SecondaryState · Academy converter

Thomas Bennett Community College

Ashdown Drive, Tilgate, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 5AD ·

Ofsted:Good· 2022

At a glance

A state secondary academy for ages 11–18 in Crawley. Rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection (October 2022). GCSE results are well below the England average (Attainment 8: 33.1 vs 46.1, 2024/25). 103 families put it first for 205 places (September 2026 entry).

Ages: 11–18
Pupils: 1,261
Gender: Mixed
Sixth form: Yes
Admissions: Non-selective
Local authority: West Sussex
Academy trust: THE KEMNAL ACADEMIES TRUST
Headteacher: Mr Daniel Hatley
Opened: Sept 2012

School website 01293526255 Explore the area

Inspection

Ofsted (framework in use until November 2025)

Read reports

Graded inspection 5 Oct 2022

GoodOverall effectiveness

Quality of education: Good
Behaviour and attitudes: Good
Personal development: Good
Leadership and management: Good
Sixth form: Good

Safeguarding effective: Yes

Inspection reports describe the school on the day. Read the full report and visit the school before deciding.

Exam results

Department for Education performance tables

GCSE results, 2024/25 · 176 pupils

Attainment 8

33.1

England 46.1

Grade 5+ Eng & maths

22.2%

England 45.4%

Grade 4+ Eng & maths

43.8%

England 64.8%

Progress 8

-0.95

2023/24 · CI -1.16 to -0.73

This school

33.1

West Sussex

46.2

England

46.1

Attainment 8 over time

Progress 8 isn't published for 2024/25 because those pupils had no KS2 test results (tests were cancelled in 2020). Exams were not held in 2019/20 or 2020/21.

Admissions

Demand for places and how places are allocated

Search for your address on the map to see straight-line distances to schools.

Year 7 entry, September 2026 (national offer day data)

Offers made

205

1st preferences

103

All applications

292

1st prefs per place

0.50

Fewer first choices than places

103 of 103 first-preference applicants were offered a place (100%).

Catchment area

We don't have an official catchment boundary for this school. Many schools don't have one, and few councils publish boundaries as open data. We don't estimate catchments. Check the school's admissions policy or the council's admissions booklet.

Last distance offered

Not published nationally. Many councils publish the furthest distance offered for each school in their annual allocation reports. Past distances vary year to year with demand and sibling numbers, so they are not a guarantee.

How places are allocated: you apply through your home council. When a school has more applicants than places, it applies its published oversubscription criteria in order. These usually start with looked-after children, then siblings, then catchment or distance; faith schools may prioritise church attendance. Children with an EHC plan naming the school are admitted first. Apply on GOV.UK

Pupils

School census 2024/25

Pupils

1,262

Capacity

1,450

87% full

Girls / boys

44/56

Mixed

Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)37.8%
English as an additional language28.8%
SEN support11.6%
Education, Health and Care plan3.1%
The black tick shows the median for state-funded secondary schools in England.