The Littlehampton Academy

The Scott Centre, Strong Start and The Hive give The Littlehampton Academy a distinctive emphasis on helping students participate in school life. Academic recovery is the harder task. This mixed, non-selective Christian academy in Littlehampton, West Sussex, serves ages 11 to 18, with 1,369 students across the whole school, including its sixth form. Sarah Pringle is Principal, and the academy belongs to Woodard Academies Trust.

Ofsted's February 2026 report card gave Expected standard to inclusion, curriculum and teaching, personal development and wellbeing, leadership and governance, and post-16 provision, while achievement and attendance and behaviour received Needs attention; safeguarding standards were met. There was no overall grade. For parents, the central question is whether the support and improving teaching will translate into better attendance, stronger GCSE progress and a more consistently settled experience.

Christian identity here sits alongside the academy's aim to welcome families of all faiths and none. The academy aims to make individual students feel recognised and supported, while setting academic targets tailored to them. Its motto, Inspire Growth; Reap Success, captures that ambition. Assemblies and chaplaincy provide opportunities to discuss beliefs and personal difficulties, making faith relevant to daily relationships rather than simply a designation.

Many students have trusting relationships with adults, and staff understand circumstances that can affect learning. The Connect Pathway helps students return to constructive participation when engagement has faltered. For a family whose child needs adults to understand the reasons behind difficulty, this is a meaningful strength. It should be assessed alongside the less settled experience some students have at social times.

Inclusion also has specific public expressions. The academy supports the Halo Code, addressing discrimination associated with natural hair and cultural or protective hairstyles. It is working towards the Rainbow Flag Award and Race Charter Mark. Those are ongoing goals, rather than completed awards. They indicate the academy's intended direction on LGBTQ+ inclusion and racial equity, and give parents concrete subjects to discuss when assessing whether their child will feel accepted.

Leadership recognises both progress and unresolved weaknesses. Governance provides challenge, and trust oversight helps monitor improvement. Staff have training in assessment, curriculum and inclusion, although a minority find the pace of change demanding. Some parents remain dissatisfied with communication and support. Families should therefore examine how concerns are followed through, as well as the academy's stated values.

GCSE performance needs careful scrutiny. In the 2024/25 school year, covering summer 2025 results, Attainment 8 was 37.2 points and Progress 8 was -0.69. Against the Progress 8 benchmark of zero, that indicates below-average progress compared with students in England who began secondary education with similar attainment. The same results period recorded an EBacc average point score of 3.01, with 3% achieving grades 5 or above across the EBacc.

These proprietary FindMySchool rankings are built from official data. (Ranked against all schools in England with published GCSE results, state and independent.) It is 3,369th in England overall. Locally it ranks 7th in Arun. The negative Progress 8 score is the clearest practical warning: academic improvement must include closing learning gaps, rather than relying on better routines alone.

Previous staffing instability and weaknesses in curriculum planning continue to affect achievement. English and mathematics are improving, but gains have not yet been sufficient to remove difficulties in progressing to education, employment or training. Some older students still struggle to explain ideas fluently because important knowledge remains insecure. Parents should ask how these gaps are identified in their child's subjects and how they will know that additional teaching has worked.

Post-16 results present a more encouraging contrast. For the 2024/25 school year, covering summer 2025 results, 51% of A-level grades were A* to B, compared with an England average of 47%. This gives a useful indication of success across that grade range, although it does not erase the academy's wider achievement concerns.

(Ranked against all schools in England with published A-level results, state and independent.) Its overall England position is 1,786th. Within Arun, it ranks 5th. These are also proprietary FindMySchool rankings built from official data. Families considering sixth form should evaluate the teaching and outcomes of their intended courses alongside the aggregate figures.

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Teaching generally gives students a clear sequence of knowledge and repeated opportunities to practise. Retrieval activities help them revisit earlier learning, while Practice 20 addresses difficulties with written accuracy and fluency. Reading checks lead to targeted help where necessary. Together, these approaches make the academy's improvement work tangible: students need to retain what they learn and express it clearly before more demanding work becomes manageable.

Assessment remains uneven in key stage 4. Teachers do not consistently establish the full extent of earlier gaps before introducing further content. Improving this is a central requirement. A useful parent conversation should therefore focus on starting points, the work a student finds difficult and the adjustments being made, rather than simply whether the class has completed a topic.

At key stage 3, mathematics groups reflect attainment, drawing on primary assessments and the academy's baseline testing. Other subjects use mixed-ability groups, with teachers adapting work when needed. Later option choices involve advice from staff and parents, supported by an options evening. This provides a route from a comprehensive intake towards courses suited to individual interests and needs.

SEND support combines classroom adjustments with more targeted intervention. Individual Support Plans identify helpful strategies, with termly monitoring and review. Classroom support plans are shared through Arbor so that teachers and support staff can use the relevant information. Parents can raise an initial concern through a tutor, class teacher or pastoral colleague, who can refer it to the SEND team. The process includes monitoring and collecting evidence before agreeing further action.

The Scott Centre supports students with an EHCP whose primary need is ASC or Semantic Pragmatic Disorder. Students receiving its support attend at least 80% of their timetabled lessons in the main school, alongside specialist assistance and interventions. Entry to the centre comes through the student's home Local Authority. That distinction matters: a mainstream academy application and access to this specialist provision are different routes.

Physical access includes lifts, wide corridors and disabled toilets. Learning equipment can include writing slopes, laptops, coloured overlays and noise cancelling headphones, according to need. These are practical adjustments that can make participation easier. Exam access arrangements require assessment under examination-board rules and are not guaranteed.

Sixth-form provision includes A-level and BTEC study. The 2026 examination programme included A Level Art & Design: Photography, while revision provision included A Level Further Mathematics and L3 BTEC Computing. These examples show different kinds of study, but courses can change with demand. Post-16 teaching uses assessment to address weaknesses, and GCSE English or mathematics resits receive organised support, helping students secure qualifications needed for their next step.

Careers guidance is a clear strength. Students encounter careers fairs, work experience and preparation activities, with impartial advice covering further study and work. SEND students participate in this guidance too. For families, the value lies in making decisions with an understanding of several routes, rather than treating university as the default destination for everyone.

The 2023/24 post-16 leavers' cohort contained 58 students. Of that cohort, 19% progressed to university, 14% to further education and 31% to employment; the recorded apprenticeship proportion was 0%. These figures describe that cohort's destinations. They should not be read as a prediction of the path an individual student will take or as proof that a route is unavailable.

Cambridge applications also demonstrate that competitive university entry is possible: two applications produced one offer and one acceptance. The small numbers make this an individual success, rather than a broad indication of how frequently students reach highly selective universities. Families with ambitious university plans should ask how the academy will support their intended course and what academic preparation is appropriate.

Support for transition is more detailed for students with identified additional needs. Pastoral teams help at Years 7, 11 and 13, while the SEND team liaises with families and the Local Authority for enhanced arrangements. These can include additional visits and transition days for vulnerable students. The Careers Advisor attends EHCP annual reviews, connecting discussions about support with planning for further education and greater independence.

Within sixth form, work experience, visiting speakers and application support help students make informed choices. The emphasis is on a next step suited to their abilities and ambitions. Parents should consider both the quality of this advice and whether their child's qualifications will open the intended route, given the continuing concerns about achievement before post-16 entry.

Year 7 applications go through West Sussex County Council's coordinated arrangements, using the Common Application Form. The published admission number at transition is 330. For 2025, demand was recorded as oversubscribed, with 333 applications and 218 offers, approximately 1.53 applications per offer. Those historical offer figures and the published admission number describe different aspects of admissions and should not be treated as interchangeable.

Where an EHCP names the academy, admission precedes the oversubscription ranking. The priority order then begins with children in care or previously in care, followed by exceptional social, psychological or medical circumstances supported by written evidence from a registered health professional. Next come siblings sharing an address within catchment, other catchment residents, siblings sharing an address outside catchment, and finally other applicants outside catchment. Distance resolves ties under West Sussex arrangements.

Christian designation does not add a faith category to this priority order. The academy aims to welcome families of all faiths and none. Parents should check their catchment position and the applicable sibling category rather than assuming that a religious affiliation determines access.

In-year applications also use the West Sussex admissions team. Written outcomes are issued within 15 school days. Waiting lists follow the oversubscription criteria and can change when further applications arrive. A refused application carries a right of appeal, with independent panels coordinated by West Sussex County Council. Families considering a move during GCSE study should discuss how existing courses match the academy's provision, since a change may disrupt course content.

The Littlehampton Academy College gives preference to its own Year 11 students; external applicants can arrange an interview to discuss options. Preference is not a guarantee, and course requirements need checking individually. Tours can be requested, but attending one has no bearing on place allocation. Check the academy's open-event information for the next opportunity to visit.

Pastoral support has several routes. Tutors are the initial contact for concerns, with year teams, SEND staff, a school counsellor and the TLA chaplain contributing further help. Strong Start and The Hive provide therapeutic support for students struggling to engage or feel secure. This is useful provision for families facing emotional barriers to school attendance, although its effectiveness must be judged against an individual student's progress.

Quiet lunchtime clubs give students an alternative when busy social spaces feel difficult. Relationships and health education cover relevant risks, including drugs and online safety. Chaplaincy sessions offer another opportunity to discuss values and personal challenges. Free period products are available in year offices, Student Services, the medical room and toilets, reducing a practical barrier to participation.

Attendance remains a major weakness, with persistent absence too high despite improved punctuality and overall attendance. Disadvantaged students are especially affected by irregular attendance, which restricts their learning and achievement. Lessons are generally calmer, but some students need more tailored behaviour support and suspensions require further reduction. A minority of students and parents remain unsure that bullying is consistently resolved. Families should ask who investigates concerns, how outcomes are communicated and how support is coordinated when anxiety or peer difficulties affect attendance.

Student Parliament gives student representation a defined structure. It meets each half term and brings together Head Prefects, Senior Prefects and a Tutor Representative from every tutor group. Head Prefects determine the agenda, and the group works with senior leaders on improvements. For a student interested in speaking for others, this is a concrete opportunity to practise responsibility and participate in school decisions.

Clubs run before lessons, at lunchtime and after school, with participation monitored so disadvantaged students can take part. Quieter options make extracurricular involvement more accessible to students who find crowded spaces difficult. This matters because joining an activity can be part of establishing friendships and engagement, rather than simply an addition to academic study.

Remembrance events and cultural days broaden students' experiences and prompt discussion about values and life in modern Britain. Alongside the academy's Christian identity, these activities provide opportunities to consider community responsibilities and different perspectives. Their educational value sits in the discussion and participation they encourage.

Sixth-form enrichment includes international visits, external speakers and leadership opportunities. Work experience connects study with the expectations of workplaces. The breadth is useful, but parents should establish which opportunities fit their child's courses and interests. Specific sporting fixtures, music ensembles and a complete current club programme are not published in the evidence we hold. Ask about the activities your child would actually want to join.

The September 2026 calendar scheduled school days from 8.30am to 3pm. Confirm routine timings and travel arrangements when planning the journey. Upcoming dates include autumn half term from 26 to 30 October 2026 and an INSET day on 27 November 2026.

There are no tuition fees. Financial Support Fund applications go to a student's Year Leader, with further information requested where necessary. Sixth-form bursary payments require at least 95% lesson attendance. Transport arrangements and wraparound care: This is not published in the evidence we hold.

• Achievement and attendance. GCSE progress remains below the England benchmark, and persistent absence needs stronger improvement. Ask for a clear account of how learning gaps and attendance barriers will be addressed for your child.
• Behaviour and communication. Social times are less settled for some students, confidence in bullying resolution is uneven, and some parents are frustrated by communication. Establish the contact and escalation arrangements before relying on the support structure.
• Sixth-form costs and entry. Course requirements vary, and internal applicants receive preference rather than an assured place. The Vulnerable Bursary offers up to £1,200 annually for students in or recently leaving Local Authority care, students receiving Income Support or Universal Credit while supporting themselves or themselves and a dependent living with them, or students receiving Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments in their own right alongside Universal Credit; payments require at least 95% lesson attendance. The Discretionary Bursary is for students outside the vulnerable categories who meet its low-income eligibility criteria. Bursary awards cannot be guaranteed to all eligible students because funding is limited; families with the lowest incomes and greatest need for help to remain in education are prioritised.
• Faith and individual fit. Christian identity includes chaplaincy and discussion of beliefs, alongside an aim to welcome families of all faiths and none. Families should explore how this feels in practice and, where relevant, discuss specialist support and access separately from mainstream admission.

The Littlehampton Academy is best suited to local families seeking a non-selective school with defined inclusion pathways, specialist SEND support and a continuing sixth-form option. The Scott Centre and therapeutic provision give substance to its supportive ambitions, while careers guidance helps students consider different futures.

The main caveat is substantial: improving teaching has not yet resolved weak GCSE progress, persistent absence or uneven confidence in behaviour support. A decision should rest on the academy's ability to explain its response to your child's needs, backed by clear communication and evidence of progress. Sixth form merits its own assessment, because its teaching and student experience are stronger than the concerns affecting some younger cohorts.