St Mary's School and 6th Form College
St Mary's School and 6th Form College is a non-maintained special school in Rother for pupils aged 5 to 19. It has a Inter- / non- denominational religious character. It has 221 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for St Mary's School and 6th Form College is Good, from an inspection in May 2022. In 2025 its average Attainment 8 score was 10.1, and 8% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.
Ofsted inspection: May 2022. GCSE results: 2025.
| Type | Special School / Non-maintained special school |
| Age Range | 5-19 |
| Religion | Inter- / non- denominational |
| Address | Wrestwood Road Bexhill on Sea East Sussex TN40 2LU |
| Phone | 01424730740 |
| Reference Number | 133653 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 221 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 68.33%
Girls: 31.67% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 38.7% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 3.2% |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 2 | 11 | 1 | 12 |
| 3 | 10 | 4 | 14 |
| 4 | 8 | 4 | 12 |
| 5 | 5 | 2 | 7 |
| 6 | 11 | 7 | 18 |
| 7 | 24 | 11 | 35 |
| 8 | 18 | 12 | 30 |
| 9 | 17 | 9 | 26 |
| 10 | 13 | 9 | 22 |
| 11 | 12 | 3 | 15 |
| 12 | 8 | 5 | 13 |
| 13 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 83.3% |
| White, Other | 3.2% |
| White & Asian | 2.3% |
| Asian, Other | 1.8% |
| African | 1.4% |
| Mixed, Other | 1.4% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.9% |
| Chinese | 0.5% |
| Indian | 0.5% |
St Mary’s School and 6th Form College is now performing well after significant improvements since its last inspection. The school has transitioned from an inadequate previous grade to a good overall effectiveness rating. Notable strengths include outstanding leadership and management, as well as exceptional behavior and attitudes among pupils, highlighting a warm and supportive learning environment. With a dedicated staff and a well-structured curriculum that meets the complex needs of its pupils, the school has excelled in fostering personal development and safe learning experiences. However, the school acknowledges that further work is needed to fully embed the curriculum across all subjects and to refine assessment processes, ensuring all pupils can confidently demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have learned. Overall, the inspection reflects a positive trajectory for the school, emphasizing its commitment to tailored education for each pupil.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| > Quality of education | Good |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Outstanding |
| > Personal Development | Good |
| > Leadership & Management | Outstanding |
| > Sixth Form Provision | Good |
| Last Report Date | 22 Mar 2022 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 22 Mar 2022 | School inspection: |
| 01 Dec 2021 | Monitoring visit |
| 27 Jan 2021 | Monitoring visit |
| 10 Nov 2020 | Monitoring visit |
| 11 Jul 2019 | Monitoring visit |
| 12 Feb 2019 | Full inspection: |
| 16 Jan 2018 | Full inspection: |
| 20 Jan 2016 | Full inspection: |
| 03 Nov 2015 | Monitoring visit |
| 17 Jun 2015 | Monitoring visit |
| 05 Mar 2015 | Monitoring visit |
| 13 Nov 2014 | Full inspection: |
| 29 May 2012 | Full inspection: |
| 09 Feb 2010 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 13 Nov 2008 | Full inspection: |
| 09 Jun 2005 | Inspection |
Strengths
- Outstanding leadership and management.
- Exceptional behavior and attitudes among pupils.
- Pupils feel safe and supported.
- Strong relationships between staff and pupils.
- Well-structured curriculum tailored to complex needs.
- High expectations for pupil achievements.
- Effective safeguarding arrangements.
- Diverse extracurricular opportunities.
Areas for Improvement
- Curriculum not yet securely embedded across all subjects.
- Inconsistent confidence in assessment processes.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 10.1 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 7.7% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 0% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
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| Staying in Education | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > Further Education | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > School Sixth Form | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > Sixth Form College | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > Other Education | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
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| Employment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Not in education or employment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Unknown | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
In 2024–25 pupils at St Mary's School and 6th Form College attended 92.1% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 23.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 7.9% | 9.8% | 16.3% | 9.5% | 8.2% | 6.9% | 5.8% |
| Unauthorised absence | 0.8% | 2.7% | 2.3% | 5.4% | 4.0% | 3.5% | 2.1% |
| Severely absent pupils | 5.0% | 4.0% | 14.3% | 9.1% | 6.7% | 4.5% | 1.9% |
Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.
In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at St Mary's School and 6th Form College were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 2.3 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 4.9 | 17.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.
In 2025–26 St Mary's School and 6th Form College had 221 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 98.6%).
It says it provides for: specific learning difficulty; moderate learning difficulty; social, emotional and mental health; speech, language and communication needs; hearing impairment; vision impairment; multi-sensory impairment; physical disability; autistic spectrum disorder; other difficulty or disability.
Pupils by main type of need
| EHC plan | |
|---|---|
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 106 |
| Speech, language and communication needs | 55 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 37 |
| Physical disability | 9 |
| Severe learning difficulty | 5 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 3 |
| Profound and multiple learning difficulty | 2 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 2 |
| Hearing impairment | 1 |
| Other difficulty or disability | 1 |
Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded non-maintained special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.
| Name | Distance |
|
St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary School
Hastings Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN40 2ND |
0.34 miles |
|
Chantry Community Primary School
Barrack Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN40 2AT |
0.57 miles |
|
St Peter and St Paul CofE Primary School
Buckhurst Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN40 1QE |
0.66 miles |
|
Pebsham Primary Academy
School Place, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN40 2PU |
0.79 miles |
|
All Saints Church of England Primary School, Bexhill
All Saints Lane, Sidley, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN39 5HA |
0.83 miles |
|
King Offa Primary Academy
Down Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN39 4HS |
0.88 miles |
|
Glenleigh Park Primary Academy
Gunters Lane, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN39 4ED |
1.24 miles |
|
Little Common School
Shepherds Close, Little Common Primary School, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN39 4SQ |
2.15 miles |
|
Mulberry West St Leonards Primary
Harley Shute Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN38 8BX |
2.28 miles |
|
Robsack Wood Primary School
Whatlington Way, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN38 9TE |
2.28 miles |
|
Crowhurst CofE Primary School
Forewood Lane, Crowhurst, Battle, East Sussex, TN33 9AJ |
2.34 miles |
|
St Leonards Church of England Primary Academy
Collinswood Drive, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN38 0NX |
2.6 miles |
|
Churchwood Primary School
Church-in-the-Wood Lane, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN38 9PB |
2.83 miles |
|
Christ Church CofE Primary and Nursery Academy
Woodland Vale Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, Hastings, East Sussex, TN37 6JJ |
3.27 miles |
|
Hollington Primary School
Hollington Old Lane, St. Leonards-on-Sea, TN38 9DS |
3.29 miles |
|
Catsfield Church of England Primary School
Church Road, Catsfield, Battle, East Sussex, TN33 9DP |
3.33 miles |
|
Mulberry Silverdale Primary
Mulberry Silverdale Primary, Perth Road, St Leonards-On-Sea, TN37 7EA |
3.41 miles |
|
Ninfield Church of England Primary School
Church Lane, Ninfield, Battle, East Sussex, TN33 9JW |
3.52 miles |
|
St Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School
Magdalen Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN37 6EU |
3.54 miles |
|
St Paul's Church of England Academy
Horntye Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN37 6RT |
3.56 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Bexhill College
Penland Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN40 2JG |
0.37 miles |
|
St Richard's Catholic College
Ashdown Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN40 1SE |
0.6 miles |
|
Glyne Gap School
School Place, Hastings Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN40 2PU |
0.76 miles |
|
Bexhill High Academy
Gunters Lane, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN39 4BY |
1.32 miles |
|
Bexhill Independent Special School
Shimba Lodge, Freezeland Lane, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN39 5JD |
1.72 miles |
|
Mulberry Academy St Leonards
Edinburgh Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN38 8HH |
2.21 miles |
|
Saxon Mount School
Edinburgh Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN38 8HH |
2.21 miles |
|
Headstart
Crouch Lane, Ninfield, Battle, East Sussex, TN33 9EG |
3.19 miles |
|
New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)
Beauchamp Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN38 9JU |
3.25 miles |
|
Lansdowne Children's Centre
Care of: Children's Social Services, St Leonards-on-Sea, TN37 6LW |
3.27 miles |
|
ISP School
Glengorse Estate, Glengorse, Battle, TN33 0TX |
3.88 miles |
|
Ark Alexandra Academy
Park Avenue, William Parker Campus, Park Avenue, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 2PG |
4.04 miles |
|
Battle Abbey School
High street, East Sussex, TN33 0AD |
4.35 miles |
|
Claremont School
Baldslow, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN37 7PW |
4.5 miles |
|
Claverham Community College
North Trade Road, Battle, East Sussex, TN33 0HT |
4.53 miles |
|
The Flagship School
The Ridge, Hastings, TN34 2AE |
4.71 miles |
All schools in Rother · East Sussex local authority: places and applications
What is St Mary's School and 6th Form College's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for St Mary's School and 6th Form College is Good, from an inspection in May 2022.
When was St Mary's School and 6th Form College last inspected by Ofsted?
St Mary's School and 6th Form College was last inspected in May 2022.
How many pupils does St Mary's School and 6th Form College have?
St Mary's School and 6th Form College has 221 pupils on roll.
What age range does St Mary's School and 6th Form College cover?
St Mary's School and 6th Form College for pupils aged 5 to 19.
What are St Mary's School and 6th Form College's GCSE results?
In 2025 its average Attainment 8 score was 10.1, and 8% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.
Where is St Mary's School and 6th Form College?
St Mary's School and 6th Form College is at Wrestwood Road, Bexhill on Sea, East Sussex, TN40 2LU.