Sunnydown School

Community special school · Boys · ages 11–16Surrey, Caterham CR3school website

Almost all Year 11 leavers stay in education (England 86%); as a special school, its figures are not comparable with mainstream schools.

Where this school leads
93%

of Year 11 leavers stayed in education · Surrey 89% · England 86% · DfE destination measures, pupils who left in 2023

Knowledge sphere of Sunnydown School: fields of knowledge mapped by the subjects taken here, by ISCED levelLanguage & Communication · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Language & Communication · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 28%Language & Communication · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 30%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Natural Sciences · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 34%Natural Sciences · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 3%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 37%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Health & Safety · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 38%Health & Safety · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Business & Administration · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 2%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 9%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Transversal Skills · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 17%Transversal Skills · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 100%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 38%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%LanguageMathsScienceICTEngineeringHealthBusinessLawSocialArtsTransversalGreen
Ofsted
Outstanding
Places
—
Pupils
91
Free school meals
29.7%

Ofsted: Full inspection, 23 May 2023 · report. Places: the last distance at which places were offered is not on file (it comes from Surrey’s allocation statistics). Pupils: of 81 places. Free school meals: pupils eligible, a measure of family income.

After Year 11 · age 16

Where do pupils go at 16?

93%stayed in education after Year 11
This school93%
Surrey89%
England86%

DfE Key Stage 4 destination measures · 15 pupils who left Year 11 in 2023

Of the 15 pupils who finished Year 11 at Sunnydown School in 2023, 7% moved to a sixth form college, 67% to a further education college and none started an apprenticeship.

Stayed in education — counted only if the pupil was still there for two terms of the next year; apprenticeships and jobs are counted the same way.

Full breakdown11
MeasureSunnydown SchoolSurreyEngland
Pupils in the cohort1511,758607,348
Any sustained destination93%94%92%
Stayed in education93%89%86%
— school sixth form7%29%34%
— sixth form college7%32%13%
— further education college67%26%37%
— other education13%3%2%
Apprenticeship0%2%3%
Employment0%2%3%
No sustained destination7%4%6%
Destination unknown0%2%3%
GCSE · Year 11 · 2025

How do GCSE results compare?

21.8Attainment 8 score, out of 90
This school21.8
Surrey50.8
England46.1

Attainment 8 — average GCSE points across eight subjects, English and maths counted twice; grade 5 in everything scores 50.

DfE performance tables 2024/2025 · 21 pupils in Year 11

48% of pupils here are disadvantaged (England 28%). Disadvantaged pupils here scored 12.2 — below disadvantaged pupils across England (34.9).

14% got grade 5 or above in both English and maths (Surrey 55%, England 45%).

Grade 5 — a “strong pass”; grade 4 is a “standard pass”. Progress 8 is not published for 2025: this cohort had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020–21, so there is no baseline.

All GCSE measures10
MeasureSunnydown SchoolSurreyEngland
Attainment 8 (average points per pupil)21.850.846.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths14%55%45%
Grade 4 or above in English and maths29%74%65%
Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects0%44%41%
EBacc average point score1.744.554.09
Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort48%15%28%
Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils12.232.634.9
Attainment 8 — other pupils30.554.250.4
Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2)———
English as an additional language0%12%19%
Subjects · 2025

What do pupils study?

51.62%of the Key Stage 3 and GCSE curriculum mapped by the subjects taken here

Mapped — the share of the 2,029 learning outcomes the Department for Education sets for these stages that the subjects taken here cover, weighted by how many pupils take each.

DfE subject entries 2025 · curriculum catalogue by sch.today

Health & Safety38%
Green & Sustainability38%
Engineering & Manufacturing37%
Natural Sciences34%
Mathematics & Statistics30%

Fields of knowledge — twelve fields the curriculum catalogue sorts every learning outcome into; the bars show the GCSE and A level ring.

GCSE subjects9

Entries as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEnglandGrades 7–9EnglandGrades 4–9
Combined Science2095%65%0%9%30%
English Language2095%89%0%20%45%
Mathematics2095%88%0%22%45%
English Literature1048%86%0%21%70%
Design and Technology943%11%0%23%33%
Physical Education733%11%0%24%0%
Art and Design733%7%0%24%43%
Fine Art210%9%—28%—
Computer Science15%13%—30%—
Fields of knowledge, all stages12
Health & Safety49%
Green & Sustainability49%
Natural Sciences46%
Language & Communication43%
Engineering & Manufacturing43%
Mathematics & Statistics38%
Transversal Skills29%
Digital & ICT Skills17%
Arts & Humanities17%
Law & Public Administration7%
Social & Cultural Skills7%
Business & Administration3%

Ideas pupils meet most, weighted by the share of the cohort taking the subjects that teach them:

fraction 15.5percentage 10.8ratio 10.1gradient 8.0vocabulary 7.9power 7.4particle model 6.9translation 6.8equation 6.8reflection 6.8root 6.7audience 6.4grammar 6.3standard form 6.2formulae 5.9energy transfer 5.8area 5.5change of state 5.3volume 5.2linear functions 4.9congruence 4.9pythagoras' theorem 4.9direct proportion 4.8inverse proportion 4.8

Coverage counts a subject’s outcomes in proportion to the share of the cohort entered for it; Combined Science counts as two thirds of the three separate sciences. Levels follow ISCED 2011 as UNESCO maps it for the UK: Key Stage 3 is ISCED 2; GCSE and A level are both ISCED 3. Methodology: about the data.

Careers

Which jobs use what’s taught here?

12apprenticeship standards closely match the subjects pupils take

A match of what’s taught, not of entry requirements: the standards whose knowledge and skills share the most ideas with the GCSEs and A levels taken here, weighted by how many pupils take each subject.

Level 3 / Level 6 — England’s qualification levels: 3 is A level standard, 4–5 are higher apprenticeships, 6 is a bachelor’s degree.

Skills England apprenticeship standards (Open Government Licence v3.0) · ESCO occupations, © European Union, matched by sch.today · how the match works

Water industry asset maintenance technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses ratio, percentage, unit conversion from Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science and 7 more · jobs: consumer electronics repair technician, industrial electrician, electrician
Process industry manufacturing technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses pressure, graph, conservation of mass from Chemistry, Design and Technology, Mathematics and 4 more · jobs: chemical engineering technician, chemical manufacturing quality technician, chemical production manager
ScientistLevel 6 degree apprenticeship · health and science · uses sampling technique, experimental design, conclusion from Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and 1 more · jobs: physicist, analytical chemist, geneticist
More apprenticeships9
Science manufacturing technician 2023Level 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses unit conversion, graph, pressure from Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and 2 more · jobs: pharmaceutical engineer, chemical manufacturing quality technician, pharmacy technician
Geoscientist (integrated degree)Level 6 degree apprenticeship · health and science · uses climate change, data interpretation, data collection from Biology, Chemistry, Computing and 2 more · jobs: geologist, geological engineer, exploration geologist
Battery manufacturing technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses area, unit conversion, volume from Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and 2 more · jobs: battery test technician
Water industry network technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses standard form, volume, unit conversion from Chemistry, Design and Technology, Mathematics and 3 more · jobs: sewerage network operative, product quality inspector, sewerage maintenance technician
Non-destructive technologies technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses ratio, si unit, formulae from Biology, Design and Technology, Mathematics and 3 more
Junior visual effects - VFX artist or assistant technical director - ATDLevel 4 (higher) apprenticeship · creative and design · uses scale, data collection, colour from Art and Design, Chemistry, Computer Science and 5 more · jobs: 3D modeller, technical director, animation layout artist
Bulk storage terminal technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses density, volume, graph from Chemistry, Design and Technology, Mathematics and 2 more
Data technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · digital · uses integer, mean, data structure from Computer Science, English Language, Mathematics and 3 more · jobs: data analyst, database administrator, data scientist
Production assistant - screen and audioLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · creative and design · uses spelling, punctuation, grammar from English Literature, English, Modern Foreign Language · jobs: factory hand, supply chain assistant, management assistant
Admissions

How do you get a place?

Places at special schools are allocated through an Education, Health and Care plan with Surrey, not by distance.

  1. Any timeAsk Surrey’s SEND team to name the school in the child’s EHC plan; the school is consulted before a place is offered
Surrey

Compare with nearby schools

Stayed in education at 16 · Attainment 8 · pupils

Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.