Philpots Manor School, West Hoathly

Special
Other independent special school
Mixed
Ages 719

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Ms Gina Wagland
Pupils:61 / 76 capacity
LA:West Sussex
Phone:01342810268
Address:West Hoathly, RH19 4PR
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:22 May 1959

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 3 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Strong Standard
Personal Development
Strong Standard
Leadership
Strong Standard
Inspected 9 June 2026View full report
URN:126141
UKPRN:10017127
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:East Grinstead and Uckfield
Urban/Rural:Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Philpots Manor is a beacon of compassion and high aspiration. The school specialises in welcoming pupils who have experienced trauma, exclusion or disrupted education, and transforms their engagement with learning through expert, consistent support and a deeply nurturing environment. Parents consistently report that the school has changed their child's life, helping them move from being lost to education to becoming confident, supported and ready to thrive.

Key Strengths

  • Exceptional attendance and behaviour improvement - many pupils who previously missed school now attend every day and have transformed their behaviour through compassionate, consistent support
  • Highly inclusive approach with forensic precision in identifying and meeting individual needs, particularly for pupils with SEND and those facing barriers
  • Strong personal development and wellbeing programme including outdoor learning, equine provision and on-site therapist support
  • Excellent leadership and governance with clear vision focused on inclusion and high aspirations for all pupils
  • Impressive vocational and academic pathways preparing pupils well for further education and careers

Areas for Improvement

  • Writing standards are not consistently high quality across English and other subjects, though leaders have identified this priority and early improvements are evident
  • Teachers could better model high-quality writing to develop pupils' writing skills more effectively

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - the school has created an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are met, concerns are actively identified and managed, and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Cookery, bricklaying, outdoor education, orienteering, equine care, art and design, vocational pathways, environmental projects, volunteering

Philpots Manor School is a deeply caring and nurturing independent school that has achieved strong standards across all areas. The school excels at supporting pupils with complex needs, many of whom have experienced trauma or disrupted education, helping them to engage, thrive and progress to meaningful destinations.

At a Glance

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

0.0

Avg class size

0

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Kew Wakehurst (adj)
1.0km · 16 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

80%

Available places

61 pupils

76 capacity

15 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - West Hoathly

Low pressure
New homes approved:57
Projected new pupils:10

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for West Hoathly

Admissions Demand - West Sussex

Low demand0.92x oversubscription

Places available

9,742

Applications

8,914

Got 1st preference

87.8%

Got preferred school

97.4%

Secondary admissions across West Sussex (2025/26)

Inspection History(9)

9 June 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
20 June 2023
21 May 2019

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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.

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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.

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