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

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

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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The principal of this school is Ross Maryan. This school is part of The Saben Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Joanne Foulkes, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Lucianne Stenning. 24 and 25 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Often, attending New Horizons is the first time pupils say that they have really been able to enjoy school. Pupils feel accepted and understood. They know that the school expects them to work hard and achieve well, and they do. The school offers pupils the support they need to succeed. Crucially, they usually come to school more frequently than they have in the past.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone aims to embody the school’s values of safe, kind, respectful and determined. This reflects the school’s positive ethos and high expectations. The school takes great care to create an environment and atmosphere that help pupils settle. The school sensitively organises and paces the day in a way that is manageable for pupils. This makes effective use of times when pupils are best able to focus. The day ends with diverse opportunities to develop a talent or try something new, from kickboxing to hairdressing.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and well cared for. Relationships between pupils and staff are strong. At lunchtime, they dine and play games together. Those who prefer a moment of quiet reflection sit on benches and enjoy the view. Older pupils show genuine kindness to their younger peers. Pupils say that staff are good at sorting out any social difficulties.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The trust and school have restructured the curriculum. The academic demand on pupils is shaped across the day according to their focus and attention. This has improved pupils’ engagement and work.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The ‘core’ curriculum, largely English and mathematics, is well embedded. For example, pupils develop confidence and competence in tackling mathematical calculations. There is a successful emphasis on extending pupils’ vocabulary. The culture and teaching of reading are strong. Older pupils who need extra help get a similar rigorous, structured and effective approach as the younger pupils learning phonics for the first time.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The ‘explore’ curriculum extends pupils’ learning across wide-ranging subjects. For example, they produce high-quality artwork. The school reignites pupils’ enthusiasm for learning. For example, it teaches subjects such as history and geography through engaging topics. However, in places, the school has not defined exactly what pupils should learn through each topic. Therefore, pupils sometimes struggle to recall their knowledge.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The ‘enrich’ curriculum nurtures pupils’ interests and introduces them to new possibilities, including a recently developed passion for music. The school supports pupils well to embrace new opportunities, from residential trips to visiting a local mosque. There are systematic checks of the knowledge and skills pupils need in preparation for adulthood. Pupils receive suitable guidance on their future options and experience a diverse range of workplaces.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school knows individual pupils well. It constantly strives to improve how it 24 and 25 June 2025

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understands and meets their needs. Teachers are well trained in making their lessons accessible for all, wherever possible. From there, adults further adapt approaches for individuals as necessary. Pupils’ sensory needs are carefully considered to help them concentrate.

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The culture around behaviour has transformed. The school provides pupils with what they need to thrive. Staff are adept at anticipating when a pupil is struggling and responding promptly. Physical interventions have fallen dramatically from previously high levels. They are used sparingly and carried out by appropriately trained staff.

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Trust and school leaders keep the school’s work under regular review. The school knows its strengths and next steps well. Staff have played a vital role in the school’s improvement journey. Recognising this, the school proactively manages staff’s workload and is mindful of their well-being.

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Attendance is improving, but some pupils still do not attend school regularly enough. The school has robust systems to analyse and tackle poor attendance. Staff work openly with families and other professionals on often-complex cases.

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Trustees have correctly identified the need to strengthen governance. Over time, there has not been a sufficiently rigorous and informed challenge from trustees. At their request, the school has taken steps to establish a local board of governors. This work is in its infancy and, as such, has not had an impact on the school’s work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes the topics within the school’s ‘explore’ curriculum do not precisely identify the knowledge and skills that pupils should learn. Consequently, pupils’ learning does not develop through these topics as well as it does across the rest of the curriculum. The trust should ensure that the curriculum specifies and builds pupils’ knowledge and skills reliably in all areas.  Some pupils do not attend as well as they should. The school’s ongoing focus on improving attendance has already brought about much improvement, but a significant proportion of pupils still miss too much valuable learning time. The school should persist with determination, keeping the effectiveness of its strategies under regular review so that pupils attend as often as they should.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 24 and 25 June 2025

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when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 24 and 25 June 2025

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School details

School category Academy special converter

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 18 and 19 October 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 New Horizons School is part of the Sabden Multi Academy Trust.  The school caters for pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties. All pupils that attend have an education, health and care plan.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  At the time of the inspection, the school had a very small number of pupils on roll in key stage 1.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and 24 and 25 June 2025

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management). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors found the age range of the school to be six to 16 rather than seven to 16 as reflected in the Funding Agreement and shown on the website Get Information About Schools. Inspectors notified the Department for Education of this as the appropriate authority.  Inspectors met with the CEO of the trust and other trust leaders, including the heads of education for primary and secondary and the head of finance and resources. They also met with a wide range of school leaders and staff, including the principal and vice- principal.  The lead inspector spoke remotely with the chair of trustees and one other trustee. He also had discussions with a representative of the local authority and the trust’s

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improvement adviser.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and the school’s ‘explore’ curriculum, which includes a range of foundation subjects. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspection team took account of the views expressed by staff, pupils, parents and carers using Ofsted Parent View and online inspection surveys. Inspectors also met with a group of girls and a group of boys.

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Inspection team

Clive Dunn, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Numera Anwar Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 June 2025

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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