Saxon Mount School

Saxon Mount School is a special school in the Torfield and Saxon Mount Academy Trust, catering for pupils aged 11 to 16 with autism, speech, language and communication difficulties, and moderate learning difficulties; all pupils have an education, health and care plan. Inspectors found a welcoming, joyful and highly respectful school where staff know pupils well and support their needs with expertise. The school has exceptionally high expectations, and pupils achieve remarkably well from their different starting points. The curriculum is highly aspirational, broad and carefully sequenced, and it is frequently adapted to meet pupils' needs. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and are experts in SEND support, while reading, writing and mathematics are given high priority. Attendance is strong and improving, personal development is woven through school life, and preparation for adulthood is a central feature, including careers guidance, PSHE, cultural visits, outdoor learning and pupil leadership roles. Parents speak highly of the school, staff feel valued and well trained, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. This graded inspection followed a previous inspection where the school was judged good. Inspectors judged all key areas of the school's work to be outstanding, and the report identifies no significant areas for improvement. No overall effectiveness grade is given for graded inspections from September 2024.

Strengths

• Welcoming, joyful and highly respectful school culture
• Exceptionally high expectations for all pupils
• Expert support for pupils' SEND and emotional regulation
• Highly aspirational, broad and carefully sequenced curriculum
• Pupils achieve remarkably well and gain ambitious qualifications
• Strong reading, writing and mathematics provision, including effective phonics
• Excellent attendance support and improving attendance
• Personal development and preparation for adulthood woven throughout school life
• Purposeful careers guidance and world-of-work opportunities
• Thoughtful PSHE and opportunities to learn about faiths, democracy and the rule of law
• Wide range of cultural and outdoor learning experiences
• Pupil leadership roles that make a tangible contribution to the school
• High-quality targeted staff training, with staff feeling valued and supported
• Parents hold the school in high regard
• Effective safeguarding arrangements

In 2024–25 pupils at Saxon Mount School attended 90.1% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 30.6% 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, 6.4% of pupils at Saxon Mount School 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 Saxon Mount School had 7.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.4% 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 Saxon Mount School had 172 pupils, 100.0% 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; social, emotional and mental health; speech, language and communication needs; hearing impairment; vision impairment; physical disability; autistic spectrum disorder.

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 2024–25 Saxon Mount School received £105,624 and spent £37,568 for each of its 171 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £13,430,000 (£78,537 per pupil).

Across all 2 schools of Torfield and Saxon Mount Academy Trust, income was £105,846 and spending £38,520 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in St Leonards-On-Sea · East Sussex local authority: places and applications

Saxon Mount School is part of Torfield and Saxon Mount Academy Trust, which runs 2 schools. The nearest others:

• Torfield School Hastings

What is Saxon Mount School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Saxon Mount School is Outstanding, from an inspection in March 2025.

When was Saxon Mount School last inspected by Ofsted?

Saxon Mount School was last inspected in March 2025.

How many pupils does Saxon Mount School have?

Saxon Mount School has 172 pupils on roll.

What age range does Saxon Mount School cover?

Saxon Mount School for pupils aged 11 to 16.

Where is Saxon Mount School?

Saxon Mount School is at Edinburgh Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN38 8HH.