Herons Dale
Herons Dale Primary School is a state-maintained community special school in Shoreham-by-Sea, UK, serving pupils aged 4-11 with moderate to profound learning difficulties and autism. It delivers individualized curricula, on-site therapeutic services, and specialized sensory facilities across 12 classes within the Thrive Federation of Special Schools.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersShoreham-By-Sea, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Herons Dale does
Herons Dale Primary School is a state-maintained community special school located in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, United Kingdom. Founded in 1982 and converted to its current community special school status in October 2015, it serves pupils aged 4-11 with a wide range of learning difficulties and associated special needs, including Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD), Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD), Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities (CLDD), Profound Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD), and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Admissions are controlled by West Sussex County Council and require an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), with the school operating across 12 classes organised into four pedagogical cohorts (Pioneers/Formal, Adventurers/Semi-formal, Explorers/Engaging, Discoverers/EYFS).
The school's core delivery combines four curriculum frameworks (National Curriculum, Early Years Foundation Stage, Equals, and ImPACTS Engagement Model) with a Total Communication approach drawing on Makaton signing, PECS, Communicate in Print, aided language boards, and intensive interaction. On-site therapeutic provision includes Speech and Language Therapy, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Music Therapy, Play Therapy, and Rebound Therapy, delivered partly through a partnership with Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust. Purpose-built facilities include a 34-degree hydrotherapy pool, sensory rooms, a ball pool, a Light Room, a sports hall, a therapy room, a library, and a cookery room. The school also offers enhanced outdoor programmes (Forest School, Beach School) and a Learning Outside the Classroom visits programme. Its core proprietary methodology is the Song of Sounds systematic synthetic multi-sensory phonics programme. Herons Dale is a member of the Thrive Federation of Special Schools, alongside Cornfield School, Oak Grove College, and Palatine Primary School, providing a 4-19 SEND pathway through shared expertise and resources.
Herons Dale is publicly funded through West Sussex County Council's high-needs SEND budget, with revenue mechanics based on per-pupil EHCP funding rather than fee-paying tuition. Ancillary income is generated through school meals priced at £3 per meal from September 2026, with free provision for Reception, Year 1, Year 2, and eligible FSM pupils, plus Pupil Premium and PE/Sports Premium grants. The go-to-market model is effectively zero-sales: demand is sourced entirely through the local authority's SEND placement panel rather than through marketing or admissions activity. The school is governed by a volunteer-led governing body with oversight from the local authority, and operates under a public-sector ownership and accountability framework rather than as a commercial entity.
Herons Dale firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Herons Dale
- Legal name
- Herons Dale Primary School
- Website
- https://heronsdale.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Herons Dale Primary School is a state-maintained community special school in Shoreham-by-Sea, UK, serving pupils aged 4-11 with moderate to profound learning difficulties and autism. It delivers individualized curricula, on-site therapeutic services, and specialized sensory facilities across 12 classes within the Thrive Federation of Special Schools.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Herons Dale industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Special Education (SEN Primary Schooling)
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability) (EDAJAKAH), School-Based Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) Services (EDAKAEAA)
Keywords
Where Herons Dale is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Shoreham-By-Sea
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Herons Dale business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Government-funded Education: Maintained by West Sussex County Council as a Community Special School. Receives public funding for educational provision for pupils with EHCPs.
- School Meals: School meals provided at £3 per meal from September 2026. Free meals for Reception, Year 1, Year 2, and eligible FSM pupils.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard School Meal |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Herons Dale product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Herons Dale Primary School is a community special school maintained by West Sussex County Council that provides primary education for pupils aged 4-11 with a wide range of learning difficulties and associated special needs (MLD, SLD, PMLD, CLDD, ASD) who hold a Statement of SEN or an EHCP. It delivers a four-cohort, four-curriculum model (National Curriculum, EYFS, Equals, ImPACTS) alongside embedded therapy (SaLT, physiotherapy, OT, music, play, rebound), specialist facilities (hydrotherapy pool, sensory rooms), and a Total Communication approach (Makaton, PECS, aided language boards). Ancillary paid provision is limited to school meals, with the core service publicly funded.
Product overview
Herons Dale Primary School is a Community Special School providing education for pupils aged 4-11 years with moderate to profound learning difficulties and associated special needs (SLD, MLD, CLDD, PMLD, ASD). The school offers a multi-tiered educational programme combining National Curriculum, Early Years Foundation Stage, Equals, and ImPACTS curricula delivered through four teaching cohorts (Pioneers, Adventurers, Explorers, Discoverers). Core services include therapeutic interventions (Speech and Language Therapy, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Music Therapy, Play Therapy, Rebound Therapy), specialized facilities (hydrotherapy pool, sensory rooms, Light Room, cookery room), and enhanced curriculum programmes (Forest School, Beach School, swimming). The school employs a Total Communication Approach using Makaton, PECS, and symbol-based communication systems. Additional offerings include extra-curricular activities, educational visits, and sensory-rich indoor/outdoor learning environments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Special Educational Needs Primary Education
- Teaching and Learning Cohorts (Pioneers, Adventurers, Explorers, Discoverers)
- Song of Sounds Phonics Programme
- Therapeutic Services (SaLT, Physiotherapy, OT, Music Therapy, Play Therapy, Rebound Therapy)
- School Meals (paid and free) School catering compliant with Government School Food Standards via LACA, produced on-site by award-winning catering teams; paid at £3 per meal from September 2026, with free meals for Reception, Year 1, Year 2, and FSM-eligible pupils.
Quantifiable outcome
- Every Child Matters ethos with focus on being safe, achieving economic wellbeing, being healthy, making positive contribution, enjoying and achieving
Companies that use Herons Dale
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Herons Dale technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Herons Dale partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Thrive Federation of Special SchoolscoreHerons Dale School joined the Federation of Special Schools in September 2017, working with Cornfield School (SEMH, ages 9-16), Oak Grove College (generic secondary, ages 11-19), and Palatine Primary School (generic primary, ages 4-11). The federation aims to ensure all young people from 4-19 years benefit from 'Learning without limits' through shared expertise, experience, and resources.
- Sussex Community NHS Foundation TrustcoreProvides Speech and Language Therapy (Sarah Done, 2 days/week), Physiotherapy (Hazel Blake, Community Paediatric Physiotherapist), and access to Occupational Therapy services for pupils with EHCP-identified needs.
- ProVegminorSchool has partnered with ProVeg to make changes to school meal menus that support children's health and environmental sustainability.
- Impulse LeisureminorChildren access Rebound Therapy sessions at Impulse Leisure, Southwick, provided by fully trained rebound therapists on a weekly basis.
- Catering Services (West Sussex County Council)coreWorks with Lead Association for Catering in Education (LACA) to ensure menus comply with Government School Food Standards. Provides fresh nutritious meals produced on-site by award-winning catering teams.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Herons Dale competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Witherslack Group: Largest UK independent specialist education provider operating special schools and residential homes for children with SEN, including autism, SEMH, and complex needs. Comparable in pupil population but operates as a commercial chain rather than a maintained school.
- National Autistic Society Schools: Operates dedicated schools and services for autistic students across the UK. Overlaps with Herons Dale's ASD cohort and special education methodology, though typically more autism-specific and charity-led.
- Outcomes First Group: Major UK specialist education and care provider serving children with SEN, autism, and social/emotional needs across schools and residential settings. Comparable population and clinical model but at much larger scale and private ownership.
- Cambian Group: UK specialist education and mental health services provider for children with SEN, autism, and SEMH. Comparable pupil population but operates as a commercial group rather than a maintained community school.
Regional players
- Brakenhale School SEND Unit: SEND provision attached to a Hampshire mainstream secondary. Thematically related alternative to special school placement but operates within a mainstream academy rather than as a standalone maintained special school.
Direct peers
- Palatine Primary School: Thrive Federation peer providing generic primary special education for ages 4–11. Direct overlap in age range, complexity of need, and federation operating model with Herons Dale.
- Prior's Court School: Independent residential and day special school in Berkshire for autistic children and young people with complex needs. Comparable in curriculum specialization, therapeutic intensity, and equipment-intensive facilities (hydrotherapy, sensory).
- Oak Grove College: Thrive Federation sibling school providing generic secondary special education for ages 11–19. Shares federation infrastructure, staff development, and the 4–19 pathway that Herons Dale feeds into.
- Cornfield School: Fellow member of the Thrive Federation of Special Schools in West Sussex, serving pupils with SEMH needs aged 9–16. Direct peer through shared federation governance, shared expertise, and overlapping Local Authority commissioning.
- St. Catherine's School (Ventnor): Community special school on the Isle of Wight for pupils with moderate to severe learning difficulties. Comparable in maintained-community status, cohort range, and curriculum flexibility for complex learning needs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Herons Dale social profiles
Digital presenceHerons Dale financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Herons Dale leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Herons Dale funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Herons Dale M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Herons Dale
What does Herons Dale do?
Herons Dale Primary School is a community special school maintained by West Sussex County Council that provides primary education for pupils aged 4-11 with a wide range of learning difficulties and associated special needs (MLD, SLD, PMLD, CLDD, ASD) who hold a Statement of SEN or an EHCP. It delivers a four-cohort, four-curriculum model (National Curriculum, EYFS, Equals, ImPACTS) alongside embedded therapy (SaLT, physiotherapy, OT, music, play, rebound), specialist facilities (hydrotherapy pool, sensory rooms), and a Total Communication approach (Makaton, PECS, aided language boards). Ancillary paid provision is limited to school meals, with the core service publicly funded.
Is Herons Dale a public or private company?
Herons Dale is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Herons Dale founded?
Herons Dale was founded in 1982. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Herons Dale based?
Herons Dale is headquartered in Shoreham-By-Sea, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Herons Dale make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Government-funded Education is the primary driver. The others are school Meals.
Who are Herons Dale's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Witherslack Group, National Autistic Society Schools, Outcomes First Group and Cambian Group. Brakenhale School SEND Unit is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Palatine Primary School, Prior's Court School, Oak Grove College, Cornfield School and St. Catherine's School (Ventnor).
Does Herons Dale have an API?
No public API is recorded for Herons Dale.
What industry is Herons Dale in?
Herons Dale's product category is Special Education (SEN Primary Schooling). Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAAAH, Public Special Education Schools & Programs, with a secondary code of EDAJAKAH, Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability). Its NAICS code is 611110 and its SIC code is 8200.