Schools by area › West Sussex › Thomas Bennett Community College
Thomas Bennett Community College
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy
Ashdown Drive, Tilgate, Crawley RH10 5AD · thomasbennett-kemnal.org · 01293 526255
On the mapSearch near RH10 5AD
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Oct 2022
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 33.1
- average Attainment 8 score. West Sussex 46.2, England 46
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Year 7, September 2026 entry · West Sussex Council
- Demand for places
- 0.5
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,261
- 87% of 1,450 places
- Local authority
- West Sussex
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 36.4%
- First language not English
- 28.3%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: West Sussex Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 103 families put the school first and 205 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 205 | 103 | 0.5 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 242 | 106 | 0.4 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 211 | 133 | 0.6 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 235 | 114 | 0.5 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 265 | 123 | 0.5 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 33.1, and 22.2% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across West Sussex it was 46.2, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade D+ (24.2 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼33.1 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼22.2% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼43.8% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼18.8% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼2.93 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 30.1 | −3 |
| Sixth form college | 11.9 | −1.4 |
| Further education | 34.2 | −2.8 |
| Apprenticeship | 3.6 | −0.3 |
| Employment | 2.6 | −1.3 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 9.3 | +4.9 |
| Activity not captured | 8.3 | +3.9 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 students | D+ (24.2) | Average -0.16 | |
| 35 students | D+ (24.2) | Average -0.16 | |
| 38 students | Merit+ (26.7) | Average +0.07 | |
| 24 students | Dist- (31.1) | Below average -0.51 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 34 | D (20.4) | -0.32 |
| 2022/23 | 34 | D (18.4) | — |
| 2021/22 | 36 | C- (28.1) | — |
| 2018/19 | 24 | D+ (23) | -0.07 |
| 2017/18 | 41 | D+ (24.9) | -0.21 |
| 2016/17 | 55 | D+ (23.6) | 0.00 |
| 2015/16 | 59 | D (21.1) | -0.40 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 16.3 | −19.4 |
| Further and other education | 8.7 | −2 |
| Further education | 1.1 | −1.3 |
| Other education | 7.6 | −0.7 |
| Apprenticeship | 2.2 | −2.6 |
| Employment | 54.3 | +25.7 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 12 | −4.7 |
| Activity not captured | 6.5 | +2.9 |
Ofsted
Thomas Bennett Community College was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 5 October 2022, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 5 Oct 2022
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Sixth form | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Apr 2019
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
- Feb 2021Monitoring visitEffective action
Before September 2019
Apr 2019Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement 16 to 19 study programmes Good Safeguarding Effective Dec 2016Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Oct 2014Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement
What parents said
73% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (62 replies, to 4 September 2023).
- Recommend
- 73%
- Replies
- 62
- 5% · 4 Sept 2023
based on the 79% who raised concerns
based on the 47% who had a child bullied
based on 14 parents (23%) with SEND