The Littlehampton Academy
72%
Capacity
1,369
Pupils
1.5x
Demand
About The Littlehampton Academy
The Littlehampton Academy is a large, mixed secondary school and sixth form in Arun, West Sussex, with a Christian character. It is one of 42 secondary schools in the local authority, nine of which are rated Outstanding by Ofsted. The school's Progress 8 score of -0.69 places it 37th out of those 42 schools, putting it in the bottom tier locally. Its closest high-performing peers in the area include St Oscar Romero Catholic School, St Philip Howard Catholic School, and Shoreham Academy, all of which achieve significantly stronger Progress 8 scores. The school is heavily oversubscribed for its 218 Year 7 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, receiving 333 total applications, with 193 first-preference offers made. That oversubscription ratio of 1.53 suggests strong local demand, even as its ranking within the LA tells a more challenging story.
Academically, the school's most recent data from 2023/24 shows a Progress 8 score of -0.69, which is rated as well below average nationally and sits well below the West Sussex LA average of 0.03. Attainment 8 stands at 37.3, and just 29.8 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is 29.4 per cent, with only 4.4 per cent achieving the full EBacc at grade 5 or above. In the sixth form, the picture is more mixed: the value-added score is 0.02, rated as average, and the average points per entry is 25.13, equivalent to a C- grade. The best three A-levels average out at a C- as well. Ofsted inspected the school in February 2022 and rated it Good overall, with Good in every category including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and sixth-form provision. This was an improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, astro turf, science labs, music rooms, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports on offer include basketball, football, netball, rugby, and gymnastics, while clubs range from coding and science club to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and Young Enterprise. SEND provision covers eight areas, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. Parent View responses, based on 12 respondents between September 2024 and September 2025, show 75 per cent would recommend the school. Strengths noted by parents include a good range of subjects (100 per cent agree) and clubs and activities (83 per cent agree). However, only 42 per cent felt concerns are dealt with properly, and a quarter would not recommend the school. This is a school that suits families who value its inclusive Christian ethos, broad extracurricular offer, and sixth form continuity, but who are realistic about its academic outcomes relative to stronger local alternatives.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Christian |
| Address | Fitzalan Road, Littlehampton, Arun, BN17 6FE |
| Headteacher | Sarah Pringle |
| Local Authority | West Sussex |
| Number of Pupils | 1,369 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 25.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,369 / 1,900 (72% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
1 Feb 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 22 Mar 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.69)
2829th of 3,141
Nationally
406th of 461
In South East
6th of 6
In Arun
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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
23.0
'22/23
22.8
'23/24
25.1
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
2022/2331%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 203 pupils).
- FE college49%
- School sixth form (stay)31%
- Not sustained7%
- Employment6%
- Sixth form college2%
- Apprenticeship1%
90% 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: 61 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
11%
Russell Group
13%
Top-third HE
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%
- Employment39%
- Further education7%
- Not sustained5%
- Apprenticeship3%
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- Psychology15
- Sociology15
- History7
- Biology6
- Logic / Philosophy6
- Government and Politics5
- Media/Film/Tv Studies5
- English Literature4
- Physics4
- Chemistry3
- Mathematics3
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.
Ofsted Parent View
12 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
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
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed218
333
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
193 families put this school as their 1st choice (58% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:00
Source: tla.woodard.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British82.7%
- White (other)8.8%
- Mixed3.4%
- Asian1.9%
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.
7
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
6
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 The Littlehampton Academy
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
Fitzalan Road, Littlehampton
Arun, BN17 6FE
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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