results
11 Sep 2026
From Nexus Foundation Special School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Nexus Foundation Special School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Nexus Foundation Special School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Nexus Foundation Special School is in Kent; for families living there:
Apply to Kent for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 16
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 11 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
3 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 Kent is 11 (the median across 711 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
93%
Near capacity
307 pupils
330 places
23 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Tonbridge
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Tonbridge
Across Kent council
Places available
19,539
Applications
18,644
Got 1st preference
78.9%
Got preferred school
96.2%
All secondary applications across Kent council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(11)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
307
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Nexus Foundation Special School provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, 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
307
Total Pupils
215
Boys
92
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
45
Teachers
6.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,053
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
13.7%
Overall absence
36.1%
Persistent absence
244
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
Questions parents ask about Nexus Foundation Special School
What are SATs results like at Nexus Foundation Special School?
Of the pupils at Nexus Foundation Special School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Nexus Foundation Special School's Ofsted rating?
Nexus Foundation Special School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2019 it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Nexus Foundation Special School?
No fixed boundary. When Nexus Foundation Special School is oversubscribed, Kent allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Nexus Foundation Special School?
Nexus Foundation Special School has around 307 pupils on roll. 40% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Nexus Foundation Special School have specialist SEN provision?
Nexus Foundation Special School provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Nexus Foundation Special School?
13.7% of sessions were missed at Nexus Foundation Special School in 2024/25. 36.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Nexus Foundation Special School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming Nexus Foundation Special 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 Nexus Foundation Special School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 11 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 3 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 Kent is 11 (the median across 711 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Nexus Foundation Special School?
Nexus Foundation Special School is at Upper Haysden Lane, Tonbridge, Kent, TN11 8AA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)