Sackville School
97%
Capacity
1,599
Pupils
2.0x
Demand
About Sackville School
Sackville School is a popular choice for families in Mid Sussex, with 517 applications for 263 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.97. Of those, 241 offers went to first-preference applicants, and 253 families listed it as their top choice. This level of demand suggests the school has a solid reputation locally. The school is led by headteacher Jo Meloni and is a mixed, non-denominational state secondary with a sixth form. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in 2024, confirmed the school remains Good, a significant improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2015 when it was rated Requires Improvement. Leadership and management, sixth form provision, and overall effectiveness were all judged Good at that time.
Academically, Sackville’s Progress 8 score of -0.04 is classed as Average, meaning pupils make progress in line with the national average. This sits just below the West Sussex local authority average of 0.03. The school’s Attainment 8 score is 44.3, and 64.3% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. At A-level, the school also performs around the national average, with a value-added score of 0.03 and an average points per entry of 32.92, equivalent to a C+ grade. Just 12.9% of entries were at AAB or higher. Sackville ranks 4th out of 6 schools in Mid Sussex by Progress 8, and 23rd out of 42 similar schools across the wider West Sussex authority. Nationally, it sits in the bottom half of schools, ranked 1,621 out of 3,141.
The school is well equipped, with facilities including a gymnasium, sports hall, astro turf, science labs, a library, tennis courts, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports offered range from hockey and netball to rowing and martial arts, and there is a broad selection of clubs including Debate, Model UN, Duke of Edinburgh, and Young Enterprise. Sackville’s SEND provision covers a wide range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health support. With a school capacity of 1,642 and 1,599 pupils on roll, it is close to full. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 13.3%. This is a large, popular comprehensive that suits families looking for a stable, well-resourced secondary with a sixth form and a broad extracurricular offer, particularly in sport and the arts.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Lewes Road, East Grinstead, Mid Sussex, RH19 3TY |
| Headteacher | Jo Meloni |
| Local Authority | West Sussex |
| Number of Pupils | 1,599 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 13.3% |
| School Capacity | 1,599 / 1,642 (97% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
9 May 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (9 May 2024): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 20 Apr 2015. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.04)
1621st of 3,141
Nationally
253rd of 461
In South East
4th of 6
In Mid Sussex
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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
39.1
'22/23
33.6
'23/24
32.9
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
2022/2371%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 268 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)71%
- FE college18%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Employment3%
- Not sustained2%
- Sixth form college1%
97% 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
2022/2349%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 147 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
16%
Russell Group
17%
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)49%
- Employment35%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Further education3%
- Not sustained3%
- Other education1%
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- Business Studies:Single47
- Psychology43
- Economics42
- History31
- Mathematics27
- Geography22
- English Literature21
- Biology19
- Law17
- Logic / Philosophy14
- Chemistry12
- Physical Education / Sports Studies12
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
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
19Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed263
517
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
253 families put this school as their 1st choice (49% 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 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 British80.1%
- White (other)6.9%
- Mixed6.2%
- Asian3.0%
- 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.
4
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
3
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 Sackville School
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
Lewes Road, East Grinstead
Mid Sussex, RH19 3TY
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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