Oathall Community College

Oathall Community College is recognized for its strong school community and commitment to the well-being of both students and staff. The caring atmosphere is underscored by robust relationships, a focus on character development, and a commitment to keeping students safe. While pupils generally perform well academically and are encouraged to participate in various meaningful activities, there are notable challenges, particularly affecting disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) as these groups have not consistently achieved to their full potential. Improvements in instructional support strategies are underway but have yet to take full effect across all subjects.

Strengths

• Strong relationships between pupils and staff
• High-quality extracurricular activities with high pupil participation
• Effective tracking of pupil progress
• Strong emphasis on character development and leadership opportunities
• Positive feedback from the school community about mental health support

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent effectiveness of support strategies for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND

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 Oathall Community College attended 92.1% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 20.4% 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, 5.1% of pupils at Oathall 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 Oathall Community College had 18.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.8% 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, 22.0% of pupils at Oathall Community College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 Oathall Community College received £7,552 and spent £7,483 for each of its 1,342 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £396,000 (£295 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 Haywards Heath · West Sussex local authority: places and applications

What is Oathall Community College's Ofsted rating?

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

When was Oathall Community College last inspected by Ofsted?

Oathall Community College was last inspected in October 2023.

How many pupils does Oathall Community College have?

Oathall Community College has 1,341 pupils on roll.

What age range does Oathall Community College cover?

Oathall Community College for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Oathall Community College's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 51.3, and 53% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Oathall Community College?

Oathall Community College is at Appledore Gardens, Lindfield, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 2AQ.