Imberhorne School

Imberhorne School has maintained good standards since its last inspection, with pupils expressing enjoyment and feeling safe within the school environment. The dedicated staff provide a supportive atmosphere and tailor their approach to meet the diverse needs of students, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils. The school boasts a well-structured curriculum that encompasses both academic and vocational education, equipping students for future opportunities. However, there are identified areas for improvement, particularly in the adaptation of teaching methods and ensuring engagement for all pupils.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe and cared for at school.
• The school has a well-structured, ambitious curriculum.
• Support for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND is highly targeted.
• Sixth-form students are well-prepared for their future options.
• The school promotes a wide range of extracurricular activities.
• Strong links with local employers enhance career education.

Areas for Improvement

• Some lesson activities do not effectively support all pupils' learning.
• Adaptations for SEND pupils are not consistently effective.
• Variability in teaching limits pupils' understanding of British values and protected characteristics.

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 Imberhorne School attended 90.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 26.2% 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, 5.4% of pupils at Imberhorne School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was 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 Imberhorne School had 17.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.9% 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, 16.2% of pupils at Imberhorne School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.7% 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 Imberhorne School received £7,053 and spent £7,237 for each of its 1,560 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £77,000 (£49 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 East Grinstead · West Sussex local authority: places and applications

What is Imberhorne School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Imberhorne School is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Imberhorne School last inspected by Ofsted?

Imberhorne School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Imberhorne School have?

Imberhorne School has 1,558 pupils on roll.

What age range does Imberhorne School cover?

Imberhorne School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Imberhorne School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 49.4, and 50% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Imberhorne School?

Imberhorne School is at Imberhorne Lane, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 1QY.