The Gatwick School, Crawley
The Gatwick School is an all-through school for pupils aged 4 to 16 in Crawley, part of Aurora Academies Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2024. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 4th-highest of the 7 schools in Crawley with published results, and 1,988th of 3,298 across England. It was 85% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
- Progress (2024)
- Below average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 4 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to West Sussex (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to West Sussex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
The Gatwick School in detail
The Gatwick School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "3 simple words to many, but to TGS it is our way of life. It is my absolute pleasure and privilege to welcome you as the Headteacher of The Gatwick School. We are a truly unique school, which provides students a culture, where they are given more chances so they have more choices in their future."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, basketball, drama, choir, STEM, eco club, debating and homework club.
The school runs after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 18 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in West Sussex
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2026, pupils at The Gatwick School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 44, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 47.2 in West Sussex and 47 across England.
42% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 47% in West Sussex and 47% in England.
That is up from 39.7 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.42: pupils made below 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 34.1, against 46.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 12.5 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Geography.
Getting a place at The Gatwick School
For September 2026 entry, 23 families put The Gatwick School as their first choice and 211 named it as one of their preferences, for 61 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to The Gatwick School are Hazelwick School (0.9 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 46.3); Oriel High School (2.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46); Oakwood School (2.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.9); and Ifield Community College (2.5 miles, Attainment 8 41.5).
The Gatwick School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Hazelwick SchoolOriel High SchoolOakwood SchoolIfield Community College
The trust
The Gatwick School is one of 7 schools run by Aurora Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 111 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 83% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 47% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.
Who goes there
33.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (42%), Asian (18%) and Mixed (12%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Gatwick Airport Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Gatwick Road North (n-bound), 90 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 64 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and drug offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in West Sussex (103).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Gatwick School issued 66 suspensions, 7.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to The Gatwick School are Forge Wood Primary School (0.4 miles); Milton Mount Primary School (0.9 miles); Pound Hill Infant Academy (1.4 miles); and Pound Hill Junior School, Crawley (1.4 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Forge Wood Primary SchoolMilton Mount Primary SchoolPound Hill Infant AcademyPound Hill Junior School, Crawley
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils feel part of 'one big family' in this ambitious and unique all-through school. They recognise the many recent positive changes that have been made. A refreshed culture of aspiration is now building pupils' confidence and helping them to flourish in their learning. Pupils strive to achieve their best because staff have high expectations of what pupils will achieve. Pupils learn well because teachers explain things clearly. A sense of calm and order throughout the school ensures that pupils feel safe and happy to come to school regularly.
The school celebrates diversity. Many pupils speak English as an additional language, with some joining the school throughout the school year from countries from all over the world. These pupils initially join the 'United Nations' tutor group, where they quickly make new friends. Staff then identify the language support pupils need to learn. Everyone receives a warm welcome.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school recognises that pupils have not achieved as well as they should in the past. Significant leadership and staff changes, as well as a previous lack of clarity around effective teaching approaches, have resulted in some pupils having large gaps in their understanding. However, the school is tenacious in addressing these issues. New staff have been recruited into key positions to improve the school. Furthermore, the school has refined its curriculum. There is greater clarity about what pupils must know at each stage of their education. The curriculum revisits common concepts and skills regularly. This helps pupils to practise using important knowledge, enabling them to know and remember more.
In addition, staff receive regular training to help them identify and close gaps in pupils' understanding. Additional catch-up support is effective in improving pupils' academic progress. Staff have expert subject knowledge. They use this to teach with clarity and precision. Most staff check and address misconceptions effectively as they teach new topics. Staff typically design learning in a way which helps pupils understand the smaller ideas that underpin larger concepts. Consequently, pupils gain a coherent understanding of newer learning as a result of these teaching approaches.
From Ofsted's May 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 Good at its May 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
About
The Gatwick School is an all-through free school located on the Manor Royal estate, on the northern outskirts of Crawley, just south of the Gatwick Airport perimeter. It is a non-denominational, co-educational school and one of seven run by Aurora Academies Trust.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
21.4%
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 improved from -0.94 to -0.42 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has improved from 34.8 to 44.0 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has improved from 24% to 42% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 44.0 | 42.3% |
| Disadvantaged(23) | - | 34.1 | 13% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(88) | - | 46.6 | 50% |
| Boys(53) | - | 43.1 | 41.5% |
| Girls(58) | - | 44.9 | 43.1% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(29) | - | 45.9 | 37.9% |
| Non mobile(104) | - | 44.7 | 43.3% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 3 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 111 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
1
Permanent exclusions
0.12%
Exclusion rate
66
Suspensions
7.80%
Suspension rate
37 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 846 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby all-through schools
Latest from The Gatwick School
Record Breaking Results- 3rd Year Running
26 Aug 2026
Honouring Our Armed Forces
10 Jul 2026
Aurora teachers explore bilingual education through international Ohio exchange
1 Jun 2026
TGS pupils build international friendships through transatlantic pen pal project
24 Mar 2026
What US schools taught us about motivating pupils
25 Nov 2025
Local Pupils Unite in Respect as The Gatwick School Marks Remembrance Day
13 Nov 2025
From The Gatwick School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with The Gatwick School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Gatwick School.
- Junior Adventures Group @ The Gatwick RH10At the school · Not yet graded
- Ward Coaching & Holiday Club Ltd730m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
The Gatwick School is a free school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see West Sussex's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Gatwick School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Gatwick School 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
- 17
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 17 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 12 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
2 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 The Gatwick School
Will you get a place at The Gatwick School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Gatwick School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Gatwick School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Gatwick School.
- West Sussex publishes last distance offered figures, but none for The Gatwick School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Gatwick School for 2015 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
85%
Available places
868 pupils
1,020 places
152 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Crawley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Crawley
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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(4)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
121
SEN Support
28
EHC Plans
17.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
861
Total Pupils
432
Boys
429
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
58
Teachers
14.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,160
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,824
Per pupil
£6268k
Total funding
£199k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.1%
Overall absence
27.0%
Persistent absence
934
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
Questions parents ask about The Gatwick School
What are GCSE results like at The Gatwick School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at The Gatwick School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 44. 42% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is The Gatwick School's Ofsted rating?
The Gatwick School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024.
What is the catchment area for The Gatwick School?
No fixed boundary. When The Gatwick School 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 The Gatwick School?
The Gatwick School was not full in 2025: it ran at 85% of its 1020 places.
How big are the classes at The Gatwick School?
Classes at The Gatwick School average 23.8 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to The Gatwick School?
The Gatwick School has around 861 pupils on roll. 21% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Gatwick School?
9.1% of sessions were missed at The Gatwick School in 2024/25. 27% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Gatwick School?
Apply through West Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming The Gatwick School 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. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does The Gatwick School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Junior Adventures Group @ The Gatwick RH10 (registered, not yet graded). There is another within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near The Gatwick School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 17 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 12 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 2 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 The Gatwick School?
The Gatwick School is at 23 Gatwick Road, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 9TP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)