The Littlehampton Academy Review 2026: Large coastal secondary with sixth form and a clear pastoral structure

A school of this size lives or dies by routines, relationships, and the clarity of its expectations. The Littlehampton Academy is a large, mixed 11 to 18 setting (capacity 1,900) with a sixth form and a stated Christian designation, anchored by pastoral structures such as its chapel and on-site behaviour support provision.

The most recent published inspection outcome (February 2022) judged the school Good across all graded areas, including sixth form provision. That external validation matters because the published attainment picture is more challenging: GCSE and A-level outcomes sit below England averages on this dataset, and Progress 8 is negative. For families, the practical question is whether the combination of curriculum breadth, staff consistency, and behaviour culture is now strong enough to lift outcomes over time.

The school presents itself as values-led, with “Respect, Explore, Aspire and Persevere” explicitly referenced as the behaviour and culture touchpoints. In the 2022 inspection narrative, relationships between pupils and teachers are described as respectful, and pupils report feeling safe, with staff presence around site seen as a positive.

Faith identity is present but framed inclusively. The school is described as Christian-designated, and its chapel is positioned as a quiet, welcoming space where pupils and staff can reset. For some families, that adds a sense of calm and moral framing to the day; for others, the key will be how visible faith is in assemblies, pastoral time, and wider school life.

Leadership information available through official records lists the current headteacher or principal as Mrs Sarah Pringle. The publicly accessible sources used here do not consistently publish an appointment start date, so it is safest to focus on the direction of travel described in formal evaluations and on the structures that persist beyond any single leader.

This is a school where the strongest claims need to be grounded in published outcomes, then interpreted in context.

GCSE performance and ranking (FindMySchool ranking based on official data)

Ranked 3,411th in England and 2nd in Littlehampton for GCSE outcomes. This places performance below England average overall. The school’s Attainment 8 score is 37.3 and Progress 8 is -0.69, indicating students make less progress than pupils with similar starting points nationally.

The Ebacc picture is also difficult: 4.4% achieved grade 5 or above in the Ebacc measure, and the Ebacc average point score is 3.12 (England average 4.08). These figures suggest that, for many pupils, the combination of subject entry patterns and grades currently limits the strength of the Ebacc headline.

A-level performance and ranking (FindMySchool ranking based on official data)

Ranked 2,264th in England and 2nd in Littlehampton for A-level outcomes. This sits below England average overall. In the A-level grade distribution here, 2.5% of entries are A*, 5% are A, and 26.25% are A* to B, compared with an England average of 47.2% at A* to B.

What sits behind those numbers is still important. The latest inspection describes a broad curriculum, knowledgeable teaching, and an accredited careers programme supporting aspirations. For families, the practical implication is that students who are well organised, attend consistently, and use the available support are more likely to benefit from that structure, while those who need intensive academic lift may require a very clear plan, from Year 7 onwards, for reading, revision habits, and subject choices.

Parents comparing options locally should use the FindMySchool Local Hub pages and comparison tools to review GCSE and A-level outcomes side by side, especially where travel time, friendship groups, and pastoral style differ markedly between nearby schools.

The 2022 inspection report describes a curriculum that is broad, matched to national curriculum and examination specifications, and developed with a clear intent. Leaders are said to be able to explain the curriculum in detail, and assessment is used to check learning and adjust where needed.

Two practical features stand out. First, there is a strong emphasis on literacy and reading across subjects, with targeted support for pupils at earlier stages of learning to read, and library resources positioned to encourage independent study. Second, the school’s options are described as flexible, with an intention to keep the curriculum ambitious as pupils move through the school, including increased uptake of triple science.

For sixth form students, published inspection evidence points to high expectations, regular monitoring, and structured guidance through university applications, apprenticeships, and employment routes. The best fit here is likely a student who benefits from routine check-ins and who is prepared to use enrichment and careers support as part of their sixth form plan, rather than treating it as an optional add-on.

Where Students Go Next

Because the school has a sixth form, destinations matter, not just grades.

From published leaver destination data for the 2023/24 cohort (cohort size 58), 19% progressed to university, 14% to further education, and 31% into employment. Apprenticeship percentage is listed as 0 in this cohort dataset. These figures should be read as a snapshot of one year group rather than a fixed pattern, particularly given the small cohort size.

On top of that, the Oxbridge pipeline exists but is small. In the measurement period provided, there were 2 applications and 1 student accepted for Cambridge (1 accepted overall). For a school with a broad intake, that is best interpreted as evidence that high-attaining pathways are possible for individuals with the right academic profile and support.

The inspection evidence also highlights an accredited careers programme and strong careers guidance, including support for apprenticeships, employment and university, which is exactly the infrastructure that can help improve the destinations picture over time.

For Year 7 entry, admissions are coordinated through West Sussex County Council under the secondary transfer process for September 2026 entry. Online applications open at 9am on 8 September 2025, with a national deadline of 31 October 2025. Offers are issued on 2 March 2026.

Open events are typically offered in the autumn term across West Sussex schools, and families are advised to check individual school arrangements or contact the school directly for dates and format.

This is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. The practical admissions work therefore tends to focus on catchment, oversubscription criteria, and realistic travel plans. Families considering this option should also use FindMySchool Map Search tools to check their likely journey time and to compare practicalities across shortlists, particularly when siblings, clubs, or caring responsibilities make the end-of-day logistics decisive.

Pastoral systems are unusually explicit in the published material. The 2022 inspection describes a culture where pupils feel safe, bullying is not tolerated, and staff respond quickly when concerns are raised. Safeguarding is reported as effective, with trained leaders, embedded policies, and comprehensive staff training.

The school also operates structured in-school support for behaviour and reintegration. The Compass Centre is referenced as on-site provision used to manage behaviour and support reintegration after exclusions. That sort of provision can be a strength for a large school because it creates an alternative to repeated classroom removals or escalating sanctions, provided it is consistently staffed and tied to clear reintegration expectations.

Students with additional needs are not treated as an afterthought in the published inspection account. There is enhanced provision for pupils with autism spectrum disorder, with an adapted curriculum offer and integration into wider school life. For parents of children with autism or related needs, the key admissions question is how that support is commissioned and accessed, and what day-to-day adjustments look like in mainstream lessons.

A large school should be able to offer both breadth and depth, and the most concrete evidence here sits in sports, leadership, and structured enrichment.

Sport and facilities

Published school materials describe a high-profile physical education programme with strong participation, plus extensive district-level fixtures through the West Sussex South District sports partnership. Facilities described include a 3G pitch, an astroturf pitch, two sports halls, a dance studio, and a fitness suite. This kind of infrastructure supports both elite pathways and inclusive participation, which matters in a mixed-intake school where engagement is a driver of attendance and behaviour.

Leadership and pupil voice

The school’s “chapter” structure is repeatedly referenced in formal reports as a core pastoral and leadership mechanism. In an earlier full inspection report, chapter councils are said to send representatives to an academy parliament so pupils feel they have a voice and can take on responsibilities. That is a distinctive feature in governance and personal development terms, and it gives students a practical route into leadership rather than limiting it to head boy or head girl structures.

Enrichment programmes

Careers and trust-facing published materials reference established enrichment pathways such as Duke of Edinburgh and National Citizenship Service programmes. Those programmes are most valuable when students are supported to commit consistently, complete reflections properly, and link participation to future applications, whether for post-16 study, apprenticeships, or work.

The school sits in Littlehampton, with transport links referenced in published material to nearby towns including Worthing, Chichester and Brighton, and there is mention of on-site parking in staff-facing documentation.

Specific school day start and finish times, and details of any before or after school supervision, are not consistently published in the accessible official documents used here. Families should confirm the daily timetable, arrival expectations, and any supervised late stay directly with the school before relying on a particular travel plan, especially for students using public transport or balancing part-time work in sixth form.

• Academic outcomes remain a key watchpoint. GCSE and A-level ranks sit below England average overall and Progress 8 is negative. Families should ask what has changed since the most recent published inspection, and how teaching consistency and attendance strategy are driving improvement.

• Behaviour consistency is still part of the story. The 2022 inspection notes improvements and calm lessons overall, but also flags that a small minority of pupils can disrupt learning, and that expectations are not always applied consistently.

• Ebacc outcomes are currently very low in the published metrics. For students who may want a broad academic route, parents should ask how Ebacc entry decisions are made, what support is available for languages and humanities, and how option guidance works in practice.

• Sixth form destinations data suggests many students take non-university routes. That can be a positive if careers guidance is strong and aligned to local employment and training, but families aiming for university should ask what academic support, study culture, and application coaching looks like from Year 12 onwards.

The Littlehampton Academy is a large coastal secondary with sixth form, clear pastoral structures, and formal evidence of a broad curriculum and effective safeguarding, backed by a Good inspection outcome in February 2022. The central tension is between that external validation of culture and structure, and published outcomes that currently sit below England averages in the metrics provided.

Who it suits: families who want a sizeable, mixed secondary with strong sports facilities, an explicit pastoral framework, and a sixth form route, and who are prepared to engage actively with attendance, study habits, and academic support to maximise outcomes. The limiting factor for some families will be whether the current trajectory is moving quickly enough to translate into stronger GCSE and A-level results.