Willingdon Community School
Secondary · Community school · Ages 11–16 · Eastbourne, East Sussex
Last distance offered · Year 7 2026
3.27 miles
Published by East Sussex County Council · offers on 2 March 2026
Year 7 last distance offered, 2019–2026 (miles)
Willingdon Community School is a secondary school in Eastbourne, East Sussex for ages 11–16 (community school). Its latest Ofsted outcome is School remains Good, from the inspection on 14 June 2023. East Sussex has published a last distance offered for this school for Year 7 2017 to 2026 entry.
Willingdon Community School catchment area: last distance offered
Parents often call this the catchment area: it's how far from the school the last child offered a place lived. It changes every year.
| Entry | Last distance offered |
|---|---|
| Year 7 2026 | 3.27 mi |
| Year 7 2025 | 2.69 mi |
| Year 7 2024 | 5.49 mi |
| Year 7 2023 | 1.27 mi |
| Year 7 2022 | 1.32 mi |
| Year 7 2021 | 3.65 mi |
| Year 7 2020 | 1.70 mi |
| Year 7 2019 | 2.54 mi |
| Year 7 2018 | 1.27 mi |
| Year 7 2017 | 1.25 mi |
What the pass includes · How to read it: one past year, not a catchment
What the figures show
- For Year 7 entry in 2026, the last child offered a place lived 3.27 miles from the school, the shortest of 5 East Sussex secondary schools with a published Year 7 2026 last distance.
- That 2026 Year 7 distance was further from the school than in 2025, and further than in 2017.
- For Year 7 entry in 2026 there were 248 first-choice applications for 206 offers; 197 offers went to first-choice families, so 51 first-choice families were not offered a place.
- In 2024/25, 49% of pupils got grade 5 or above in GCSE English and maths (England 45%), the 2nd highest of 9 schools: this one and the 8 nearest secondary schools in East Sussex.
Worked out by Catchmently from the published figures on this page and those for other East Sussex schools. Distances are as published; how they were measured differs between admission authorities.
Key facts
- Address
- Broad Road, Lower Willingdon, Eastbourne, BN20 9QX
- Type
- Community school
- Phase
- Secondary
- Ages
- 11–16
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Council
- East Sussex
- Pupils on roll
- 1,117 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 20.1% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 18.3
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
School remains Good Inspected 14 June 2023
Strengths
- “The school has high expectations of pupils and a strong focus on celebration and praise.”
- “Pupils say that bullying is uncommon and dealt with effectively.”
- “Pupils say they feel happy and safe.”
To improve
- “Links to assemblies, tutor time and other subjects are still being developed.”
- “Links with other subjects are not always systematically pursued to support pupils’ wider knowledge and skills.”
- “As a result, pupils miss out on opportunities to consolidate their understanding and to remember more.”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 28 July 2023 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| GCSE English and maths, grade 5 or above (2024/25) | 49% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 score (2024/25) | 45 | 46 |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Year 7 entry: 248 first-preference applications, 206 offers in total, 197 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Nearby secondary schools
Straight-line distance, in East Sussex.
- The Eastbourne Academy 1.4 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Ratton School 1.6 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- The Turing School 2.2 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- St Catherine's College 3.5 mi Standards maintained Last distance published
- Seaford Head School 6.1 mi School remains Outstanding Last distance published
- Seahaven Academy 8.9 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- King's Academy Ringmer 9.5 mi Standards maintained Last distance published
- Bexhill High Academy 9.8 mi Not judged Last distance published