Kingswode Hoe School

Kingswode Hoe School is a special school in Colchester for pupils with moderate and severe learning difficulties, many of whom also have autism, and all of whom have education, health and care plans. It is part of Seax Trust. Following a full section 5 inspection in June 2026, the school was judged to reach a strong standard in every evaluated area: achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing. Safeguarding standards are met. This means leaders are working above the expected standard, and no graded weaknesses were identified. The report highlights pupils' successful communication and next-step outcomes, effective phonics and reading support, strong attendance work, child-centred behaviour approaches, and a carefully refined curriculum. Inclusion is highly effective, with precise identification of needs, targeted staff training, strong work with families and agencies, and well-matched alternative provision. Personal development is purposeful, building independence, safety, decision-making, and employability skills. Pupils are happy, respectful, and well prepared for adulthood. Leadership is pupil-centred and research-informed, with knowledgeable governors and trustees managing a transition to a wider leadership model. The only next steps are to continue enriching work-related opportunities and to sustain leadership quality as roles expand. The school serves a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, uses four unregistered alternative provisions, and has no significant concerns identified.

Strengths

• Pupils gain qualifications and accreditations, including in English, mathematics, and GCSE art, craft and design.
• Primary-age pupils with speech, language and communication needs make strong progress through incremental communication and phonics support.
• Attendance is a priority, with proactive work with families and agencies and robust systems for persistent absence.
• Behaviour is managed effectively through child-centred, consistent approaches, and pupils learn to regulate their emotions.
• The curriculum is carefully refined to prioritise communication, reading, writing, mathematics, and cross-subject connections.
• Inclusion is highly effective, with precise identification of needs, targeted interventions, and strong multi-agency working.
• The pupil premium strategy is well understood and shows impact, including on females' self-esteem and social confidence.
• Alternative provision is closely matched to individual needs, and pupils experience considerable success.
• Leaders are pupil-centred, research-informed, and proactive in securing support, and staff feel well looked after.
• Governors and trustees are highly knowledgeable and manage the transition to a new leadership model adeptly.
• Personal development is purposeful, building independence, safety, decision-making, and employability skills.
• Pupils show camaraderie, respect, and confidence in communicating with familiar and unfamiliar people.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture where concerns are actively identified and managed.
• Pupils are well prepared for adulthood, including through careers education, work experience, and independent living skills.

Areas for Improvement

• Work-related opportunities could be further enriched and widened to deepen employability skills and independence.
• Leadership quality needs to be sustained as roles and responsibilities are widened and extended.

In 2024–25 pupils at Kingswode Hoe School attended 88.1% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 25.8% 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, 1.3% of pupils at Kingswode Hoe 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 Kingswode Hoe School had 11.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 16.1% 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 Kingswode Hoe School had 167 pupils, 99.4% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: specific learning difficulty; moderate learning difficulty; speech, language and communication needs; hearing 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 Kingswode Hoe School received £20,182 and spent £17,917 for each of its 154 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £963,000 (£6,252 per pupil).

Across all 5 schools of Seax Trust, income was £24,843 and spending £24,605 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 Colchester · Essex local authority: places and applications

Kingswode Hoe School is part of Seax Trust, which runs 5 schools. The nearest others:

• Langham Oaks Colchester
• The Hawthorns School Chelmsford
• Thriftwood School Chelmsford
• Grove House School Brentwood

What is Kingswode Hoe School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Kingswode Hoe School is Strong standard, from an inspection in July 2026.

When was Kingswode Hoe School last inspected by Ofsted?

Kingswode Hoe School was last inspected in July 2026.

How many pupils does Kingswode Hoe School have?

Kingswode Hoe School has 167 pupils on roll.

What age range does Kingswode Hoe School cover?

Kingswode Hoe School for pupils aged 5 to 16.

What are Kingswode Hoe School's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Kingswode Hoe School?

Kingswode Hoe School is at Sussex Road, Colchester, Essex, CO3 3QJ.