The Lioncare School, Hove
The Lioncare School is a special school for pupils aged 6 to 16 in Hove. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Lioncare School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Lioncare School are Brighton and Hove Clinic School (0.6 miles, Outstanding); Hove Micro-School (1.4 miles); Hill Park School (1.4 miles, Outstanding); and Team Domenica (2.1 miles).
Brighton and Hove Clinic SchoolHove Micro-SchoolHill Park SchoolTeam Domenica
Who goes there
In 2026, 1 pupils (7.7%) received SEN support and 12 (92.3%) had an education, health and care plan.
The Lioncare School is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Aldrington Rail Station, about 270 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is English Close (adjacent), 260 metres away.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Lioncare School excels at giving pupils a fresh start in a warm, respectful environment where mistakes become learning opportunities. Staff combine academic teaching with important life skills like independent travel, cooking healthy meals and community safety. The school's strong partnerships with families and professionals, combined with creative off-site learning like music studios and gardening projects, help pupils gain confidence and real employability skills for their future.
Key Strengths
- Kind, nurturing staff who build caring relationships and help pupils grow in confidence and ambition
- Well-planned off-site learning including gardening projects, music studio work, woodwork and mechanics that build employability skills
- Strong pupil leadership where students have real say in school decisions and learn about social responsibility
- Effective phonics and early reading support for younger pupils
- Excellent partnership working with parents, carers and professionals to support each child's wellbeing
Areas for Improvement
- Staff do not always identify specific reading and writing gaps in older pupils, meaning they miss providing needed support
- Learning tasks are not always broken down into simple enough steps for some pupils to understand fully
- School policies are not reviewed systematically or kept up-to-date, so parents don't always have current information
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with strong policies and a culture where staff support pupils to regulate their feelings and adults are trusted.
Extracurricular Activities
Gardening projects, horticulture, cooking, specialist music studio work with arts accreditation, woodwork, mechanics, careers education, community council work on local road safety
The Lioncare School provides a nurturing, welcoming environment for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs who have experienced disrupted education. The school is rated Good overall, with strong therapeutic support and community partnerships, though some improvements are needed in literacy teaching for older pupils.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Approved
Section 41
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with The Lioncare School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 40
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 40 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 32 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
9 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 Brighton and Hove is 40.5 (the median across 82 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
76%
Available places
13 pupils
17 places
4 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Hove
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Hove
Across Brighton and Hove council
Places available
2,515
Applications
2,154
Got 1st preference
82.9%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All secondary applications across Brighton and Hove council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
1
SEN Support
12
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Lioncare School is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
13
Total Pupils
6
Boys
7
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
The Lioncare School
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about The Lioncare School
What is The Lioncare School's Ofsted rating?
The Lioncare School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2024.
Does The Lioncare School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in November 2024, The Lioncare School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to The Lioncare School?
The Lioncare School has around 13 pupils on roll.
Does The Lioncare School have specialist SEN provision?
The Lioncare School is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
How do I apply to The Lioncare School?
The Lioncare 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 The Lioncare School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 40 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 32 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 9 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 Brighton and Hove is 40.5 (the median across 82 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Lioncare School?
The Lioncare School is at 87 Payne Avenue, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 5HD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)