Thomas Bennett Community College

Thomas Bennett Community College

Address: Ashdown Drive, Tilgate, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 5AD Unique reference number (URN): 138620

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have established a well-considered personal development programme. This supports pupils’ wider development effectively. Through the curriculum, pupils develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. Pupils learn about a broad range of topics, including knife crime, personal finance and consent. The curriculum considers the school's context thoughtfully. The broader curriculum, such as physical education, also helps pupils look after their physical and mental health. As a result, pupils know how to keep themselves safe online and stay healthy. They show a secure understanding of fundamental British values and respect cultural diversity. Importantly, pupils do not simply talk about these values. They also enact them through their day-to-day interactions and relationships with others. The school's pastoral structures and warm relationships provide appropriate support for pupils' wellbeing and mental health.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders ensure that pupils are typically well prepared for their next steps. The careers programme helps pupils to plan their futures with confidence. Wider progression opportunities, such as the Scholars Programme, also support this. Leaders recognise there is more work to do to further strengthen their careers provision.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils benefit from a broad range of experiences beyond the classroom. Educational visits, including overseas trips, enrich pupils’ understanding of the wider world. A broad range of sporting, cultural and academic opportunities are also on offer. Pupils have access to meaningful leadership opportunities. They are proud of their leadership roles, including in sports leadership. Collectively, these opportunities help pupils to nurture their talents and broaden their experiences. Such experiences also give pupils important opportunities to develop confidence, responsibility and ambition. Leaders track pupils’ engagement and participation in this offer. However, this is in the early stages. They have recently begun to ensure that all pupils can take part in and enjoy these opportunities as fully as possible.

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Achievement Needs attention

Over time, too many pupils underperform in national tests and examinations. Typically, they do not develop a secure knowledge of the curriculum. As a result, some pupils are not as well prepared for their next steps as they should be. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders are taking appropriate action to improve pupils' achievement. This includes strengthening the effectiveness of lessons. The positive impact of this can be seen in current classroom practice. Pupils' responses and work in lessons are now often of a high quality. Staff are also ensuring that pupils catch up on any gaps in their reading and writing. This work is already making a real difference to those pupils who need support. Pupils new to speaking English as an additional language make secure progress from their starting points. Most pupils are well prepared for their next stage in education, employment or training.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Attendance is an area where leaders recognise there is more work to do. Leaders have an accurate understanding of attendance patterns. They analyse information carefully and use a range of appropriate strategies. However, attendance remains too low. This is particularly so for disadvantaged pupils, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are persistently absent. For these pupils, lower attendance is having a significant impact on learning. Over time, they develop gaps in their knowledge and skills. Leaders' appropriate actions are showing early signs that attendance is starting to improve.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupils with SEND need greater levels of support to help them manage their behaviour. More broadly, leaders' work to improve behaviour has been impactful. They have established a calm and orderly environment. Pupils increasingly understand the school's expectations. They enjoy clear, caring routines and positive relationships with staff and other pupils. Pupils interact positively during social times. Leaders are effective in managing any incidents of bullying. Pupils are confident that bullying and discrimination will not be tolerated. Pupils' attitudes to learning are more variable than their conduct. Many pupils engage positively with learning. However, not all do so consistently, particularly where teaching is less effective. Over time, rates of suspensions and permanent exclusions have been higher than national averages, particularly for pupils with SEND.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The quality of teaching is inconsistent. When teaching is effective, teachers introduce new concepts clearly. They start lessons in ways which help pupils to reflect back on what they know. Questions are precise and help pupils to unlock new knowledge. However, teachers are not routinely spotting gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills. This means that pupils do not always secure the learning that they need.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have ensured that a broad, sequenced and ambitious curriculum exists in all subjects. They have ordered the content of the curriculum in a logical way. Teachers have secure subject knowledge.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Pupils who need extra help with their reading and writing skills receive this. They benefit from appropriate targeted support. This helps them to understand new learning with greater confidence.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders understand where the curriculum is working well and where it needs improvement. They identify priorities for improvement accurately. Leaders ensure this feeds into staff’s professional learning. They provide support to teachers who need to develop their teaching skills. The quality of teaching is improving.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The school week is currently shorter than the Department for Education's expectation of at least 32.5 hours.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders have established clear systems for identifying pupils' needs quickly. As a result, some pupils receive support that is well matched to their needs. However, leaders have not fully ensured that pupils' education plans identify and outline the best support for pupils. Some pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not receive the help they need to overcome barriers to their learning.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders have prioritised training to help staff understand how best to support pupils. However, this is still in an early stage of development. There are inconsistencies in how well staff support pupils. These hinder how well some pupils achieve.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders demonstrate a deep commitment to inclusion. Staff in the specially resourced provision ensure that pupils are well supported. The school uses alternative provision in the best interests of pupils. Leaders’ support for pupils known, or previously known, to social care, and those new to learning English, is effective. Leaders work well with the virtual school and with social workers to meet pupils’ needs.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders have a secure understanding of the barriers that disadvantaged pupils face. They use additional funding effectively to provide timely and considered support.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders' actions are beginning to have a positive impact. However, improvements are not yet embedded. Leaders and those responsible for governance know that further work is needed to ensure that improvements continue and benefit all pupils.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The school and trust have undergone significant changes in leadership. There have also been changes to the chair and membership of the school's governing body. Leaders now have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and the areas that need further improvement. They have identified the key priorities to take the school forward. These include raising pupils' achievement, strengthening the consistency of teaching and improving attendance. Leaders have faced challenges which have slowed the pace of improvement. Positive changes are now underway; however, these remain at an early stage. As a result, pupils do not yet achieve as well as they should from their starting points.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Those responsible for governance bring considerable knowledge and experience to their roles. They share leaders' understanding of, and commitment to, the school's priorities. Governors exercise precise strategic oversight. They hold school leaders to account and fulfil their statutory responsibilities.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have developed positive relationships with parents, carers and the wider community. When concerns arise, leaders take appropriate steps to engage with families. Leaders place importance on staff wellbeing. They respond appropriately to concerns, including those relating to workload. Staff have a range of professional development opportunities. These closely align with the school's improvement priorities. As a result, staff expertise is building over time.

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Post-16 provision Needs attention

At post-16, examination results have been below national averages over time. Leaders recognise that recent work to improve the quality of teaching will improve this. They are appropriately ambitious for students in the sixth form. Students follow suitable programmes of study. Most often, teachers deliver the curriculum well. Typically, students who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing get the support they need to do well.

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Post-16 provision Needs attention

Behaviour in the sixth form is positive. Many students engage well with school. Relationships with staff are caring. Students feel that staff know them well and have their best interests at heart. Students feel safe in school and do not fear harassment or discrimination. Pupils feel well supported and say that there are many adults they can turn to for help and advice. Students are well prepared for their next steps. They understand the future pathways available to them. Staff deliver clear careers guidance and work experience opportunities. These help inform students' decisions about future pathways.

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Post-16 provision Needs attention

Students develop their leadership skills through a range of responsibilities and community projects. They take part in the wider opportunities available to them. These include trips, clubs, volunteering and charitable work. Students are proud of their school and serve as positive role models to younger peers.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school is calm and orderly. Pupils get along well with one another and usually behave appropriately. Relationships between pupils and staff are positive. Many pupils take part in lessons and engage well with their learning. They feel safe because they are safe. Staff deal with bullying concerns quickly and effectively. Pupils benefit from adults who care about their welfare and make decisions with their best interests in mind.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Many pupils enjoy coming to school. They value the respectful and fair way that staff treat them. Pupils, including those in the sixth form, enjoy educational visits, leadership roles and careers advice. They can access a broad range of enrichment opportunities and develop their interests and talents.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils and students, including those who are disadvantaged, do not achieve as well as they should. Some pupils do not secure the qualifications they need to move on successfully to education, training or employment. As a result, they leave school without the knowledge and skills they need for the future.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils' experiences of learning are variable. In some subjects, teaching supports pupils to learn well and enjoy their learning. This includes lessons in the sixth form and the personal development programme. Pupils learn how to stay safe, keep healthy and understand life in modern Britain. However, their learning is less effective in other parts of the curriculum. Consequently, some pupils do not develop the knowledge and understanding they should.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Attendance continues to be a key area for improvement in the school. Too many pupils are absent too often, particularly disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, some miss important learning and fall behind their peers.

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Next steps

Those responsible for governance should ensure that leaders’ improvement work is sustained, challenged and evaluated rigorously so that recent improvements translate into stronger outcomes for pupils and students in the sixth form. Leaders should ensure that pupils’ needs are accurately identified and that personal education plans specifically identify pupils’ next steps to enable the best possible progress. Leaders should ensure that teachers consistently implement the curriculum as intended by checking pupils’ understanding accurately, addressing misconceptions and adapting learning effectively so that pupils achieve well at each stage of the curriculum. Leaders should continue to implement their attendance strategy rigorously so that attendance improves substantially, particularly for disadvantaged pupils, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are persistently

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Next steps

absent. Leaders should ensure that pupils with SEND receive appropriate pastoral support, working proactively with external stakeholders so that their behaviour improves and permanent exclusions and suspensions decrease. Leaders should ensure that the personal development programme is further strengthened so that all pupils benefit fully from the wider opportunities and experiences, including careers provision, that the school intends them to receive.

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About this inspection

This school is part of The Kemnal Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Russell Hobby CBE, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Catherine McGuinness CBE.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

This inspection took place on 22 and 23 September 2026.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with pupils, school staff, trust and school leaders and trustees during the inspection.

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Team inspectors:

Liz Bowes, Ofsted Inspector Steve Baker, Ofsted Inspector Andy Johnson, Ofsted Inspector Derren Gray, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 22 September 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England. The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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What does this mean?

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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What does this mean?

The school's most recent section 48 inspection took place in November 2022.

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What does this mean?

The school makes use of 3 registered alternative provisions.

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What does this mean?

The school has undergone a significant change since the last inspection, with a new CEO taking up post in September 2025 and a new chair of trustees being appointed in March 2026.The school appointed an interim headteacher, Daniel Hatley, who took up their post in January 2026.

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What does this mean?

Interim Headteacher: Daniel Hatley National average: 1,063

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school. National average: 14.0%

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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English and maths GCSE

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Attainment 8

A measure of pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Progress 8

How much progress pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

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A-level average point score

The average points that students achieved per A-level entry.

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A-level value added

A score showing students’ progress between the end of key stage 4 and the end of their academic qualification studies.

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national average

2024/25 (final) -0.2 0.0 Close to average

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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