Torfield School, Hastings
Torfield School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Hastings, part of Torfield and Saxon Mount Academy Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2017)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Torfield School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Torfield School are The Flagship School (under 0.1 miles); New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) (2.2 miles, Outstanding); Saxon Mount School (2.6 miles, Good); and Glyne Gap School (4.2 miles, Outstanding).
The Flagship SchoolNew Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)Saxon Mount SchoolGlyne Gap School
The trust
Torfield School is one of 2 schools run by Torfield and Saxon Mount Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
41.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 5.2% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (85%) and Mixed (6%).
Almost every pupil at Torfield School has an education, health and care plan (97 of 97 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Torfield School provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ore Rail Station, about 560 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Whitefriars Road (adjacent), 220 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Torfield School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 637 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences 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
Torfield School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: 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 · 4 years agoThis judgement is from September 2017, 9 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its September 2017 inspection - up from Good.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
41.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Speech and language, Autism, MLD +1
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Torfield School
Before and after school care
Torfield School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in East Sussex
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Torfield School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Torfield School 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
- 30
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 7
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 30 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 23 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
7 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
94%
Near capacity
97 pupils
103 places
6 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Hastings
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Hastings
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(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
97
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Torfield School provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
97
Total Pupils
77
Boys
20
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
6.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£62,324
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.7%
Overall absence
17.0%
Persistent absence
94
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Torfield School
Questions parents ask about Torfield School
What are SATs results like at Torfield School?
Of the pupils at Torfield School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Torfield School's Ofsted rating?
Torfield School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2017, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Torfield School?
No fixed boundary. When Torfield School is oversubscribed, East Sussex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Torfield School?
Torfield School has around 97 pupils on roll. 41% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Torfield School have specialist SEN provision?
Torfield School provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Torfield School?
6.7% of sessions were missed at Torfield School in 2024/25. 17% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Torfield School?
Apply through East Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming Torfield 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.
Does Torfield School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Torfield School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Torfield School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 30 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 23 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 7 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 Torfield School?
Torfield School is at Croft Road, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 3JT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)