Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing, Worthing
Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing is a secondary school for girls aged 11 to 16 in Worthing. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 2nd-highest of the 6 schools in Worthing with published results, and 880th of 3,298 across England. It was 98% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
- Progress (2024)
- Above average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to West Sussex (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing in detail
Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing in its own words
In its own words: "‘To live life in all its fullness and flourish as God intended.’"
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am extremely proud to welcome you to Davison CE High School for Girls. We see education as the key to unlocking the future potential of all our young learners and truly believe that Davison offers this education to our girls within a caring and supportive ethos, underpinned by strong Christian values."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2026, pupils at Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing averaged an Attainment 8 score of 50.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 47.2 in West Sussex and 47 across England.
56% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 47% in West Sussex and 47% in England.
That is down from 52.1 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.34: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.
Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 38.7, against 53.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 14.7 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 29 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Religious Studies and Art and Design.
Getting a place at Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing
For September 2026 entry, 296 families put Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing as their first choice and 577 named it as one of their preferences, for 265 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 44 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing are St Andrew's CofE High School (0.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.7); Bohunt School Worthing (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.7); Worthing High School (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.2); and The Sir Robert Woodard Academy (1.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.6).
Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.
St Andrew's CofE High SchoolBohunt School WorthingWorthing High SchoolThe Sir Robert Woodard Academy
Where pupils go next
Of the 257 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 91% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 45% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.
Who goes there
14.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (80%) and Mixed (8%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is East Worthing Rail Station, about 250 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is East Worthing Railway Station (opposite), 180 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 488 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in West Sussex (103), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing issued 75 suspensions, 5.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing are Homefield Primary School and SSC (0.3 miles), Springfield Infant School and Nursery (0.4 miles), Whytemead Primary School (0.6 miles) and Downsbrook Primary School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Homefield Primary School and SSCSpringfield Infant School and NurseryWhytemead Primary SchoolDownsbrook Primary School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Davison School provides an exceptional education for its pupils. The caring and supportive environment is underpinned by the school's strong ethos. Pupils' love of learning is evident through their confident attitudes and commendable behaviour. Values of friendship, trust and endurance pervade all aspects of school life and allow pupils to flourish.
The school values are reflected in a carefully designed personal development programme which embraces British values and promotes equality and diversity. Pupils are taught about tolerance, consent, relationships and protected characteristics. They are well prepared to be 'the best versions of themselves'.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The curriculum is meticulously planned and sequenced to ensure breadth, balance, ambition and relevance. It benefits from a substantial range of enrichment activities supporting pupils' social and cultural awareness. Pupils benefit from the opportunity to study a wide range of subjects at key stage 4 including religious studies. While academic breadth is valued and promoted, the proportion of pupils entered for the English Baccalaureate suite of qualifications is below national averages. The take up of languages is high and increasing.
Teachers are passionate, enthusiastic and committed. Relationships are strong and supportive. Teachers model exacting standards of communication. They are ambitious for students to develop language and vocabulary that equips them to be confident and articulate. Teachers use questioning skilfully to develop and probe pupils' understanding. Assessment is used constructively to identify what pupils know and to enable staff to adapt lessons to address any gaps in learning.
From Ofsted's June 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its June 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
14.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has declined from 0.45 to 0.34 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has declined from 54.4 to 50.8 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has declined from 62% to 56% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 50.8 | 56% |
| Disadvantaged(47) | - | 38.7 | 36.2% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(221) | - | 53.4 | 60.2% |
| Girls(268) | - | 50.8 | 56% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(26) | - | 52.1 | 50% |
| Non mobile(258) | - | 51.6 | 57.4% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 9 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 257 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
0
Permanent exclusions
0.00%
Exclusion rate
75
Suspensions
5.65%
Suspension rate
55 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 1,328 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing
Term dates
Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by West Sussex. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing is in West Sussex; for families living there:
Apply to West Sussex for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 30
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 30 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 24 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 on a bicycle.
8 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in West Sussex is 11 (the median across 337 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing
Will you get a place at Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing.
- West Sussex publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in West Sussex got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
98%
Near capacity
1,321 pupils
1,350 places
29 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Worthing
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Worthing
Across West Sussex council
Places available
9,806
Applications
8,765
Got 1st preference
87.5%
Got preferred school
97.6%
All secondary applications across West Sussex council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
255
SEN Support
61
EHC Plans
23.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
1,334
Total Pupils
0
Boys
1,334
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
82
Teachers
16.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,584
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,713
Per pupil
£9301k
Total funding
£192k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.3%
Overall absence
21.9%
Persistent absence
1,375
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing
Showing 10 of 12 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing
What are GCSE results like at Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing achieved an Attainment 8 score of 50.8. 56% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing's Ofsted rating?
Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2014 it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing?
No fixed boundary. When Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing is oversubscribed, West Sussex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing?
Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing?
Classes at Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing average 26.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing?
Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing has around 1334 pupils on roll. 14% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing?
8.3% of sessions were missed at Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing in 2024/25. 21.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing?
Apply through West Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
What are Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing's term dates?
Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by West Sussex. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027).
How many road collisions happen near Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 30 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 24 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 on a bicycle. 8 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in West Sussex is 11 (the median across 337 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing?
Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing is at Selborne Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN11 2JX.
Sources: West Sussex term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)