The Workplace has closed (Tuesday 31 March 2026).
The information below is kept for reference. The school at this address is now East Sussex Skills Academy.
The Workplace, Bexhill-on-Sea
The Workplace is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Bexhill-on-Sea, part of The Sabden Multi Academy Trust. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2023. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2023)
Data last updated 8 Oct 2026
The Workplace in detail
Getting a place at The Workplace
Across East Sussex, 86% of families were offered their first-choice secondary school for 2026 entry, and 96% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in East Sussex lodged 318 appeals against secondary school offers; 169 reached a hearing and 35 succeeded (20.7% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to The Workplace are Bexhill High Academy (0.8 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 45.7); St Richard's Catholic College (0.9 miles); Mulberry Academy St Leonards (3 miles); and Lansdowne Children's Centre (4 miles).
Bexhill High AcademySt Richard's Catholic CollegeMulberry Academy St LeonardsLansdowne Children's Centre
The trust
The Workplace is one of 4 schools run by The Sabden Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bexhill Rail Station, about 920 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Salisbury Road (opposite), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Workplace stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 273 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in East Sussex (65), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's October 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Workplace provides a caring environment where staff genuinely support pupils' wellbeing and pupils feel safe. The school offers practical, hands-on learning experiences in subjects like construction and has made important improvements to its reading curriculum to help pupils access wider learning. Leaders have strengthened safeguarding procedures and are working hard to support pupils' attendance through practical measures like daily transport.
Key Strengths
- Staff show genuine care and concern for pupils with positive relationships
- School has prioritised reading curriculum and practical learning experiences in subjects like construction
- Leaders have improved safeguarding procedures with clearer recording, timely referrals, and better staff knowledge about reporting concerns
- Trust governance has been strengthened with new trustees who can effectively challenge and hold leaders to account
- School provides daily transport and established routines to support pupil attendance
Areas for Improvement
- Safeguarding culture is not yet fully embedded and remains ineffective overall
- Heavy reliance on adult support means pupils lack strategies to self-regulate and make positive choices independently
- High prevalence of suspensions resulting in missed learning time, with limited alternative strategies for managing disruptive behaviour
- Curriculum lacks clear intent to help pupils reintegrate into mainstream post-16 education
- Weak oversight of attendance patterns and patterns of persistent absence remain high
- Staff need better training to adapt teaching and resources for pupils with special educational needs
Safeguarding
Safeguarding remains ineffective, though leaders have made demonstrable progress in daily management of concerns through clearer recording, timely referrals, and better staff knowledge - however, a secure culture of safeguarding is not yet fully embedded.
The Workplace is a specialist school that was judged to have serious weaknesses in February 2025. This monitoring inspection found that leaders have made some progress in improving the school, particularly in safeguarding, but more work is necessary before the serious weaknesses designation can be removed.
At a Glance
0.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with The Workplace
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Workplace from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Workplace is in East Sussex; for families living there:
Apply to East Sussex for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - Bexhill-on-Sea
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bexhill-on-Sea
Across East Sussex council
Places available
5,496
Applications
4,990
Got 1st preference
86.3%
Got preferred school
95.9%
All secondary applications across East Sussex council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
-%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
0
Total Pupils
0
Boys
0
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
£49,190
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about The Workplace
What is The Workplace's Ofsted rating?
The Workplace's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2023, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for The Workplace?
No fixed boundary. When The Workplace is oversubscribed, East Sussex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How do I apply to The Workplace?
Apply through East Sussex's coordinated admissions process, naming The Workplace on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
Where is The Workplace?
The Workplace is at Down Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN39 4HS.