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Academy converter · West Sussex

St Philip Howard Catholic School

  • 11–18Ages
  • 1,322Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • Roman CatholicReligious character
  • Sixth formAges 16–18
  • 144243URN

Elm Grove South, Barnham, Bognor Regis, PO22 0EN · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Apr 2026

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

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
2.9per place
0.6 above West Sussex median (2.3)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in West Sussex

593 applications for 203 places · 12th of 40 in West Sussex
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
53.0of 90
8th of 40 in West Sussex
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 14 April 2026Published 19 May 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
AchievementStrong standard
Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionStrong standard
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. 14 April 2026
    Report card · 6 Strong standard, 1 Expected standard
  2. 6 October 2021
    Ungraded inspection: School remains Outstanding

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
2.9applications per place, Year 7
0.6 above West Sussex median (2.3) 0.7 above England median (2.2)

593 applications · 203 places offered · 257 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

  1. 2026 2.9; West Sussex median median 2.3
  2. 2025 3.0; West Sussex median median 2.2
  3. 2024 3.4; West Sussex median median 2.2
  4. 2023 3.6; West Sussex median median 2.1
  5. 2022 3.8; West Sussex median median 2.3
  6. 2021 3.5; West Sussex median median 2.3
  7. 2020 3.5; West Sussex median median 2.4
  8. 2019 3.5; West Sussex median median 2.4
  9. 2018 3.3; West Sussex median median 2.6
  10. 2017 2.6; West Sussex median median 2.2
  11. 2016 2.9; West Sussex median median 2.3; as the previous school
  12. 2015 3.2; West Sussex median median 2.3; as the previous school
  13. 2014 3.0; West Sussex median median 2.1; as the previous school
More applications per place than the West Sussex median in 10 of 10 years.
  • This school
  • West Sussex median

Dashed bars: as The St Philip Howard Catholic High School (URN 126102), the previous school.

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 20262035932.92571.27
Sep 20252066133.02441.18
Sep 20241816073.42541.40
Sep 20231746233.62581.48
Sep 20221806803.82781.54
Sep 20211776233.52511.42
Sep 20201976803.52681.36
Sep 20191806243.52091.16
Sep 20181775843.32351.33
Sep 20171794712.62071.16
Sep 2016 *1474192.91681.14
Sep 2015 *1474643.21841.25
Sep 2014 *1504443.01841.23

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

185 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)53.08th of 40 in West Sussex
Grade 5 or above in English and maths56%11th of 40 in West Sussex
Grade 4 or above in English and maths78%
  • This school
  • West Sussex median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.68
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)18553.056%78%–
2024/2521252.548%74%–
2023/2417853.653%79%+0.68
2022/2319452.754%76%+0.44

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
144243 · 938/4800
Trust
Bosco Catholic Education Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Religious character
Roman Catholic
Capacity
1,033 pupils · 1,322 on roll
Free school meals
11.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 April 2017
Replaced
The St Philip Howard Catholic High School (URN 126102)
Address
Elm Grove South, Barnham, Bognor Regis, PO22 0EN
Local authority
West Sussex · Arun

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