Bexhill College
N/A
Capacity
N/A
Pupils
1.3x
Demand
About Bexhill College
Bexhill College is a mixed state sixth-form college in the Rother district of East Sussex, serving students aged 16 to 99. Within the Rother area, it ranks third out of five schools by Progress 8 score, and across the whole of East Sussex it sits at 16th out of 29 same-type schools. The top-performing peers in the local authority are St Richard's Catholic College, Beacon Academy and Priory School, all of which achieve significantly higher Progress 8 scores. Bexhill College's own Progress 8 score of -0.59 is well below the East Sussex average of -0.16, and nationally it falls in the bottom 50 per cent of schools. The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 364 applications for 279 places and 215 first-preference offers, suggesting strong local demand despite the middling results.
Academically, the school's most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2025 judged it Good across all four graded areas, a notable improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in November 2022. At KS4, the Attainment 8 score is 40.9, and 58.7 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, though only 37 per cent reached grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 3.65, with 43.3 per cent of pupils entering the EBacc combination and 25 per cent achieving a grade 4 or above in it. Progress 8 banding is described as well below average, with negative scores across all subject groups, most notably in English at -0.68 and open subjects at -0.67. The parent view, based on 159 responses between September 2024 and September 2025, shows 77 per cent would recommend the school, with strong agreement that children are happy (41 per cent strongly agree) and that the school has high expectations (42 per cent strongly agree).
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a sixth form centre, science labs, sports hall, astro turf, music rooms and a chapel, alongside clubs such as newspaper, drama, debate, Model UN and eco club. Sports provision includes cricket, rowing, martial arts and athletics. SEND support covers eight areas including autistic spectrum disorder, speech, language and communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health, with a dedicated SEN unit. However, only 52 per cent of parents agreed that SEND children get the support they need, while 44 per cent disagreed. The school is not a boarding school and has no nursery provision. With a 30.7 per cent free school meals rate, it serves a relatively disadvantaged intake. Bexhill College will suit families who value a local sixth-form option with improving Ofsted grades and a wide activities programme, but those prioritising strong academic progress may want to look at the higher-ranked peers in the area.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 16 to 99 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Penland Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, Rother, TN40 2JG |
| Headteacher | Karen Hucker |
| Local Authority | East Sussex |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 30.7% |
| School Capacity | 1,500 |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
13 May 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Source: Ofsted, 18 Jun 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.59)
2723rd of 3,141
Nationally
391st of 461
In South East
3rd of 5
In Rother
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/231%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 222 pupils).
- Sixth form college52%
- FE college22%
- Employment10%
- Not sustained10%
- Apprenticeship3%
- School sixth form (stay)1%
89% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Ofsted Parent View
159 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
SEN UnitSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed279
364
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
215 families put this school as their 1st choice (59% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British82.5%
- Mixed5.4%
- Asian4.3%
- White (other)3.5%
- Black0.1%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
6
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
4
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Bexhill College
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Penland Road, Bexhill-on-Sea
Rother, TN40 2JG
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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