Heathfield Community College

Heathfield Community College has demonstrated a solid level of performance with an overall effectiveness rated as good, building on its previous inspection grade. The school's leadership is characterized by a commitment to high aspirations for all pupils, ensuring they receive a nurturing and enriching education. With notable strengths in personal development, leadership, and management, the school excels in fostering a supportive environment where pupils not only thrive academically but also engage actively in community life through various leadership roles and enrichment opportunities. Conversely, some areas related to staff pedagogical knowledge show room for improvement.

Strengths

• High aspirations for pupil achievement
• Strong support for pupils with SEND
• Effective pastoral care and a safe, nurturing environment
• Extensive leadership opportunities for pupils
• Rich personal development program
• Exceptional sixth form provision
• High-quality professional development for staff

Areas for Improvement

• A small minority of staff lack strong enough pedagogical knowledge
• Recent staff instability affected some pupils' achievements

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Heathfield Community College attended 89.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 28.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 6.2% of pupils at Heathfield Community College were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 2 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Heathfield Community College had 16.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 4.0% of pupils at Heathfield Community College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

The school has resourced provision with 16 pupils.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Heathfield Community College received £7,779 and spent £7,972 for each of its 1,416 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,287,000 (£909 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Heathfield · East Sussex local authority: places and applications

What is Heathfield Community College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Heathfield Community College is Good, from an inspection in July 2023.

When was Heathfield Community College last inspected by Ofsted?

Heathfield Community College was last inspected in July 2023.

How many pupils does Heathfield Community College have?

Heathfield Community College has 1,416 pupils on roll.

What age range does Heathfield Community College cover?

Heathfield Community College for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Heathfield Community College's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 50.0, and 48% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Heathfield Community College?

Heathfield Community College is at Cade Street, Heathfield, East Sussex, TN21 8RJ.