St Philip Howard Catholic School, Bognor Regis

Ofsted's report card from its 14 April 2026 inspection grades St Philip Howard Catholic School on 7 areas: 6 strong standard and 1 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils achieve very well in this school."

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders set clear strategic expectations for attendance and behaviour."

Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Leaders have a precise and well‑informed understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Principles of inclusion guide every decision leaders make about pupils' education."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders provide clear and confident strategic direction."

Post 16 provision - Strong standard. "The sixth‑form ethos of providing love and guided independence shapes clear strategic leadership."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school's programme for personal development supports pupils to grow into respectful, confident and resilient young people."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should analyse more precisely how well pupils in key stage 4 learn and remember the personal, social and health education and careers curriculum, and ensure the programme consistently meets pupils' needs".

From the headteacher's welcome: "Picking the best school for your child is one of the biggest decisions you will ever make in life. The SPH community is one that we are very proud of."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, basketball, badminton, dance, ballet, drama, choir and coding.

Coming up: an open evening on Friday 27 November 2026 and an open evening on Monday 30 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at St Philip Howard Catholic School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 53, 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 in line with 2025, when the score was 52.5.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.68: pupils made well 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 39.4, against 54.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 15.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 27 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 257 families put St Philip Howard Catholic School as their first choice and 593 named it as one of their preferences, for 203 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 62 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to St Philip Howard Catholic School are Ormiston Six Villages Academy (1 mile, Good, Attainment 8 42.2); Felpham Community College (2.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.2); The Regis School (3.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.9); and The Littlehampton Academy (5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 36.3).

St Philip Howard Catholic School's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

St Philip Howard Catholic School is one of 18 schools run by Bosco Catholic Education Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 178 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 94% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 21% to a further education college and 3% to an apprenticeship.

Of the 115 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 47% went on to university or other higher education, 6% to apprenticeships and 38% into work. 21% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

10.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Barnham Rail Station, about 440 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Philip Howard School (at), 50 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 44 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in West Sussex (103).

In 2024/25, St Philip Howard Catholic School issued 68 suspensions, 5.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to St Philip Howard Catholic School are Barnham Primary School (0.2 miles), Eastergate CofE Primary School (0.8 miles), Aldingbourne Primary School (1.1 miles) and Walberton & Binsted CofE Primary School (1.4 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.