The Littlehampton Academy

The Littlehampton Academy is performing at an expected standard overall, with leaders implementing significant improvements in curriculum and teaching. The school fosters an inclusive environment, particularly supporting disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs, which is reflected in rising numbers of successful university applicants. However, despite these strengths, some challenges remain, particularly in attendance rates and gaps in the learning of key stage 4 pupils, which continue to affect their overall progress and achievement.

Strengths

• Ambitious and broad curriculum aligned with national expectations.
• Effective leadership with clear understanding of strengths and areas for improvement.
• Inclusive culture that supports pupils with SEND and disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Strong personal development and wellbeing programs.
• Effective careers education and support for post-16 students.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent curriculum design and staffing affecting key stage 4 pupils.
• High levels of persistent absenteeism, particularly among disadvantaged pupils.
• Some pupils have large gaps in their learning not fully addressed.

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 The Littlehampton Academy attended 87.3% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 35.0% 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, 12.6% of pupils at The Littlehampton Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 9 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 The Littlehampton Academy had 18.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.8% 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, 11.4% of pupils at The Littlehampton Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 4.3% 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 2024–25 The Littlehampton Academy received £8,000 and spent £8,266 for each of its 1,370 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,932,000 (£1,410 per pupil).

Across all 6 schools of Woodard Academies Trust, income was £7,873 and spending £7,857 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Littlehampton · West Sussex local authority: places and applications

The Littlehampton Academy is part of Woodard Academies Trust, which runs 6 schools. The nearest others:

• The Sir Robert Woodard Academy Sompting
• St Augustine Academy Maidstone
• St Peter's CofE Academy Stoke-On-Trent
• Polam Hall School Darlington
• Kings Priory School North Shields

What is The Littlehampton Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Littlehampton Academy is Needs attention, from an inspection in March 2026.

When was The Littlehampton Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

The Littlehampton Academy was last inspected in March 2026.

How many pupils does The Littlehampton Academy have?

The Littlehampton Academy has 1,324 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Littlehampton Academy cover?

The Littlehampton Academy for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are The Littlehampton Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 36.3, and 33% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is The Littlehampton Academy?

The Littlehampton Academy is at Fitzalan Road, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN17 6FE.