Tanbridge House School, Horsham

In its own words: "Our aims as a school reflect our ambition for continual progress and our passion for being the best school that we can be for our students, parents, staff and community links."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Tanbridge House School is an inspiring place. This is true from the viewpoints of both students and adults. We all share the same goals and continue to strive to be 'exceptional every day'. First and foremost, we are a community school which allows each individual to thrive and develop."

Coming up: an open day on Friday 6 November 2026, an open day on Tuesday 12 January 2027, an open day on Monday 8 February 2027 and an open day on Friday 12 March 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Tanbridge House School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 56, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 47.2 in West Sussex and 47 across England.

58% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 47% in West Sussex and 47% in England.

That is up from 54.2 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.4: 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 36.3, against 57.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 21.6 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 31 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and History.

For September 2026 entry, 340 families put Tanbridge House School as their first choice and 775 named it as one of their preferences, for 292 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 61 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Tanbridge House School are Millais School (1.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 54.7); The Forest School (2 miles, Attainment 8 43.1); Bohunt Horsham (2.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 47.2); and Weald School, The (5.6 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 50.8).

Tanbridge House School's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Of the 299 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 88% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 17% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

9.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 7.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (78%) and Mixed (7%).

In 2026, 279 pupils (18.5%) received SEN support and 37 (2.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

The nearest railway station is Christs Hospital Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Meadvale (opposite), 120 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Tanbridge House School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 207 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, shoplifting and violence and sexual offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in West Sussex (103), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Tanbridge House School issued 212 suspensions, 13.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Tanbridge House School are Arunside School, Horsham (0.4 miles); St John's Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles); Shelley Primary School (0.5 miles); and Greenway Junior School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.