The Sir Robert Woodard Academy, Sompting

Ofsted's report card from its 13 January 2026 inspection grades The Sir Robert Woodard Academy on 7 areas: 4 strong standard and 3 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Pupils understand the important links between positive attendance and successful achievement."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders have highly effective systems in place to ensure that they enhance the learning experiences and wellbeing of disadvantaged pupils, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those known (or previously known) to social care."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders are consistently ambitious for all pupils in the school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders have established a clear ethos and vision built around pupils' future aspirations."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils achieve well in the school."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have developed an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum."

Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders have given careful consideration to the post-16 offer so that it reflects the school's ethos and context."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should continue to embed improvements in how assessment is used to adapt and refine teaching across the school, including in writing".

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, athletics, basketball, dance, drama, choir, chess, gardening and debating.

In 2026, pupils at The Sir Robert Woodard Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 44.6, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 47.2 in West Sussex and 47 across England.

38% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 47% in West Sussex and 47% in England.

That is up from 42.1 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.18: 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 37, against 46.5 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 9.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Spanish and History.

For September 2026 entry, 224 families put The Sir Robert Woodard Academy as their first choice and 447 named it as one of their preferences, for 242 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Sir Robert Woodard Academy are Davison Church of England High School for Girls, Worthing (1.6 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 50.8); St Andrew's CofE High School (1.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43.7); Bohunt School Worthing (2.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.7); and Worthing High School (2.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.2).

The Sir Robert Woodard Academy's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

The Sir Robert Woodard Academy is one of 6 schools run by Woodard Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 40.5 in 2024/25.

280 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Sir Robert Woodard Academy (as of April 2026): 82% would recommend the school, 76% say their child is happy there and 49% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (82%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (49%).

Of the 262 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 89% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 47% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 38 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 66% went on to university or other higher education, 5% to apprenticeships and 18% into work. 13% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

6.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (85%) and Mixed (5%).

The nearest railway station is Lancing Rail Station, about 1110 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sir Robert Woodard Academy (e-bound), 100 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 188 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in West Sussex (103), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, The Sir Robert Woodard Academy issued 123 suspensions, 8.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Sir Robert Woodard Academy are The Globe Primary Academy (0.3 miles), North Lancing Primary School (0.5 miles), Sompting Village Primary School (0.7 miles) and Seaside Primary School (1 mile). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.