Bishop Luffa School, Chichester
104%
Capacity
1,579
Pupils
3.1x
Demand
About Bishop Luffa School, Chichester
Bishop Luffa School in Chichester holds an Outstanding rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, with every graded category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision — all judged Outstanding. The most telling academic metric is its Progress 8 score of 0.21, which is classified as 'Above average' nationally. This means that, on average, pupils at Bishop Luffa achieve nearly a quarter of a grade more per subject across eight GCSEs than students with similar starting points elsewhere. To put that in context, the average Progress 8 score for all secondary schools in West Sussex is just 0.03, so Bishop Luffa is performing well above its local authority peers. The school ranks first among six secondary schools in Chichester on this measure, and sits in the top third nationally.
At GCSE, 79.5 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, while 54.4 per cent reached the higher grade 5 threshold. The average Attainment 8 score per pupil is 51.9, equivalent to just under a strong grade 5 across eight subjects. The EBacc average point score stands at 4.57, and 31 per cent of pupils entered the full EBacc suite of qualifications. In the sixth form, the school's value-added score is 0.01, placing it in the 'Average' progress banding for A-levels. Students achieved an average of 35.02 points per entry, which translates to a B- grade, and the best three A-levels averaged out at a C+. Just over 16 per cent of entries were graded AAB or higher. The school's Progress 8 scores are strongest in maths (0.35) and EBacc subjects (0.3), while English sits slightly below the national average at -0.11.
Bishop Luffa is a Church of England secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 18, with a capacity of 1,520 but currently oversubscribed with 1,579 pupils on roll. For the 2025/26 intake, there were 351 first-preference applications for 238 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.09 applicants per place. The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, art studios, music rooms, a sixth form centre and a chapel. Sports provision covers hockey, rugby, netball, cricket, swimming, dance and martial arts, while clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Young Enterprise, orchestra, debate and eco club. The school has a broad SEND offer, supporting pupils with specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. With its strong academic outcomes, faith-based ethos and extensive extracurricular programme, Bishop Luffa suits families looking for a high-performing, well-subscribed state school with a clear sixth-form pathway.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Westgate, Chichester, Chichester, PO19 3HP |
| Headteacher | Austen Hindman |
| Local Authority | West Sussex |
| Number of Pupils | 1,579 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 10.1% |
| School Capacity | 1,579 / 1,520 (104% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
30 Nov 2022Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 30 Jan 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.21)
1050th of 3,141
Nationally
165th of 461
In South East
1st of 6
In Chichester
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more 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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
41.4
'22/23
36.8
'23/24
35.0
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2346%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 237 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)46%
- FE college46%
- Employment3%
- Apprenticeship2%
- Not sustained2%
- Sixth form college1%
98% 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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2344%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 154 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
39%
Russell Group
40%
Top-third HE
2%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)44%
- Employment38%
- Not sustained8%
- Further education3%
- Other education3%
- Apprenticeship2%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Mathematics40
- Biology35
- Economics26
- Sociology26
- Business Studies:Single25
- Chemistry25
- Geography23
- History23
- Physics21
- Psychology16
- English Literature15
- Law14
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed238
735
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
351 families put this school as their 1st choice (48% 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 75% 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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British80.6%
- White (other)6.1%
- Mixed5.8%
- Asian4.2%
- 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.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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.
7
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
5
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bishop Luffa School, Chichester
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
Westgate, Chichester
Chichester, PO19 3HP
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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