Woodlands Meed

Woodlands Meed continues to perform well as a good school, showcasing an enriching curriculum tailored to meet the diverse needs of its pupils, including those with complex physical disabilities. Pupils exhibit exemplary behavior, pride in their school community, and resilience in their learning endeavors. The school has successfully implemented improvements in various subjects, particularly in reading, to foster enjoyment and fluency among students. Leaders are committed to ongoing curriculum development to enhance learning experiences further and prepare pupils for future success, especially in the context of career readiness for students with special educational needs.

Strengths

• Ambitious leadership focused on pupil success.
• Strong emphasis on developing pupils' reading abilities.
• Exemplary behavior and pride in school community among pupils.
• Enriching wider curriculum with exciting experiences.
• Effective support for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties.

Areas for Improvement

• Some staff not adequately trained in phonics instruction.

In 2024–25 pupils at Woodlands Meed attended 90.4% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 33.2% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

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, 2.1% of pupils at Woodlands Meed were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

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 Woodlands Meed had 7.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26 Woodlands Meed had 296 pupils, 99.7% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: specific learning difficulty; moderate learning difficulty; severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; 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

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 special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Woodlands Meed received £24,299 and spent £24,328 for each of its 296 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £426,000 (£1,440 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Burgess Hill · West Sussex local authority: places and applications

What is Woodlands Meed's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Woodlands Meed is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.

When was Woodlands Meed last inspected by Ofsted?

Woodlands Meed was last inspected in November 2023.

How many pupils does Woodlands Meed have?

Woodlands Meed has 296 pupils on roll.

What age range does Woodlands Meed cover?

Woodlands Meed for pupils aged 2 to 19.

What are Woodlands Meed's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Woodlands Meed?

Woodlands Meed is at Chanctonbury Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9EY.