Worthing High School
94%
Capacity
1,055
Pupils
4.4x
Demand
About Worthing High School
Worthing High School is a popular choice among local families, with 89% of parents who responded to Ofsted’s Parent View survey saying they would recommend it. That confidence is reflected in the numbers: for the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 896 applications for just 205 places, an oversubscription ratio of 4.37. Of those, 246 put it as their first preference, and 204 first-preference offers were made. Parents also report high levels of satisfaction with the school’s expectations and activities — 90% agreed or strongly agreed that the school has high expectations for their child, and 95% said their child can take part in clubs and activities. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in March 2025, confirmed that standards are being maintained at Good overall, with leadership and management judged Outstanding.
Academically, Worthing High School performs above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.11 means pupils achieve about a tenth of a grade more per subject than students nationally with similar starting points, comfortably ahead of the West Sussex local authority average of 0.03. The Attainment 8 score sits at 48.2, and 71% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, with 49.1% reaching grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 4.3, and 48.1% of pupils entered the EBacc combination of subjects. In the Worthing local authority area, the school ranks 5th out of 6 schools on Progress 8, and nationally it sits in the 40th percentile. Progress in maths is notably strong at 0.21, while English Progress 8 is slightly negative at -0.07. The school does not have a sixth form, so pupils leave at 16.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including a swimming pool, tennis courts, astro turf, music rooms, art studios, and a library. Sports provision is broad, with gymnastics, rugby, basketball, football, athletics, cricket, dance, swimming, netball, and rounders all on offer. Clubs include Young Enterprise, choir, drama, chess, art club, film club, newspaper, and orchestra. For families with children who have special educational needs, the school lists provisions for nine categories including dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. However, the Parent View data on SEND support is more mixed — 51% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need, while 44% disagreed or strongly disagreed. The school is a good fit for families seeking a well-subscribed, Good-rated secondary with strong maths progress and a wide range of extracurricular opportunities, but without a sixth form.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | South Farm Road, Worthing, Worthing, BN14 7AR |
| Headteacher | Adrian Cook |
| Local Authority | West Sussex |
| Number of Pupils | 1,055 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 15.4% |
| School Capacity | 1,055 / 1,122 (94% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
5 Mar 2025Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (5 Mar 2025): Standards maintained
Source: Ofsted, 10 May 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.11)
1283rd of 3,141
Nationally
200th of 461
In South East
5th of 6
In Worthing
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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/231%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 204 pupils).
- FE college76%
- Sixth form college11%
- Not sustained4%
- Employment3%
- Apprenticeship2%
- School sixth form (stay)1%
95% 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.
Ofsted Parent View
225 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
6Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed205
896
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
246 families put this school as their 1st choice (27% 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 the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British79.5%
- White (other)6.9%
- Mixed6.8%
- Asian4.5%
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.
Half 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.
12
Total schools
11
Oversubscribed
9
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 Worthing High 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
South Farm Road, Worthing
Worthing, BN14 7AR
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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