New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)

New Horizons School is a special school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties, all of whom have an education, health and care plan. It is part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust and was previously judged outstanding; this graded inspection found it good in quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. Pupils typically feel accepted, safe and well cared for, and many attend more regularly than they have in the past. The school has restructured its curriculum, with a strong core in English and mathematics, a strong reading culture, and a wide enrichment offer that gives pupils new experiences and helps prepare them for adulthood. Behaviour and support have improved notably, including a large reduction in physical interventions, and safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Strengths

• Pupils feel accepted, understood and safe, with strong relationships between pupils and staff.
• The school has a positive ethos and high expectations, reflected in its values of safe, kind, respectful and determined.
• The day is sensitively organised and paced to help pupils settle and make effective use of times when they can focus.
• The core curriculum, especially English and mathematics, is well embedded and pupils achieve well.
• Reading is taught strongly, including a rigorous and structured approach for older pupils who need extra help.
• The enrichment curriculum nurtures interests and introduces pupils to new opportunities, including music, trips and workplace experiences.
• Staff are well trained in making lessons accessible and adapting approaches to individual pupils, including sensory needs.
• Behaviour support has transformed, with staff anticipating difficulties and physical interventions reduced dramatically.
• Leaders keep the school’s work under review, know its strengths and next steps, and manage staff workload and well-being.
• Attendance systems are robust and attendance is improving.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• The explore curriculum does not always precisely identify the knowledge and skills pupils should learn, so pupils sometimes struggle to recall their knowledge.
• Some pupils still do not attend school regularly enough and miss too much valuable learning time.
• Governance has not provided sufficiently rigorous and informed challenge over time, and the new local board of governors is in its infancy.

In 2024–25 pupils at New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) attended 75.7% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 54.3% 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, 47.8% of pupils at New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) 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 New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) had 4.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.6% 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 New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) had 80 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: social, emotional and mental health; 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 2024–25 New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) received £33,401 and spent £36,449 for each of its 69 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £33,000 (£485 per pupil).

Across all 3 schools of The Sabden Multi Academy Trust, income was £29,855 and spending £31,484 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

New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) is part of The Sabden Multi Academy Trust, which runs 3 schools. The nearest others:

• St Mary's School Heathfield
• Cuckmere House School Seaford

What is New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)'s Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) is Good, from an inspection in September 2025.

When was New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) last inspected by Ofsted?

New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) was last inspected in September 2025.

How many pupils does New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) have?

New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) has 80 pupils on roll.

What age range does New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) cover?

New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) for pupils aged 5 to 16.

What are New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)'s GCSE results?

In 2024 its average Attainment 8 score was 13.4, and 0% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

What are New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)'s SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust)?

New Horizons School (Part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust) is at Beauchamp Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN38 9JU.