The Amicus School, Arundel
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
The Amicus School excels at rebuilding children's trust and self-esteem through warm, caring relationships and a therapeutic approach. Staff are skilled at supporting pupils with complex needs, helping them achieve academically and personally - particularly in reading, where many pupils make dramatic progress. The school goes beyond academics, preparing pupils well for independent life through a tailored programme that teaches important life skills.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on building positive relationships and emotional wellbeing, helping pupils feel secure and valued
- Effective teaching of special educational needs with skilled staff who adapt the curriculum to individual needs
- Highly effective reading programme with pupils making dramatic progress, supported by a well-established phonics curriculum
- Excellent personal development programme including PSHE that equips pupils with life skills and independence
Areas for Improvement
- Governance oversight requires strengthening - decisions about allegations against staff have not always been handled promptly or in pupils' best interests
- Safeguarding policy contains contradictions and needs thorough review
- Some teaching moves pupils on to new content before they have fully grasped prior learning
- Inconsistencies in how phonics is taught means some pupils are not always shown the most efficient way to read unfamiliar words
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, however opportunities were missed to promptly investigate a recent safeguarding concern as the proprietor did not initially follow proper procedures, briefly exposing children to potential risk.
Extracurricular Activities
School council, outdoor learning area activities
The Amicus School is an independent special school for pupils aged 5-16 with complex social, emotional and mental health needs. Overall effectiveness requires improvement due to governance and safeguarding concerns, though the quality of education and pupil behaviour are good.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
0.0
Avg class size
0
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
89%
Available places
32 pupils
36 capacity
4 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Arundel
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Arundel
Admissions Demand - West Sussex
Places available
9,742
Applications
8,914
Got 1st preference
87.8%
Got preferred school
97.4%
Secondary admissions across West Sussex (2025/26)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
The Amicus School
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