Great Ballard School, Chichester
Great Ballard School is an independent school for pupils aged 2 to 16 in Chichester. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in April 2026.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Great Ballard School in detail
Great Ballard School in its own words
In its own words: "From the moment you arrive at Great Ballard, set in the beautiful West Sussex countryside near Chichester, you'll know you're part of the family. Our roots were planted a century ago but our values are as relevant today as they've ever been. We continue to build the brightest futures on the firmest foundations."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Hello everyone, we are looking forward to having everyone back for another wonderful year at Great Ballard! At Great Ballard, we want to help people to feel encouraged by others and to make them more confident, kind and ambitious."
Coming up: an open day on Saturday 6 March 2027 and an open day on Saturday 15 May 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in West Sussex
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Great Ballard School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Great Ballard School are Slindon College (1.4 miles), Westbourne House School (4 miles) and Seaford College (4.4 miles).
Who goes there
In 2026, 62 pupils (25.8%) received SEN support and 10 (4.2%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Barnham Rail Station, about 3.3 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Great Ballard School (outside), 170 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 2 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour and weapons possession. That is well below the typical figure around schools in West Sussex (103).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASISI Inspection Reports
Independent schools in England are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), not Ofsted.
Routine Inspection
28 April 2026
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
10 May 2023
Short Visit
24 January 2023
Short Visit
14 May 2019
Regulatory Compliance
7 November 2018
Integrated
10 November 2015
About
Great Ballard School is a co-educational independent school for children aged 2½ to 16 years. It was founded in 1924 and set up at its current location in Eartham, near Chichester, West Sussex, England, in 1961.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Great Ballard School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
GCSE Subjects Offered
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 3 nearby all-through schools
Keep up with Great Ballard School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Great Ballard School.
- Pied Piper Great BallardAt the school · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
77%
Available places
240 pupils
310 places
70 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Chichester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Chichester
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.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
62
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
30.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
240
Total Pupils
132
Boys
108
Girls
2026 academic year
Questions parents ask about Great Ballard School
What are GCSE results like at Great Ballard School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Great Ballard School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
When was Great Ballard School last inspected?
Great Ballard School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in April 2026.
How many pupils go to Great Ballard School?
Great Ballard School has around 240 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Great Ballard School?
Great Ballard School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
Does Great Ballard School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Pied Piper Great Ballard (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Great Ballard School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Great Ballard School?
Great Ballard School is at Eartham, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 0LR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)