School profile

Heathfield Community College

Secondary · Community school · Heathfield, TN21 8RJ

Good

Map showing Heathfield Community College

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#987 of 3,312

Better than 70% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#532 of 2,536

Better than 79% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Heathfield Community College Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 23 May 2023

Ofsted rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Sixth form provision
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeCommunity school
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,416
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMs Caroline Barlow
Local authorityEast Sussex
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 114587.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolEast SussexEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.50, better than England, better than East Sussex43.746.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.74.2%, better than England, better than East Sussex63.5%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.48%, similar to England, better than East Sussex44.1%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.13.8%, similar to England, better than East Sussex10.2%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths71.6%, better than England, better than East Sussex58.6%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4225--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolEast SussexEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.38.83, better than England, better than East Sussex32.6835
Average A-level gradeB--
Average points, best three A-levels37.93, better than England, better than East Sussex31.4835.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsB---
AAB or better15.3%, similar to England, better than East Sussex9.8%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.07, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study145--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Dist+--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,416
Girls728
Boys688
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.14.8%
First language not English2.8%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,560
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.9.2%
Sixth form places2024/25360
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.57
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.35
Average class size22.4

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
88.3%
Other White
3.2%
White and Asian
2.4%
Other mixed
1.1%
White and Black Caribbean
0.9%
White and Black African
0.8%
Other Asian
0.6%
Irish
0.3%
Gypsy/Roma
0.3%
African
0.3%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher16.2
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.5
Teachers (FTE)87.61
Teaching assistants (FTE)18.57
Support staff (FTE)63.46
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2589.5
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2585
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/251.9
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/252.6

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.248
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.482
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.271
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.236
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)3

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolEast SussexEngland
Overall absence9.6%, worse than England, worse than East Sussex8.9%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.24.7%, worse than England, similar to East Sussex23.6%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.4.6%, worse than England, similar to East Sussex4.3%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate14.9%
Pupils with one or more suspensions6.2%
Permanent exclusion rate0.1%
Permanent exclusions2

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.95.7%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.92.6%
Further education49.6%
School sixth form36.1%
Sixth form college6.5%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.3%
Employment1.7%
Apprenticeship1.3%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.82.6%
Employment35.7%
Higher education32.2%
Further education10.4%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.9.6%
Apprenticeship4.3%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Heathfield Community College
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.4 miPrimaryAll Saints' and St Richard's Church of England Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.8 miPrimaryParkside Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.2 miPrimaryPunnetts Town Community Primary School and NurseryCommunity school
Good
1.5 miPrimaryCross-in-Hand Church of England Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good

Frequently asked questions about Heathfield Community College

What is Heathfield Community College's Ofsted rating?

Heathfield Community College is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 23 May 2023.

How does Heathfield Community College rank in England?

Heathfield Community College ranks 987 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 70% of schools) and 532 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (better than 79% of schools).

What are Heathfield Community College's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 48% of pupils at Heathfield Community College got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 50 (England 46.2).

What are Heathfield Community College's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Heathfield Community College was B, and 15.3% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Heathfield Community College?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Heathfield Community College made 248 offers from 482 applications (1.9 per offer), and 236 of 271 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Heathfield Community College?

Heathfield Community College has 1,416 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of Heathfield Community College?

Heathfield Community College had 1,560 school places in 2024/25.

Does Heathfield Community College have a sixth form?

Yes, Heathfield Community College has a sixth form with 360 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Heathfield Community College?

At Heathfield Community College, the average class had 22.4 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 16.2 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Heathfield Community College?

In 2025/26, pupils at Heathfield Community College missed 9.6% of sessions (England 8%), and 24.7% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.