Robertsbridge Community College
N/A
Capacity
N/A
Pupils
2.4x
Demand
About Robertsbridge Community College
Robertsbridge Community College is a mixed state secondary for 11-16 year olds in Rother, East Sussex, and it is a school that families are clearly keen to get into. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 216 applications for just 92 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.35. Of those applicants, 73 put it as their first preference, and all of those were offered a place. This demand sits against a backdrop where the school serves a community with a significant proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, though the exact percentage is not recorded here. The school’s headteacher is James Pratt, and it has no religious character. With a total capacity of 92 places per year group, the school is operating in a competitive local market, where parents are clearly willing to apply in large numbers despite the challenges the school currently faces.
Academically, the picture is a difficult one. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in April 2024, the school was rated Inadequate overall, with every key area — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management — also judged Inadequate. Personal development was rated Requires improvement. This is a sharp decline from its previous inspection in 2013, when it was rated Good. The school’s Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year is -0.63, which is well below average nationally and significantly worse than the East Sussex local authority average of -0.16. Within Rother, it ranks 4th out of 5 schools on this measure, and nationally it sits in the bottom 12% of all schools. Attainment 8 sits at 44, and only 47.5% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc average point score is 3.84, and just 11.3% of pupils entered the EBacc and achieved a grade 5 or above.
On the practical side, the school does offer a broad range of facilities, including a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, music rooms, and a library. Sports on offer include cricket, rowing, rugby, and hockey, and there are clubs such as Young Enterprise, drama, and coding. The school has a dedicated SEN unit and lists provisions for a wide range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and physical disabilities. For families considering Robertsbridge, the key tension is clear: the school is heavily oversubscribed and clearly valued by local parents, but its current Ofsted rating and academic outcomes are among the weakest in the region. It may suit families who prioritise proximity and community feel over league table performance, or those whose children have specific SEND needs that the school is equipped to support.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Knelle Road, Robertsbridge, Rother, TN32 5EA |
| Headteacher | James Pratt |
| Local Authority | East Sussex |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
23 Apr 2024Overall Effectiveness
Inadequate
Source: Ofsted, 4 Jun 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.63)
2772nd of 3,141
Nationally
398th of 461
In South East
4th 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
2022/233%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 141 pupils).
- Sixth form college57%
- FE college27%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship4%
- School sixth form (stay)3%
- Employment3%
94% 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.
SEND Support
SEN UnitSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed92
216
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
73 families put this school as their 1st choice (34% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% 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
2024/25Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British87.4%
- Mixed4.8%
- White (other)2.5%
- Asian1.5%
- 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.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
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.
Was this page helpful?
Frequently Asked Questions About Robertsbridge Community 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
Knelle Road, Robertsbridge
Rother, TN32 5EA
Knelle Road, Robertsbridge
Rother, TN32 5EA
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at Robertsbridge Community College!
Write a Review