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Academy converter · West Sussex

Warden Park Secondary Academy

  • 11–16Ages
  • 1,541Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • 137416URN

Broad Street, Cuckfield, Haywards Heath, RH17 5DP · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jun 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
2.6per place
0.3 above West Sussex median (2.3)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in West Sussex

821 applications for 322 places · 16th of 40 in West Sussex
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
55.0of 90
6th of 40 in West Sussex
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 2 June 2026Published 8 July 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
AchievementExpected standard
Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionDoes not apply to this school
Leadership and governanceStrong standard
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 2 June 2026
    Report card · 4 Strong standard, 2 Expected standard
  2. 16 February 2022
    Ungraded inspection: School remains Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry
2.6applications per place, Year 7
0.3 above West Sussex median (2.3) 0.3 above England median (2.2)

821 applications · 322 places offered · 350 named it first

  1. 2026 2.6; West Sussex median median 2.3
  2. 2025 2.5; West Sussex median median 2.2
  3. 2024 2.6; West Sussex median median 2.2
  4. 2023 2.6; West Sussex median median 2.1
  5. 2022 3.0; West Sussex median median 2.3
  6. 2021 2.9; West Sussex median median 2.3
  7. 2020 2.9; West Sussex median median 2.4
  8. 2019 3.2; West Sussex median median 2.4
  9. 2018 3.1; West Sussex median median 2.6
  10. 2017 2.8; West Sussex median median 2.2
  11. 2016 2.9; West Sussex median median 2.3
  12. 2015 2.9; West Sussex median median 2.3
  13. 2014 2.8; West Sussex median median 2.1
More applications per place than the West Sussex median in 13 of 13 years.
  • This school
  • West Sussex median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20263228212.63501.09
Sep 20253198032.53401.07
Sep 20242947712.62670.91
Sep 20233027832.63071.02
Sep 20223028933.03461.15
Sep 20212998622.93491.17
Sep 20202988642.93021.01
Sep 20193009573.23361.12
Sep 20182959143.13401.15
Sep 20173008412.83291.10
Sep 20162958602.93611.22
Sep 20152968452.93641.23
Sep 20142998502.83241.08

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

292 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)55.06th of 40 in West Sussex
Grade 5 or above in English and maths60%6th of 40 in West Sussex
Grade 4 or above in English and maths79%
  • This school
  • West Sussex median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.28
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)29255.060%79%–
2024/2529252.458%79%–
2023/2429754.160%79%+0.28
2022/2329053.461%80%+0.30

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
137416 · 938/4103
Trust
Sussex Learning Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
1,500 pupils · 1,541 on roll
Free school meals
12.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision
Resourced provision and SEN unit
Opened
1 September 2011
Replaced
Warden Park School (URN 126086)
Address
Broad Street, Cuckfield, Haywards Heath, RH17 5DP
Local authority
West Sussex · Mid Sussex

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources