The Sir Robert Woodard Academy, Sompting

Good
Secondary
Academy sponsor led
Mixed
Christian
Ages 1118

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~2.7km)Possible (~3.8km)Unlikely (~5.0km)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Kieran Scanlon
Pupils:1,427 / 1,400 capacity
LA:West Sussex
Phone:01903767434
Address:Upper Boundstone Lane, Sompting, BN15 9QZ
Trust:WOODARD ACADEMIES TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2009

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 8 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Strong Standard
Personal Development
Strong Standard
Leadership
Strong Standard
Sixth Form
Expected Standard
Inspected 13 January 2026View full report
URN:135744
UKPRN:10027237
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:East Worthing and Shoreham
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

This school creates a truly inclusive environment where every pupil is valued and supported to succeed. Teachers care deeply about their students' wellbeing and future aspirations, providing excellent pastoral support and a wealth of opportunities to explore interests and talents. Pupils with additional needs receive particularly strong support, allowing them to make excellent progress alongside their peers.

Key Strengths

  • Strong attendance and behaviour with pupils showing positive attitudes to learning in calm, purposeful lessons
  • Highly effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, with needs quickly identified and well-matched support provided
  • Ambitious leadership that understands pupils' needs and removes barriers to achievement
  • Excellent pastoral support and sense of belonging, with pupils feeling safe and confident
  • Broad range of enrichment activities, clubs, trips and visits that develop pupils' talents and cultural experiences

Areas for Improvement

  • Writing fluency and accuracy across the curriculum needs further development
  • Staff consistency in checking pupils' understanding and adapting teaching to meet individual needs
  • Post-16 examination results not yet consistently reflecting the quality of learning, though this is improving

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met with leaders maintaining an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Clubs, performances, activities, trips and visits, sixth-form mentoring and tutoring opportunities

The Sir Robert Woodard Academy is a warm and welcoming school where pupils thrive, attend regularly, and behave well. Leaders are ambitious for all pupils and have created an inclusive culture where every student has the opportunity to excel.

At a Glance

19.8%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

24.4

Avg class size

57

Total classes

12 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Sir Robert Woodard Academy (E-bound)
98m · 2 min walk
Upper Boundstone Lane (N-bound)
171m · 3 min walk
Fetherston Road (adj)
218m · 4 min walk
Manor Road (just after)
252m · 4 min walk
Shopping Parade (opp)
267m · 4 min walk
Can you get into this school?
Enter your postcode to find out

Commute Calculator

Find out if this school is reachable from your home - before you apply

Sign up free to see your commute to this school

What are my chances?

Enter your postcode to estimate your probability of getting a place.

Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

102%

Over capacity

1,427 pupils

1,400 capacity

27 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Sompting

High pressure
New homes approved:57
Projected new pupils:10

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Sompting

Admissions Demand - West Sussex

Low demand0.92x oversubscription

Places available

9,742

Applications

8,914

Got 1st preference

87.8%

Got preferred school

97.4%

Secondary admissions across West Sussex (2025/26)

Inspection History(15)

13 January 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Sixth Form
19 October 2021
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood
Sixth FormGood
15 July 2021

House Prices

Moving into the catchment? See what homes near this school actually cost

Sign up free to see house prices near this school

SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

Sign up free to see special needs support at this school

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.

Sign up free to see who goes to this school

Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

Sign up free to see teacher and staff data

School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

Sign up free to see how this school is funded

Pupil Absence
2024/25

9.2557%

Overall absence

27.72861%

Persistent absence

1,356

Enrolments

Authorised4.80744%
Unauthorised4.44826%
Persistent (10%+)27.72861%
Severe (50%+)4.71976%

Absence trend

6.43249%
18/19
6.23201%
20/21
10.31688%
21/22
9.90175%
22/23
9.81077%
23/24
9.2557%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

Reviews

No reviews yet - be the first to leave one.

Leave a Review

You need to be signed in to leave a review.

Feeder Primary Schools

Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity

Nearby Schools

Do you work at this school?

Claim your profile free to get a verified badge, update your contact details, and see how many parents are viewing your page.