Special (SEND) Schools / Essex
Special (SEND) Schools in Essex
Find and compare 68 special (SEND) schools in Essex - Ofsted ratings, specialisms, needs catered for and how to get a place.
68 special (send) schools in Essex
Chatten Free School
Rivenhall · Special · Mixed
Southview School
Witham · Special · Mixed
Cambian Great Dunmow School
Essex · Special · Mixed
Community College Initiative Ltd
CHELMSFORD · Special · Mixed
Endeavour Co-Operative Academy
Brentwood · Special · Mixed
Hopewell School
Essex · Special · Mixed
Lime Academy Forest Approach
Romford · Special · Mixed
Luxborough Court School
Chigwell · Special · Mixed
Minerva Independent School
Clacton-on-Sea · Special · Mixed
Oak House School
Ilford · Special · Mixed
Oak View School
Loughton · Special · Mixed
Ramsden Hall Academy
Billericay · Special · Boys
Sutton House Academy
Southend-On-Sea · Special · Mixed
The Belsteads School
Essex · Special · Mixed
The Bridge
Romford · Special · Mixed
The St Christopher School
Leigh-on-Sea · Special · Mixed
Treetops Free School
Grays · Special · Mixed
Athena School
Canvey Island · Special · Mixed
Beacon Hill Academy
South Ockendon · Special · Mixed
Castledon School
Wickford · Special · Mixed
Cedar Hall School
Benfleet · Special · Mixed
Clarity Independent School
Chelmsford · Special · Mixed
Compass Community School Boleyn Park
Westcliff-on-Sea · Special · Mixed
Compass Community School Essex
ESSEX · Special · Mixed
Corbets Tey School
Upminster · Special · Mixed
Doucecroft School
Colchester · Special · Mixed
Estuary High School
Leigh-on-Sea · Special · Boys
Fast Progress Tuition Limited
Canvey Island · Special · Mixed
Glenwood School
Benfleet · Special · Mixed
Grove House School
Brentwood · Special · Mixed
Harlow Fields School and College
Harlow · Special · Mixed
Hatton Special School
Woodford Green · Special · Mixed
High Trees
London · Special · Mixed
Kingsdown School
Southend-on-Sea · Special · Mixed
Kingswode Hoe School
Colchester · Special · Mixed
Lancaster School
Westcliff-on-Sea · Special · Mixed
Langham Oaks
Colchester · Special · Boys
Learn and Prosper School
Clacton-on-Sea · Special · Mixed
Lexden Springs School
Colchester · Special · Mixed
Lime Academy Ravensbourne
Romford · Special · Mixed
Little Heath School
Romford · Special · Mixed
Market Field School and College
Colchester · Special · Mixed
Newbridge School
Romford · Special · Mixed
New Rush Hall School
Ilford · Special · Mixed
Octavia House Schools, Essex
Great Baddow · Special · Mixed
Omnia Foundation
London Road · Special · Boys
Riverside Bridge School
Barking · Special · Mixed
Routes4Life Limited
Hornchurch · Special · Mixed
Shorefields School
Clacton-on-Sea · Special · Mixed
St John's RC School (Essex)
Woodford Bridge · Special · Mixed
St Nicholas School
Southend-on-Sea · Special · Mixed
Teaseldown School
Halstead · Special · Mixed
The Bridge Columbus
Chelmsford · Special
The Bridge Pioneer
Basildon · Special · Mixed
The Edith Borthwick School
Braintree · Special · Mixed
The Greenwell Academy
Harlow · Special · Mixed
The Haefen Independent Special School
Bradfield · Special · Mixed
The Hawthorns School
Chelmsford · Special · Mixed
The Sir Geoff Hurst Academy
Chelmsford · Special · Mixed
The Tower School
Epping · Special · Mixed
The Willows
Colchester · Special · Mixed
The Yellow House School
Halstead · Special · Mixed
Thriftwood School
Chelmsford · Special · Mixed
Treetops School
Grays · Special · Mixed
Trinity School
Dagenham · Special · Mixed
Wells Park School
Chigwell · Special · Mixed
Woodcroft School
Loughton · Special · Mixed
Woodend Farm School
Witham · Special · Mixed
About special (SEND) schools in Essex
Special (SEND) schools in Essex educate children with complex special educational needs and disabilities - most of them with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) that sets out the support they are legally entitled to receive. Provision is designed around specific types of need: schools in Essex may specialise in autism (ASC), moderate or severe learning difficulties, speech and language needs, physical disability, or sensory impairment, so it is important to check which needs each school is actually resourced to support. Staff ratios are far higher than in mainstream, and most special schools have therapists - speech and language, occupational therapy or physiotherapy - working on site. A place is arranged through the local authority as part of the EHCP process: parents have the right to name a school, and the authority must agree unless it can show the school is unsuitable or would be an inefficient use of resources.
When comparing special schools in Essex, start with the type of need each school is designed for and the age range it covers - many are specific to a phase or to a particular area of need. Ofsted inspects special schools under the same framework as mainstream and ratings are a useful starting point, but read the SEND information report each school is required to publish, check what therapies are available on site, and ask how much experience staff have with your child's specific diagnosis. Visiting is important - the atmosphere, the way staff communicate with pupils and the physical environment can tell you more than any inspection report. If you are earlier in the process, your local SENDIASS (SEND information and advice service) offers free, impartial guidance on the EHCP process and your rights.
Choosing a school in Essex
Whether or not Essex has schools of a particular type, the same fundamentals help you compare your options. Ofsted judgements - Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement or Inadequate - summarise the quality of education, behaviour, personal development and leadership. A rating is a useful starting point, but bear in mind that some schools have not been inspected for several years and that a single word cannot capture everything about a school.
For secondary schools, Progress 8 is often more revealing than raw results. It measures how much pupils improve between the end of primary school and their GCSEs, so a school serving a less advantaged community can still post strong progress. Attainment 8 shows average achievement across eight GCSEs, and the percentage of pupils reaching grade 5 or above in English and maths is a useful benchmark. For 16-18 study, look at A-Level and applied-course results and where students go next.
Beyond the data, look at how places are allocated when a school is oversubscribed and whether your address is likely to secure one, the range of subjects and activities on offer, the sixth-form provision if you are planning ahead, and travel and transport. Above all, visit. An open day tells you more about a school's atmosphere, pastoral care and whether it will suit your child than any league table can.
Frequently asked questions
How many special (send) schools are there in Essex?
There are 68 special (send) schools in Essex listed on School Signal, of which 17 are rated Outstanding or Good by Ofsted.
Which special school in Essex has the best Ofsted rating?
Chatten Free School is among the highest rated special (send) schools in Essex, judged Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection.
How do I get a place at a special school in Essex?
A special school place in Essex is arranged through your local authority as part of the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process - you cannot apply to a special school directly. Once your child has an EHCP, you can name the school you want your child to attend, and the local authority must agree unless it can show the school is unsuitable for your child's needs or would be an inefficient use of resources. If you do not yet have an EHCP, you can request an EHC needs assessment by writing to your local authority's SEND team. The statutory process takes up to 20 weeks, and your local SENDIASS service can support you free of charge.