OFSTED
7 November 2023
Latest graded inspection
Latest published outcome
Outstanding
OEIF
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour & attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership & management
Outstanding
INSPECTION HISTORY
Previous Ofsted activity
5 May 2022
Ungraded inspection
School remains Outstanding (Concerns) - S5 Next
Published
3 July 2022
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Community special school
Phase
Not applicable
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Does not apply
Local authority
West Sussex
Trust
Not applicable
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
254
254 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
72
28.3% of pupils
Male pupils
182
71.7% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
16.9 pts
above England
School
41.7%
Chichester
15.5%
South East
19.0%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
9.7 pts
below England
School
10.6%
Chichester
7.1%
South East
15.6%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
1.0 pts
below England
School
0.0%
Chichester
1.3%
South East
1.7%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
82.3%
209
Any other White background
8.7%
22
Any other Mixed background
1.6%
4
White and Asian
1.6%
4
Any other Black background
1.2%
3
African
0.8%
2
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
100.0%
254 of
254 pupils
79.2 pts
above England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
14.8 pts
below
England
6.0%
94.0 pts
above
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2023/24
Key stage 4 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2023/24.
ATTAINMENT 8
Average attainment score
0.3
39.4 pts
below England
Comparisons are averages of published school-level results for open schools. They are not pupil-weighted official local authority attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
10.65%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
4.43 pts
higher than
England
School
10.65%
Chichester
6.49%
South East
6.30%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
33.89%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
18.08 pts
higher than
England
School
33.89%
Chichester
17.04%
South East
15.75%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
4.60%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
2.80 pts
higher than
England
School
4.60%
Chichester
2.05%
South East
1.93%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.