Hailsham Community College Review 2026: An all-through academy in transition, with clear priorities for improvement

Because this is an all-through school, results need to be read by phase. Key stage 2 performance measures for the primary phase are not presented here, so the clearest published picture comes from secondary and sixth form outcomes.

GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data)

Ranked 3,675th in England and 1st in Hailsham for GCSE outcomes. This places the school below the England average, within the lower-performing band nationally.

On attainment measures, the average Attainment 8 score is 33.9, and Progress 8 is -0.83, indicating pupils made substantially less progress than pupils with similar starting points nationally. EBacc outcomes are also a key signal, only 2% achieved grade 5 or above in the EBacc, and the average EBacc APS is 2.79 (England average: 4.08).

The “why” matters as much as the “what”. The 2023 inspection described a curriculum that is designed to be broad and well sequenced, but with variable implementation in Years 7 to 11, including gaps in subject expertise and inconsistent checking of pupils’ understanding. If you are comparing local schools, these data points suggest that the secondary phase has been rebuilding teaching capacity and learning habits, rather than operating from a stable high-performance baseline.

A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data)

Ranked 2,327th in England and 2nd in Hailsham for A-level outcomes, also placing the sixth form below the England average overall.

Grade distribution shows 1.75% A*, 6.14% A, 15.79% B, and 23.68% A* to B, compared with an England average of 47.2% at A* to B.

It is also worth separating sixth form experience from raw grades. Official evidence characterises sixth form as a calmer, more focused part of the school, with students who routinely ask for help and make good progress. For some students, that cultural shift between Year 11 and Year 12 can be meaningful, particularly if they are ready for a fresh start and a more adult learning environment.

The curriculum intent is described as broad and sequenced from early years through to sixth form. The key issue, based on the 2023 inspection and the 2024 monitoring letter, has been consistent implementation in the secondary phase.

A practical example is reading. Leaders place strong emphasis on reading from the earliest years, with staff training and phonics described as effective, and pupils reading books matched closely to the sounds they are learning. The monitoring letter also describes primary pupils receiving “precise teaching” to learn to read accurately and fluently. The implication for families is that children who need structured early reading teaching are likely to find a clear, systematic approach, which can be especially important for pupils who do not pick up reading quickly.

In key stages 3 and 4, the picture has been more uneven. The 2023 inspection describes instances where teachers did not check understanding carefully enough, did not identify gaps in learning, and did not always provide activities that helped pupils build knowledge securely. The 2024 monitoring letter points to recruitment of more specialist teaching staff and a continued focus on strengthening expertise across subjects. For parents, the implication is that subject strength may vary more than you would want in a settled school, so it is sensible to ask how staffing stability is being supported and how curriculum routines are being embedded across departments.

Where pupils have additional needs, the school’s specialist provision is a significant feature. The 2023 report describes accurate identification of SEND needs and strong support within a specially resourced provision. The secondary phase, however, is described as less effective at making curriculum adaptations consistently, so parents of children with SEND should probe how classroom adaptations and intervention are delivered in practice, not just in policy.

For an all-through school, “next steps” means different things at different ages.

Primary to secondary transition

The school operates as an all-through pathway. Its admissions information states that current Year 6 pupils in the primary phase do not need to apply for Year 7, a place is automatically allocated. That continuity can be valuable for children who benefit from familiarity, particularly those who may find a big transition challenging. It also means the school has a stronger incentive than most to ensure Year 6 to Year 7 curriculum continuity, because the vast majority of pupils will remain within the same organisation.

Post-16 routes and outcomes

In the 2023 to 2024 leavers cohort (cohort size 81), 22% progressed to university, 4% to further education, 7% to apprenticeships, and 46% to employment. These figures suggest a mixed destinations profile with a substantial employment route.

For highly academic pathways, Oxbridge outcomes are present but small in scale. In the most recent measurement period, there were 2 Oxbridge applications and 1 acceptance. That tells you that a top-end pathway exists for individual students, but it is not a defining feature of the sixth form.

A practical implication for families is that sixth form guidance should be evaluated on breadth, not only on elite university routes. The 2023 inspection describes older pupils and sixth form students receiving useful, unbiased careers advice that helps them understand different pathways and future study options. If your child is considering a technical route, an apprenticeship, or employment with training, that impartiality matters.

Admissions operate differently by entry point, and the demand pattern is also different between early years and Year 7.

Reception entry (September 2026)

Admissions are coordinated through East Sussex County Council, with a published closing date of 15 January 2026, and decisions issued on 16 April 2026. Demand data indicates that Reception is competitive, with 149 applications for 59 offers (about 2.53 applications per place), and oversubscribed status in the most recent cycle.

Year 7 entry (September 2026)

Also coordinated through the local authority, with a published closing date of 31 October 2025, and decisions issued on 2 March 2026. Unlike Reception, Year 7 demand is described by the data as undersubscribed, with 186 applications for 193 offers.

That contrast is significant. It suggests the primary phase has strong local demand, while the secondary phase has been competing more actively for Year 7 intakes, which aligns with the recent inspection context. Parents should interpret this as both opportunity and responsibility. The opportunity is that Year 7 entry may be more accessible than at many local schools. The responsibility is to scrutinise whether the school’s current behaviour and teaching routines match what your child needs.

Open events and visits

The admissions information references open events taking place in October and November in the most recent cycle, with tours available by appointment outside those dates. For September 2026 entry, treat autumn as the typical open-event period, then verify the exact dates on the school calendar.

For families comparing options, FindMySchool’s Map Search remains a useful way to sanity-check travel time and daily logistics across the two-site model, especially if you are weighing primary at one site and later secondary at another.

Pastoral care is one of the most important differentiators between phases here. The 2023 inspection describes pupils in primary and students in sixth form as focused, purposeful, and confident that unkind behaviour will be dealt with, while a proportion of Years 7 to 11 pupils did not feel safe or confident that bullying would be tackled effectively.

The direction of travel described in the 2024 monitoring letter is towards clearer systems and clearer points of contact. It notes that pupils valued changes to the pastoral system because it helped them understand who to speak to if they needed support. It also highlights that some secondary pupils remained unconvinced that bullying reports would always be acted on appropriately, and that prejudicial language was not consistently challenged by staff.

Safeguarding is an area of relative reassurance in the published evidence. Systems for reporting concerns are described as effective, staff training is described as regular, and recruitment checks are described as appropriate, though record keeping was flagged as an area that could be strengthened.

A practical, family-level way to assess pastoral strength is to ask for specifics: how the school logs and follows up bullying reports, how it supports pupils returning from suspension, and how it works with parents when behaviour issues repeat. The monitoring letter references an internal space named “Reflect” and an in-school alternative provision approach to support behaviour and engagement, which suggests a move towards earlier intervention for a small group of pupils who struggle to meet expectations.

The inspection evidence supports the idea that wider opportunities are a strength, with clubs and trips contributing to pupils’ personal development and careers guidance in the upper years described as effective. The school’s current extra-curricular pages also emphasise a broad offer.

For sport, the school lists an extensive programme of activities, including athletics, basketball, cricket, gymnastics, stoolball, fencing, netball, rugby, table tennis, tennis, trampoline, rounders, softball, and sports leadership. The implication for pupils is straightforward: if your child needs physical activity to feel settled and engaged, there should be multiple entry points, not just elite teams. For families, it is worth asking how the school uses sport as a behaviour and belonging tool, particularly for pupils in key stage 3.

There are also signs of structured enrichment beyond sport. The school has publicly celebrated pupils achieving Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze Award, signalling a commitment to recognised personal development routes that require sustained effort rather than one-off participation.

For younger children, the primary phase describes facilities designed to support learning and enrichment, including dedicated outdoor learning areas, a floodlit all-weather pitch, a daily mile circuit, SEND therapy rooms, a technology room, and a studio. Those features are not cosmetic. They support a practical, varied school day, and can be especially helpful for children who learn best through movement, making, and structured play.

Fees

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still budget for the usual school costs such as uniform, trips, and optional clubs.

School day (secondary phase)

The published school day shows mentor time from 08.45 to 09.10, with the final lesson ending at 15.05.

Early years hours

The pre-school page states opening hours of 08.30 to 15.30, term time.

Wraparound care

Breakfast and after-school care is available for primary pupils, with published sessions running from 07.45 to 08.45 and 15.30 to 18.00. If you are relying on wraparound care, confirm current availability and booking processes directly with the school, as provision can change year to year.

Two-site logistics

The pre-school and primary phase operate on the Bulrush Lane site, while the secondary and sixth form phase operate on Battle Road. For families with children in different phases, day-to-day travel planning becomes part of the decision.

• Secondary phase consistency remains the key risk. The monitoring letter describes improvement, but also describes variability in staff implementation of behaviour processes and a minority of pupils continuing to fall short of expectations.

• Behaviour, bullying confidence, and language expectations need careful scrutiny. Evidence points to reduced incidents of prejudicial language but also to inconsistency in adult challenge and mixed pupil confidence in bullying follow-up.

• Outcomes at GCSE and A-level are currently below England averages. The performance picture suggests the school has been rebuilding teaching consistency and learning habits rather than delivering stable high outcomes across the board.

• A two-site model adds daily practical complexity. It can work well, especially if children stay through phases, but it changes the family logistics compared with a single-site school.

Hailsham Community College is an all-through academy with a clear improvement agenda and a leadership structure designed to stabilise and rebuild, particularly in Years 7 to 11. Early years, primary, and sixth form are described more positively in official evidence than the secondary phase, and that split should shape how parents evaluate fit.

Best suited to families who value an all-through pathway, want a broad extra-curricular offer, and are prepared to interrogate how consistently behaviour routines and classroom expectations are now applied across subjects. For children who are highly sensitive to disruption, or who need a consistently calm classroom to make progress, careful due diligence is essential.