Kingsdown School

Kingsdown School is an exceptional special school where pupils with multiple and complex special educational needs and/or disabilities thrive. Inspectors found that pupils love school, develop strong communication and independence skills, and are very well known and supported by staff. Parents and carers feel well informed and confident that their children are safe and well cared for. The school was judged outstanding in all key areas, with safeguarding arrangements effective. It was previously judged good and is part of the SEN Trust Southend. The report highlights the expertise and commitment of staff, who receive extensive training and work closely with families and medical staff. Pupils follow highly personalised curricula, and communication and interaction are given high priority through tools such as switches, symbol boards and signing. Behaviour is excellent, pupils develop independence and life skills, and they benefit from strong personal development opportunities, including British values, work experience and specialist sensory resources. Leaders, trustees and governors know the school well and ensured learning continued after RAAC forced much of the building to close temporarily. No weaknesses or areas for improvement are identified in the report. The inspection findings are overwhelmingly positive, and the school’s established staff development, strong leadership and effective safeguarding arrangements further support pupils’ excellent progress and wellbeing.

Strengths

• Pupils thrive and flourish in an exceptional school community
• Staff know pupils incredibly well and ensure continuous progress
• Pupils develop excellent communication and independence skills
• Parents and carers feel well supported and confident their children are safe
• Staff have extensive training and excellent expertise in supporting complex SEND
• Personalised curricula break learning into precise, bespoke steps
• Communication and interaction are a high priority, with a wide range of tools used
• Phonics is taught well and pupils enjoy reading and sensory stories
• Pupils behave very well and develop confidence through consistent routines
• Older pupils take on responsibilities and learn life skills such as shopping and cookery
• Fundamental British values, including democracy, are part of daily life
• Specialist sensory resource spaces support excellent progress
• Leaders managed the RAAC closure effectively and maintained education quality
• Trustees and governors know the school well and meet statutory duties
• Staff feel incredibly well supported, with clear routes for career progression
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

In 2024–25 pupils at Kingsdown School attended 89.9% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 29.7% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Kingsdown 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 Kingsdown School had 8.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.7% 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 Kingsdown School had 130 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: moderate learning difficulty; severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; hearing impairment; vision impairment; multi-sensory impairment; 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 2024–25 Kingsdown School received £27,753 and spent £28,486 for each of its 130 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £363,000 (£2,794 per pupil).

Across all 4 schools of Sen Trust Southend, income was £28,789 and spending £28,158 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 Southend-On-Sea · Southend-on-Sea local authority: places and applications

Kingsdown School is part of Sen Trust Southend, which runs 4 schools. The nearest others:

• The St Christopher School Leigh-On-Sea
• Lancaster School Westcliff-On-Sea
• St Nicholas School Southend-On-Sea

What is Kingsdown School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Kingsdown School is Outstanding, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Kingsdown School last inspected by Ofsted?

Kingsdown School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Kingsdown School have?

Kingsdown School has 130 pupils on roll.

What age range does Kingsdown School cover?

Kingsdown School for pupils aged 3 to 14.

What are Kingsdown School's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Kingsdown School?

Kingsdown School is at Snakes Lane, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS2 6XT.