Classpot

Willingdon Community School

Wealden, BN20 9QXSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Jun 2023
Progress 8
+0.08
Above average
−20+2
Competition
1.3×
Oversubscribed
265 1st-choice / 206 places
Ranking
#1,361
of 3,141 nationally

About Willingdon Community School

Willingdon Community School holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained consistently across its two most recent inspections. The most telling academic metric for this 11-16 mixed state secondary is its Progress 8 score of 0.08, which places it in the 'Average' banding nationally. This score indicates that, on average, pupils achieve slightly better than expected progress compared with students across England with similar starting points. It is a notably solid result when set against the East Sussex local authority average Progress 8 score of -0.16, meaning Willingdon pupils are outperforming the typical trajectory for the area. The school ranks 11th out of 29 similar schools in the local authority, and sits 3rd out of 5 schools within the Wealden borough. While it is not among the four outstanding-rated secondaries in East Sussex, its consistent Good rating and positive progress score make it a reliable choice for families prioritising steady academic improvement.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressBroad Road, Eastbourne, Wealden, BN20 9QX
HeadteacherEmily May
Local AuthorityEast Sussex
Number of Pupils1,093
Free School Meals (FSM)18.9%
School Capacity1,093 / 1,053 (104% full)

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

14 Jun 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

Latest monitoring visit (14 Jun 2023): School remains Good

Source: Ofsted, 25 Oct 2012. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

7
ICT SuiteArt StudiosSports HallAstro TurfSwimming PoolLibraryChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

14

Sports

AthleticsGymnasticsCricketNetballBasketballTennis

Clubs & Activities

Young EnterpriseScience ClubChessCodingArt ClubGardeningDramaEco Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingPhysicalLearning DifficultyMulti-SensoryOther

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:30 – 15:00

Source: willingdonschool.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Willingdon Community School

Willingdon Community School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.