Classpot

St Philip Howard Catholic School

Arun, PO22 0ENSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Outstanding
Oct 2021
Progress 8
+0.68
Well above average
−20+2
Competition
1.2×
Oversubscribed
244 1st-choice / 206 places
Ranking
🏆Top 10%
#297 of 3,141 nationally

About St Philip Howard Catholic School

St Philip Howard Catholic School is a heavily oversubscribed secondary in Arun, West Sussex, and the numbers explain why. The school currently has 1,301 pupils against a capacity of 1,033, meaning it is operating well above its official limit. For the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 613 applications for just 206 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2. 98. Of those, 244 families put it as their first preference, and 190 first-preference offers were made. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 11. 8%, which is slightly below the national average for secondary schools and suggests a relatively mixed but not especially disadvantaged intake. As a Roman Catholic school, its admissions criteria will prioritise faith families, which likely shapes the demographic profile. The school is one of nine Outstanding-rated secondaries in West Sussex and ranks second in the local authority for Progress 8, behind only St Oscar Romero Catholic School.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressElm Grove South, Bognor Regis, Arun, PO22 0EN
HeadteacherTim Hulse
Local AuthorityWest Sussex
Number of Pupils1,301
Free School Meals (FSM)11.8%
School Capacity1,301 / 1,033 (126% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

6 Oct 2021
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Sixth Form Provision
Outstanding

Latest monitoring visit (6 Oct 2021): School remains Outstanding

Source: Ofsted, 17 May 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St Philip Howard Catholic School

St Philip Howard Catholic School has been rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted. This means the school provides an exceptional quality of education, and pupils thrive both academically and personally.